SPANISH COLONIZATION PERIOD ( 1565 – 1863 )

Spanish colonization of the Philippines started in 1565 during the time of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the
first Spanish governor-general in the Philippines.

Expeditions to the Philippines were sent by Spain in the 16th century. In their conquest, the Spaniards
brought Christianity with them. The clergy made a great impact on faith, education, and government.

Influences of Spanish in Philippine Literature

1. Baybayin – Roman Alphabet

2. Christian Doctrine
3. Spanish Language became the literary language
The Spanish missionaries taught the gospel through the native language, so they hired natives to
translate Spanish religious instructional materials. Eventually, the natives became fluent in
Spanish and became known as ladinos.
Ladinos mainly wrote devotional poetry. Two of them were Fernando Bagongbanta and Gaspar
Aquino de Belen. Bagongbanta wrote “Salamat nang walang hanga/gracias de sin sempiternas,”
which appeared in Memorial de la vida cristiana en lengua tagala (1605), a book containing basic
Catholic doctrines. On the other hand, de Belen wrote “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong
Panginoon natin na tola” (1704), the earliest version of pasyon.
4. European legends & traditions
Through the Manila-Acapulco trade (1565–1815), liberal ideas entered the country. Also, the
trade gave rise to a wealthier middle class. Children in middle class families could then be sent
to Europe to get an education. Upon their return, they brought European ideals of liberty and
freedom with them. Such ideals would then give rise to Filipino nationalism.
5. Ancient literature was translated to Tagalog
Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862), the master of traditional Tagalog poetry, became well-known
for his work Florante at Laura (1838–1861), the most famous metrical romance of the country.
Pedro Paterno (1857–1911) wrote Sampaguitas y poesias varias (1880), the first poetry
collection in Spanish by a Filipino; and the novel in Spanish Ninay (1885), considered to be the
first Filipino novel.
Jose Rizal (1861–1896), a prominent ilustrado and the country’s national hero, is famous for the
novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. These novels portray the corruption and abuse of
the Spanish officials and the clergy.
Andres Bonifacio (1863–1897), the founder of the Katipunan, wrote the poem “Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa.” This poem appeared in the Kalayaan, the official newspaper of the Katipunan,
in March 1896.
Leona Florentino (1849–1884), known as the “mother of Philippine women’s literature,” was a
poet in both Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems were preserved and exhibited in Europe.
The poems were included in the Encyclopedia International des Oeuvres des Femme in 1889.
6. Religious tone in every piece of literature
Also, the native drama called the komedya or moro-moro was popular. It depicted the war
between Christians and Muslims, wherein the former always wins. The poet Jose de la Cruz
(1746–1829) was a master of such art form.

The First Books

1.Ang Doctrina Cristiana (The Christian 4.Ang Barlaan at Josephat

Doctrine) 5.The Pasion
2.Nuestra Senora del Rosario 6.Urbana at Felisa
3.Libro de los Cuatro Postprimeras de Hombre 7.Ang mga Dalit kay Maria (Psalms for Mary)
Literary Forms

1. Religious Literature
a. Pasyon – long narrative poem about the passion and death of Christ.
b. Senakulo – dramatization of the pasyon.
2. Secular (non-religious) Literature
a. Awit - colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting. Eg. Ibong Adarna
b. Korido – metrical tale. Eg. Florante at Laura
c. Prose Narratives – written to prescribe proper decorum.

There were many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish times. Almost all of them
were in poetic form.
CENAKULO
Dramatic performance of the passion and death of Christ
ZARZUELA
The father of drama, a musical comedy or melodrama three acts which death with men’s passion and
emotions like love, hate, revenge, cruelty , avarice or some political problem.
LAGAYLAY
A special occasion for the pilareños of sorsogon during maytime to get together

TIBAG
Dramatic performance for the purpose of manifesting devotion for the holy cross.
PANULUYAN
Philippine Christmas dramatic ritual narrating the whole family’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem
for Jesus Christ‘s birth through songs.
SALUBONG
Dramatizes the reunion of the risen Christ and his mother.
CARILLO
A form of dramatic entertainment perform on a moonless night during a town fiesta or on darknights
after a harvest.
SAINETE
A short musical comedy popular during the 18th century. They were exaggerated comedy shown
between acts plays and were mostly performed by characters from the lower class.
THE MORO-MORO
Like the Cenaculo, the Moro-Moro is presented also on a special stage. This is performed during town
fiestas to entertain the people and to remind them of their Christian religion. Example: “Prinsipe
Rodante”
KARAGATAN
This is a poetic vehicle of a socioreligious nature celebrated during the death of a person.
DUPLO
The Duplo replaced the Karagatan. This is a poetic joust in speaking and reasoning.
THE BALAGTASAN
This is a poetic joust or a contest of skills in debate on a particular topic or issue.
THE DUNG-AW
This is a chant in free verse by a bereaved person or his representative beside the corpse of the dead.

Native literature continued. Though the Spaniards destroyed the written literature in their effort to
replace it with their own, the oral tradition survived and flourished in areas beyond the reach of the
Spaniards.
AMERICAN

Filipino Writers imitated English and American models. Filipino writers in English during the
apprenticeship period (1900–1930) imitated American writing. The poet Fernando Maramag writes in
the Romantic tradition in his sonnet “Moonlight on Manila Bay” (1912). Filipino fictionists copied
Sherwood Anderson, William Saroyan, and Ernest Hemingway. Jose Garcia Villa used the Anderson
pattern. Manuel Arguilla and N. V. M.Gonzalez were influenced by Anderson and Hemingway. Francisco
Arcellana was influenced by Saroyan.

The production of literary works in English is the direct result of the American colonization of the
Philippines.
Short Stories – most prevalent literary form.
The short story “Dead Stars” (1925) by Paz Marquez Benitez is considered as the first Filipino modern
short story in English.
The first collection of poetry

in English is Filipino Poetry (1924), edited by Rodolfo Dato. A Child of Sorrow(1921) by Zoilo M. Galang is
the first Filipino novel in English. The novel His Native Soil (1940) by Juan C. Laya won first prize in the
First Commonwealth Literary Awards in 1940.