REGION 1: Ilocos Region

INTRODUCTION

Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from Taiwan. Families and clans arrived by
viray or bilog, meaning "boat". The term Ilokano originates from i-, "from", and looc, "cove or bay", thus "people
of the bay." Ilokanos also refer to themselves as Samtoy, a contraction from the Ilokano phrase sao mi ditoy,
"our language here". Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from southern China via
Taiwan.

 one of the most active tributaries to the general Philippine literature

PRECOLONIAL TIMES TO THE 19TH CENTURY

 Earliest known written Iloko poems:
 Romances translated from Spanish by Francisco Lopez, who published his own Iloko translation of the
 Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal Bellarmine, the first book to be printed in Iloko.
 Study of Iloko poetry:
 Gramatica Ilokana, published in 1895, based on Lopez's Arte de la Lengua Iloca, earlier published in
1627, but was probably written before 1606.
 Pedro Bucaneg
 collaborated with Lopez in the translation of the Doctrina into Iloko
 the first known Ilokano poet
 the "Father of Ilokano Poetry and Literature."
 blind since childhood
 authored the popular epic known as Biag ni Lam-ang, who published it in El Ilocano from December
1889 to February 1890, with Spanish translation in prose, and also reprinted it in his El Folklore Filipino,
under the title Vida de Lam-ang.
 Leona Florentino
 considered by some as the "National Poetess of the Philippines"
 her poems however, appear to the modern reader as being too syrupy for comfort, too sentimental to
the point of mawkishness, and utterly devoid of form.
 Fr. Justo Claudio Fojas
 Ilokano secular priest who wrote
 Leona Florentino's contemporary.
 novenas, prayerbooks, catechism, metrical romances, dramas, biographies, a Spanish grammar and an
Iloko-Spanish dictionary.
 Comedia (moro-moro)
 a highly picturesque presentation of the wars between Christians and Muslims
 Zarzuela
 an equally picturesque depiction of what is at once melodrama, comic-opera, and the skit
interminably preoccupied with the eternal theme of boy-meets-girl-who-always-live-happily-
ever-after-seemingly-impossible-odds
 presented for the first time in the Ilocos in the 19th century.
 Comedia – scripted from corridos
 Prince Don Juan
 Ari Esteban ken Reyna Hipolita
 Doce Paris
 Bernardo Carpio
 Jaime Del Prado
 Marcelino Mena Crisologo - helped popularize Zarzuela based on culture & traditions of the Iocos Norte
 “Matilde de Sinapangan”- first Iloko novel printed on 1892 and written by Rufino Redondo
20TH CENTURY
 more intense in literary activity
 EXAMPLES:

 Biag ti Maysa a Lakay, Wenno Nakaam-ames a Bales” (“Life of an old Man, or a Dreadful Revenge”)–
Mariano Gaerlan (1909)
 “Uray Narigat no Paguimbagan” (“Impovement Despite Obstacles”) – Facundo Madriaga (1911)
 “Apay a Pinatayda ni Naw Simon?” (“Why did they Kill Don Simon?”) - Leon C. Pichay (1935) – first
known detective novel in Iloko

 Iloko literature reached headland

 Many Ilokanos started to write Literary pieces
 Early Bannawag short stories in 1920’s – poor imitations of equally poor American fiction
 Bannawag resumed publication in 1947
 War
 Guerilla activities
 Japanese Artrocities
 Murder
 Pillage
 Death
 Leopoldo Y. Yabes (UP) – made a brief survey of Iloko Literature (1934)
Findings: Iloko Literature began with Pedro Bukaneg
 Thomas B. Alcid (UST) – made a study on Iloko prose fiction and discussed the Iloko short story
and the Iloko nevel and their possibilities in Philippine Literature (1940)
Findings: Short stories and novels were still young and needed more improvement
 Mercedes F. Guerrero (MLQEI) - made a master thesis titled “Critical Analysis of the
Outstanding Iloko Short Stories Published in the Bannawag from 1948 to 1952”
Findings: Iloko Stories offer a mine of information about the ideals and customs of the Filipino
people
 “Dalang: An Introduction to Philippine Literature in Iloko” – Dr. Marcelino A. Foronda, Jr. (1967)
 traits and characteristics of the Ilokanos

