Pre-Spanish Period
The Cenaculo- passion and death of Jesus Christ
 Legends-origin of something, imaginary, old
Filipino customs are reflected, aim to entertain
 Folk tales-stories about life, adventure, love,
horror, and humor; help us appreciate our
environment, evaluate our personalities, and
improve perspectives in life
 Epics- long narrative poems, series of heroic
achievements
 Folk songs- one of the oldest forms of ph lit, 12
syllables
 Epigrams(salawikain)- laws or rules on good
behavior
 Riddles(bugtong) or palaisipan- 4 to 12 syllables
 Chants(bulong)- witchcraft or enchantment
 Maxims- rhyming couplets
 Sayings(kasabihan)- used in teasing or to comment
on a person’s actuations
 Sawikain(sayings with no hidden meaning)
Spanish Period (1565-1898)
 Background: time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, changes:
catholic religion, names, were baptized, lifestyles, house
made of stones and bricks, beautiful furniture, kitchen
utensils, carriages trains and boats as means of travel,
fiestas, cockfights, horse race, theatre
 First books:
Ang Doctrina Cristiana- printed in xylography;
NUESTRO SENORA DEL ROSARIO-It contains the biographies
of saints, novenas, and questions and answers on religion;
LIBRO DE LOS CUATRO POSTRIMERIAS DEL HOMBRE- First
written book in typography;
ANG BARLAAN AT JOSEPHAT- Biblical story printed in the
Philippines, First Tagalog novel printed in the Philippines
even though it is only a translation.
THE PASION- This is the book about the life and sufferings of
Jesus Christ.
URBANA AT FELISA- letters between two sisters Modesto de
Castro- Father of Classical Prose in Tagalog
ANG MGA DALIT KAY MARIA (PSALMS FOR MARY)-
Collection of songs praising the Virgin Mary
 LITERARY COMPOSITIONS
Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (Art and Rules of the
Tagalog Language)
Compendio de la Lengua Tagala (Understanding the Tagalog
Language)
Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampanga (Pampanga
vocabulary)
Arte de la Lengua Ilokana (The Art of the Ilocano Language)
Arte de la Lengua Bicolana (The Art of Bicol Language)
 Folk songs- Leron-Leron Sinta(Tagalog), Pamulinawen(Iloko),
Dandansoy(Bisaya), Sarong Banggi(Bicol), Atin Cu Pung
Singsing(Kapampangan)
 Recreational Plays
Tibag-search of St. Helena for the cross
Lagaylay- Sorsogon
Panunuluyan- Christmas eve
The Salubong- easter play
Carillo- shadow play
The Zarzuela- father of the drama
The Sainete- short musical comedy
 The Moro-Moro
 Karagatan- poetic vehicle of socio-religious nature, death of
a person
 Duplo- poetic joust in speaking and reasoning
 The Balagtasan- poetic joust on a particular topic or issue
 The Dung-aw- chant in free verse by a bereaved person
 The Awit-dodecasyllabic and Corrido- octosyllabic
Period of Enlightenment (1872-1898)
 The Propaganda Movement- Jose Rizal, Marcelo Del Pilar,
Graciano Lopez Jaena
o To get equal treatment, to make Ph a colony of
spain, to restore filipino representation, to give
Filipinos freedom
 Jose Rizal- Noli(novel of society) El Fili( novel of politics),
Dimasalang,Laong Laan
 Marcelo Del Pilar-Plaridel, established Diariong Tagalog,
replaced Jaena as editor of La Solidaridad
 Graciano Lopez Jaena- writer and orator,established La
Solidaridad
 Antonio Luna-pharmacist, Tagailog
 Mariano Ponce- editor-in-chief, biographer, and researcher,
Tikbalang, Naning
 Pedro Paterno- scholar, dramatic, researcher, novelist
 Jose Ma. Panganiban- jormapa, photographic mind
 Active revolution- La Liga Filipina- civic org suspected of
being revolutionary;
Andres Bonifacio-father of Filipino democracy, father of
katipunan
Emilio Jacinto- brains of katipunan
Apolinario Mabini- sublime paralytic and the brains of the
revolution
Jose Palma- ph national anthem
Pio Valenzuela
American Regime(1898-1941)
o Nationalism of people remain undaunted
o Spanish and Tagalog, Vernaculars, English
o Cecilio Apostol- poems dedicated to Rizal etc
o Fernando Ma. Guerrero- Crisalidas
o Jesus Balmori- Batikuling
o Manuel Bernabe
o Claro Recto
o Florante at Laura, Urbana at Felisa
o 3 kinds of poets( Julian Cruz Balmaceda)- poets of the heart,
poets of life, poets of the stage
o Lope K. Santos- father of national language grammar,
Manuel Quezon- father of national language
 o Amado Hernandez- makata ng mga manggagawa
