21st Century Literature of the Philippines
and the World
Pre-Colonial Period (Early times - 1864)
 Longest Literary Period
Literary Forms:
1. Riddle/ bugtong/ pasumbingay
2. Proverbs/salawikain
 Wise sayings
 Metaphor
3. Tanaga
 1 stanza poem 4 lines all ending
rhyming
4. Folk Songs
 Lullaby/Hele
 Tagay/ Drinking song
 Kalusan/Work Song
5. Folk Myth - Explain How the world is
Created
6. Legends (Alamat) - Explains the origin
of things
7. Fables - Uses animals as characters
8. Chants -Speaking or singing of words
- rituals
9. Epic- Long narrative poem of a
person with heroic deeds
Sample Literary Text:
Bahay-Kubo - Folk
Biag ni Lam-ang - Epic
Maria Makiling - Legend
Ang Alamat ni Tungkung Langit – Legend
Facts and Notable Persons
 No recorded of specific
writer/literary person during this
time
 All literary works were orally
transmitted
 Oral tradition
 When underworld characters/
stories were told to discipline
children (Aswang, tiyanak, kapre)
 Talks about code of behavior,
community beliefs and to instill
values
 Expresses hopes and aspirations
of community
 Tells about how the work was
created
Spanish Colonial Literature (1865-1897)
 Most sacred part in Ph Literature
Divided into 2 Periods
1. Religious Literature
 Latino Poets about what
happened before, during and
after the period
 Senakulo- Dramatization of
Pasyon; actual drama of Pasyon
 Pasyon - long narrative poem;
The text; The script of Senakulo
2. Secular Literature - Non-religious
Literature (No correlation of bible and the
play)
 Awit - Colorful tales of chivalry
(Ex. Ibong Adarna)
 Corrido - Metrical tale written in
octosyllabic quatrains or 8x4 (8
syllables and 4 pattern) (Ex.
Florante and Laura)
 Kundiman- Filipino Love songs
(Theme is more about love) (High
notes) (Mostly Girls sang the
song)
Other Literature during the Spanish
Period:
1. Propaganda Literature
 More Reformatory and Objective
 They sought for report using
their writings to have their
freedom of expression
 They are not that free when it
comes to writing but they
overcame the Spanish regime
 Examples: Political Essays
(Theme: Satire)
  “Once a Lampung” (book) -
Lampung is a type of publication
that is meant to disturb the
readers. You are using foul
languages. There is no filter. So
that’s becoming Satire.
Comparing an icon or political
leader to an animal or something.
Ex. Duterte as a lion. They are
becoming more vulgar.
 Editorial - An example of an
opinionated Essay
 News Writing - Angle of how you
present the news
 Political Novels
2. Revolutionary Literature - More
propagandistic than literary and more
violent in nature
 Examples: Political essays and
poetry
Example of Sample Literary Texts for the
Spanish Period:
1. La Solidaridad - Propaganda Political
Essay
2. Noli Me Tangere - Propaganda Political
Novel
3. El Filibusterismo - Propaganda Political
Novel
4. Ibong Adarna - Awit
5. Florante at Laura – Korido
Facts in the Spanish Colonial Period:
 It introduces Spanish as a medium of
communication. (Spanish Language)
 The Catholic Religion was
incorporated in Literature.
 Filipino Intellectuals began to write
about the downside of colonization
through political essays or novels.
 The romantic Tradition emerged
 There are a lot of notable persons in
the Spanish colonial period yet the
mentioned names are those who
practiced writing
Notable Persons in the Spanish Colonial
Period:
 Jose Rizal - Uses his wit in writing to
reform or to revolutionize the
Spanish regime.
 Marcelo H. Del Pilar
 Jose Corazon de Jesus
 Francisco Balagtas
 Emilio Jacinto
 Andres Bonifacio
 Apolinario Mabini
American Period (1898 -1946)
 The country could not adapt easily
 Transition from Spanish to English is
difficult
Literary forms:
Tagalog Novels
Romantic Poetry
Short Stories
Sample Literary Texts:
Dead stars by Paz Marquez Benitez- Short
Stories
Footnote to youth by Jose Garcia Villa -
Short stories
Facts and Notable Persons:
 Written in English
 Freedom of writing
 Press freedom
 Women are encouraged to write
 1897 Constitution pattern
 Nick Joaquin and NVM Gonzales
received the highest award as
"National Artist for Literature" from
to American colonial period to
present
 Nick Joaquin - Has more critical
Literature
 NVM Gonzales - Nestor Vicente
Madalid Gonzales
Japanese Colonial Period (1941-1945)
 English newspapers are banned.