REGION 2: Cagayan Valley

The most important event in the history of Cagayan Valley took place in 1572 when Spanish
Conquistador Don Juan de Salcedo traced the northern coast and landed at the mouth of the
Pamplona River. Before his visit, early Cagayanos reveled in a civilization of their own.
The Spanish occupation in Cagayan was recorded to have started in 1581 when Gobernador
Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penaloza sent Juan Pablo Carreon to the north to drive away a Japanese fleet
under the command of Taifusa. Carreon succeeded in his mission and proceeded upriver to look for
future pueblo sites and thus making a name for himself in the process.
Cagayan Valley abounds with natural resources and exudes with development potentials that
consist of rich agricultural areas, forestland and grasslands, inland and marine resources.
The Ybanags, Itawits and Malawegs are mainly lowland farmers whose agricultural practices
are similar to those of the Ilokanos. The Ybanags used to inhabit the area along the Cagayan coast
but migrated further inland. They conducted trade with neighboring areas using distinctive seacrafts,
and their commercial interests made their language the medium of commerce throughout the
region before the influx of Ilokano migrants. They are also excellent blacksmiths and continue to
make good bolos. The Ybanags are reputed to be the tallest of all the ethno-linguistic groups in the
Philippines.
The Itawits are almost indistinguishable from the Ybanags. They build their houses with separate
kitchens, connected by a narrow walkway that is used as washing area for hands and feet. The
Itawits are noted for their pottery and basket-weaving traditions.
The culture of Cagayan is showcased in museums, historical buildings and archeological sites
spread across the province. In Solana, the Neolithic archeological sites in Lanna have yielded stone
tools used as early as 20,000 years back. The Cabarruan jar burial site, also in the town, features
ancient Filipino traditions of taking care of their dead. The Cagayan Museum is a repository of the
province´s cultural heritage. Iron Age pottery, Chinese Ming and Sung dynasty porcelain pieces as
well as Church paraphernalia are on display together with Paleolithic fossils. The oldest bell in the
country, cast in 1592, still peals from the tower of the church in Camalaniugan. The old brick works in
Tuguegarao lie inside the city and speak of a time when bricks were extensively used to build the
beautiful churches of the Cagayan.

Ybanag Dialect: Potent Factor in Cagayan's Evangelization

The Ybanag dialect was a very potent factor in the difficult and hazardous evangelization of
the pagan and hostile inhabitants of the Cagayan Valley.
The evangelization and pacification of the valley were difficult because the communities
found by the colonizers were far apart, separated by primeval spans of wild forests with crocodile-
infested rivers to cross or along which the missionaries and soldiers had to travel. There were also the
great calamities--epidemic, locust infestations, floods and earthquakes--which caused great
difficulties and sufferings to the people, and though to us today the calamities were natural
phenomena, the pagan natives blamed their occurences on the coming of the white people.
The early chronicles of Cagayan Valley , the natives, especially the Irrayas and Gaddangs,
were fierce and warlike. This was so, apparently because living in separate communities,
independent of each other, they cultivated fierce love for freedom. Thus, they resisted the abuses
committed by the officials and their encomienderos, to the extent of rising a revolt--the history of the
province tells of numerous and frequent insurrections in some of which the native rebels killed all the
Spanish officials.
It was always the missionaries who consoled the natives in time of the calamities and who
pacified them when they revolted, for the guns of the Spanish soldiers were
futile against the fury which the natives displayed in defense of their rights and sense of
freedom.

WRITERS AND LITERARY WORKS:

 Fernando Maramag
 Edith L. Tiempo
 Florentino Hornedo
• Born on October 16, 1938 in Batanes.
• He was born to Leon Hornedo and Bienvenida Hontomin.
• Hailing from Savidug, Sabtang, Batanes, Hornedo obtained his BSE from the University of Santo
Tomas in 1961. He received his Master’s in English and Philosophy from St. Louis University in
1966 and 1972 respectively and his Ph.D. in Literature from UST in 1977.

IMPORTANT LITERARY PIECES: English Translation

NU NUNUK DU TUKUN THE NUNUK ON THE HILL

Nu Nunuk Du Tukun, minuhung as The Nunuk on the hill short forth the leaves kadisi na;
Ichapungpung diya am yaken u and twigs; nilangan na.
Kapatalamaran ava su avang di Then suddenly all its branches fell and I idaud
Ta miyan du inayebngan na, ta under it. miyan du
inayebngan na. On what is left I cannot watch the boats on
the sea
Nu itanis ko an nu an didien ko; For I stand on the side from the sea.
Ta nu taw aya u suminbang diyaken;
Na maliliyak a pahung as maheheyet I weep in my grief? a riyes.
U minahey niya diyaken. It was the sea that made me an orphan;
The sad news came to me in the roar of the
breakers,
From the voice of the mighty sea currents.
WHAT CAUSES EARTHQUAKES
(Y Paggafuanan na Lunig)