o Valeriano Pena
o Inigo Ed Regalado
o Tagalog Drama- Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan
o Tagalog Short Story- mga kuwentong ginto, 50 batikang
kuwentista
o Tagalog Poetry
o Philippine Literature in English
o Period of re-orientation- poetry
o Period of imitation- short stories
o Period of self-discovery- poetry, short story, essay,
biography,history, publications, drama,
Japanese Period (1941-1945)
o Filipinos were strictly prohibited to write in English- Juan
Laya
o The Philippine Review, Tribune
o Liwayway- ishiwara
o Poetry- Haiku(5-7-5), Tanaga(7 syllables each line),
Karaniwang Anyo
o Drama- Jose Ma. Hernandez wrote PANDAY PIRA; Clodualdo
del Mundo wrote BULAGA
Julian Cruz Balmaceda wrote SINO BA KAYO?, DAHIL SA
ANAK, and HIGANTE
Francisco Soc Rodrigo wrote SA PULA, SA PUTI
o Short Stories
First Prize: Narciso Reyes’ LUPANG TINUBUAN
Second Prize: Liwayway Arceo’s UHAW ANG TIGANG NA
LUPA
Third Prize: Nestor Vicenete Madali Gonzalez’s LUNSOD
NAYON AT DAGAT-DATAN
o Ph Literature in English- for their bread and butter or for
propaganda
The Commonwealth Literary Awards gave prizes to
meritorious writers. Those who won were:
1. LIKE THE MOLAVE by Rafael Zulueta da Costa (Poetry)
2. HOW MY BROTHER LEON BROUGTH HOME A WIFE by
Manuel E. Arguilla (Short Story)
3. LITERATURE AND SOCIETY by Salvador P. Lopez (Essay)
4. HIS NATIVE SOIL by Juan Laya (Novel)
President Manuel L. Quezon’s autobiography THE GOOD
FIGHT was published posthumously.
THE REBIRTH OF FREEDOM (1946-1970)
 Filipinos had, by this time, learned to express themselves
more confidently.
 There was an increase of newspapers like the FREE PRESS,
MORNING SUN, DAILY MIRROR, EVENING NEWS and the
BULLETIN.
 Poetry- Notable writers during this time were: Fred Ruiz
Castro, Dominador I. Ilio, and C.B. Rigor; The themes of
most poems dealt with the Love of Nature and of Social and
Political Problems.
 NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES- PEN Center of the Philippines
(Poets, essayists, novelists)
Francisco Arcellana published his PEN ANTHOLOGY OF
SHORT STORIES
 THE NEW FILIPINO LITERATURE - Most themes dealt with
Japanese government and the brave guerilla exploits,
Newspaper and magazine publications, tagalog poetry gained
substance and meaning, Short stories had better characters,
Novels become common, People’s love for listening to poetic
jousts increased
PERIOD OF ACTIVISM (1970-1972)
o Pociano Pineda- youth activism in 1970-72 was due to
domestic and worldwide causes
o Because of the ills of society, the youth moved to seek
reforms. Some continued to believe that the democratic
government is stable and that it is only the people running
the government who are at fault. Some believed that
socialism or communism should replace democracy. Some
armed groups were formed to bring down the democratic
form of government
o The seeds of activism resulted in the declaration of Martial
Law in 1972.
o THE LITERARY REVOLUTION- youth became completely
rebellious, campus newspapers showed rebellious emotions.
The once aristocratic writers developed awareness for
society. They held pens and wrote on placards in red paint
the equivalent of the word MAKIBAKA.
o Bomba films
o Jose F. Lacaba, in his book DAYS OF DISQUIET, NIGHTS OF
RAGE; THE FIRST QUARTERS STORM AND RELATED EVENTS,
wrote of the tragic and tumultuous moments in our country’s
history.
o Philippine Center for the International PEN (Poets, Essayists,
and Novelists) held a conference centering on the “writer’s
lack of freedom in a climate of fear.”
PERIOD OF THE NEW SOCIETY (1972-1980)
o Almost all themes in most writings dealt with the
development or progress of the country
o Ministry of Public Affairs that supervised the newspapers,
books and other publications.
o government took part in reviving old plays
o Singing both Filipino and English songs received fresh
incentives
o FILIPINO POETRY DURING THIS PERIOD- Themes of most
poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture,
customs and the beauties of nature and surroundings
o THE PLAY UNDER THE NEW SOCIETY- government led in
reviving old plays and dramas
o RADIO AND TELEVISION
o FILIPINO FILMS
o COMICS, MAGAZINE, AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS
o Bilingual education, essays, debates and poetry