 There was minimal freedom of
speech and of the press.
 Filipino writers' works strictly
censored.
 Theaters were used to show
English play translated into
Filipino.
 The weekly LIWAYWAY was placed
under strict surveillance until it as
it was managed by Japanese
named Ishiwara.
 Filipino literature was given a
break during this period.
 Many wrote plays, poems, short
stories, etc.
 Topics and themes were often
about life in the provinces.
Types of Poems
1. Haiku
 Free-verse
 17 syllables divided into
three lines
 5-7-5
 Allegorical in meaning
 Short yet covers a wide scope
in meaning
2. Tanaga
 Short yet it has a measure
and a rhyme
 Each line consists of 7
syllables
 Allegorical in meaning
3. Usual Form
 The usual common form of
poetry
Examples:
1. Haiku – Tutubi by Gonzalo K.
Flores
Hila mo'y tabak
Ang bulaklak nanginig
Sa paglapit mo
2. Tanaga – Palay by Ildefonso
Santos
Palay siyang matino
Nang humangi'y yumuko
Ngunit muling tumayo
Nagkabunga ng ginto
Filipino Drama:
 The drama experienced a lull
during the Japanese period
because movie houses
showing American films were
closed.
 Big movie houses were made
to show stage shows.
 Play reproductions of English
plays to Tagalog.
 The translators were
Francisco Rodrigo
(Playwright), Alberto Concio,
and Narciso Pimentel
(Writer).
 They founded the
organization of Filipino
players named Dramatic
Philippines (Teleserye).
Notable People and their works:
1. Jose Ma. Hernandez - PANDAY
PIRA
2. Francisco Rodrigo - PULA SA PUTI
3. Clodualdo Del Mundo - BULAGA
(an expression in the game Hide
and Seek)
4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda - SINO BA
KAYO? , DAHIL SA ANAK, and
HIGANTE NG PATAY.
Filipino Short Stories:
 The field of short story widened
during the Japanese Occupation
 People who wrote short stories:
Ligaya Perez, Gloria Guzman, and
Alicia Lopez Lim
Best Writings:
 The best writings in 1945 were
selected by a group of judges
composed of Francisco Icasiano,
Jose Esperanza Crus, Antonio
Rosales, and etc.
1. FIRST PRIZE: Narciso Reyes
(Lupang Tinubuan)
2. SECOND PRIZE: Liwayway Arceo
(Uhaw ang tigang na lupa)
3. THIRD PRIZE: NVM Gonzalez
(Lungsod Nayon at Dagat-dagatan)
Contemprary Period 1960- Present
 Contemporary period is romantic
and revolutionary.
 Activism became the frontline of
expression through film, writing,
broadcast media, and art.
 The first term of Marcos is actually
clean and good.
 The second and third term was
when he became the worst
Filipino president.
 Books were actually a product of
apologies of Marcos
 Marcos regime – there is no
freedom of expression. They are
exploited against the government.
 Romantic - Uses past experiences
to inspire
 Revolutionary - Giving other
meanings.
Literary Forms:
1. Poetry:
Free-verse – NO pattern, limit,
technicalities
Spoken Word Poetry – NO format
yet it is a performance
2. Short Story
Flash Fiction – a very short fiction
story (60-100 words)
3. Non-fiction
Creative non-fiction – type of
literary composition that uses
facts yet has metaphors
4. Comics – Drawing pictures with
dialogues
5. Magazines
Sample Literary texts: (There are a lot of
works kasi marami na oppress)
1. Decada sitenta
2. Children of the ash a covered
loam

Notable Persons:
1. Nick Joaquin
2. Luwalhati Bautista
3. NVM Gonzales
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