Once upon a time, there was a very poor couple who had only one son. His name was Bernard
Carpio. Since this family led only a hand to mouth existence, both husband and wife had to work for
living. Whenever the mother went out to work, she would lock up the baby in the house. She would
just give him something to play with. Upon coming home, she would find all the toys of the baby
broken into small pieces. This happened everyday until the mother could no longer give the baby
anything to play with. So the baby was lest in the house without any toy, when she came home to
feed him, the mother was surprised that the walls and studs of their house were either destroy or
broken. She remains silent but observant. As soon as these parts of the house had been repaired, she
again left Bernardo Carpio alone. When she came home, she found the same in shambles. Next
time, the mother deliberately gave her son an iron rod to play with. Again he broke rod into pieces.
Now the parents were growing alarmed over the extraordinary strength of Bernardo. News of it also
spread in the neighborhood.
As a child grew up, he was recognized as the strongest boy in the village. He challenged to
fight those who dared him and defeated them all. As man, hid prowess was also acclaimed in the
whole country. This popularity made him very proud. He was so proud that even he dared
challenged God. At first, God gave him the upper hand. But on the third trial, when God asked him
to stop the quarrel between the two big mountains, Bernardo failed. In a conceited gesture, he
impulsively went between the warring mountains. He extended his arms to stop them but instead, he
got between the two mountains and was buried alive with his head out.
Today, it was believed that whenever Bernardo Carpio struggles to free himself from the grip
of the mountains, the earth quakes. The old folks also say that when he finally frees himself, that will
be the end of the world.

REGION 3: Central Luzon

In 1571, when the Spanish took hold of Central Luzon, they renamed the area to La
Pampanga. Central Luzon is mostly composed of 'Tagalog' speaking natives. During this period of
time, many different literary works arose.

Pampanga Literature

 A showcase of unique and diverse words of art shaped by rich and colorful traditions.
 Highlights of the local traditions
 Giant Lantern Festival – San Fernando Pampanga
 Lubenas Angeles City
 Lenten Ritual

 Self flagellation
 Putting up puni
 Singing of pasyon

 Tumaila (Pampango Lullabies)

 Familiar to all Grandmothers in Pampanga
 Atin Cu Pung Singsing

 Basulto
 march (flute and drums)

 Courage, sense of pride, and the moral values of the people of Pampanga are seen in the
often categorized as seditious plays of Aurelio Tolentino.
 Aurelio Tolentino Plays in Pampango are:
 Sinukuan
 Aslag Tala
 Ing Sundang ning Mengubie
 Bayung Cristo
 Filipinas at Espaňa
 Lua ning Balen

 Holy Angel University - center of Kapampangan studies and with the direction of Mr. Robby
Tantingco an “Outstanding Kapampangan” awardee

 Riddles
 aeta riddles
 Kapampangan riddles

EXAMPLE:
Are you that Someone
by: Lori Ungacta

Are you that someone Are you that someone

who will love me so deep, who will grow old with me,
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who won't make me weep...... who sees my true beauty......
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who will hold my hand, who will make my life complete,
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who would be my man...... who no other can compete......
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who would hold me in your arms, who will share good times and bad,
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who would protect me from harm..... who with me is always glad......
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who will make me smile, who I will love for life,
Are you that someone Are you that someone
who would go the extra mile...... willing to have me as your wife.....

FAMOUS WRITERS OF THE REGION:

 Tomas Pinpin - he first Filipino printer and is sometimes referred as the "Prince of
the Filipino Printers." Pinpin is remembered for being the first native Filipino to
publish and print a book, "Librong Pagaaralan nang mga Tagalog nang Uicang
Castilla" in 1610, entirely written by himself in the old Tagalog orthography.
 Francisco Balagtas - a prominent Filipino poet, and is widely considered one of
the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The
famous epic, Florante at Laura, is regarded as his defining work.
 Nicanor Abelardo - a Filipino composer known for his Kundiman songs,
especially before the Second World War.
 Damiana L. Eugenio - a Filipino female author and professor who was known as
the Mother of Philippine Folklore, a title she received in 1986. Apart from teaching
at the University of the Philippines, she has several publications in the field of
 Philippine folklore, among them a series of seven books which she compiled and
edited.
 Rogelio R. SIkat - a prolific Filipino novelist, playwright and short story writer. Sikat
is best known for his classic masterpieces particularly Impeng Negro, a short story
based on a half-black, half-Filipino boy and Moses, Moses, a play in one act that
depicts the social injustices and the abuse of the country’s oppressive politicians.
Apart from being one of the Philippines’ finest modern literary figures, Sikat was
also a distinguished educator. He was a former university professor and former
college dean of the University of the Philippines’ College of Arts and Letters.
 Gregorio C. Brillantes - a Palanca Award Hall of Famer and a multi-awarded
fiction writer,is one of the Philippines' most popular writers in English. Known for his
sophisticated and elegant style, he has been compared to James
Joyce.[citation needed] He often writes about individuals under thirty,
adolescent or post adolescent ones who struggle with alienation from family,
society and from themselves. His earlier collection of short stories earned him the
title of the "Catholic Writer".
REGION 4-A: CALABARZON (Southern Tagalog Mainland)

CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is also designated as

Region IV-A and its regional capital is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed
of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. The region's
name is an acronym of the names of these provinces.
Because of its proximity to the national capital, CALABARZON has seen steady
industrial growth and urbanization in recent years. But the local culture is still very much
alive. Historical landmarks, monuments, old churches, and shrines dot the region’s
landscape.
The area is rich in history. It’s where the Philippines’ independence from Spain
was first declared in 1898. It’s the birthplace of national heroes such as Jose Rizal (from
Calamba, Laguna), Emilio Aguinaldo (from Kawit, Cavite), Apolinario Mabini (from
Tanauan, Batangas) and Miguel Malvar (from Sto. Tomas, Batangas).
CALABARZON is also rich in cultural traditions. Laguna is known for embroidery,
wood carving, and papier-mâché (locally known as taka). Quezon has harvest festivals
and flamboyantly decorated houses. Rizal has artisan villages and art galleries. It’s a
colorful region.

FAMOUS WRITERS OF THE REGION:

Dr. Jose P. Rizal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Rizal was a prolific writer and was anti-violence. He rather fight using his pen than
his might.

 Rizal's two books "Noli Me Tangere" (Touch Me Not) which he wrote while he was
in Berlin, Germany in 1887 and "El Filibusterismo" (The Rebel) in Ghent, Belgiun in
1891 exposed the cruelties of the Spanish friars in the Philippines, the defects of
the Spanish administration and the vices of the clergy, these books told about the
oppression of the Spanish colonial rule. These two books made Rizal as a marked
man to the Spanish friars.
 EXAMPLES OF HIS WORK:
 Sa aking mga kababata
 Noli Me Tangere ( Huwag mo akong salingin)
 El Filibusterismo -1891
 Huling Paalam -1896
 Sobre la indolencia de los filipinos ( Hinggil sa
katamanran ng mga Flipino.)
 Ala Juventud Filipina ( Sa kabataan Pilipino)
 Filipinas Dendro de cien anos ( Ang Pilipinas sa
loob ng Isangdaang taon).
Teo S. Baylen
 Tinig ng Teenager
 Takipsilim at lumang lambat

Rev. Fr. Arnel S. Vitor

 Ang tutong
Buenaventura S. Medina Jr.
 kapangyarihan at punong-kahoy
Alejandro S. Abadilla
 Ako ang daigdig at sanaysay sa Tula
Claro M. Recto
 Noong bata pa ako
Ligaya Tiamson Rubin
 Taga- Angono , Rizal
 Kasalukuyang nagtuturo sa U.P
 Tagapangulo ng Departamento ng Filipino at Literatura.

EXAMPLE

Our Mother Tongue

(Jose P. Rizal)

IF truly a people dearly love

The tongue to them by Heaven sent,
They’ll surely yearn for liberty
Like a bird above in the firmament.
BECAUSE by its language one can judge
A town, a barrio, and kingdom;
And like any other created thing

Every human being loves his freedom.

ONE who doesn’t love his mother tongue;
Is worse than putrid fish and a beast;
And like a truly precious thing
It therefore deserves to be cherished.
THE Tagalog language akin to Latin,
To English, Spanish, angelical tongue;
For God who knows how to look after us
This language He bestowed us upon.
 AS others, our language is the same
With alphabet and letters of its own,
It was lost because a storm did destroy
On the lake the bangka in years bygone

REGION 4-B: MIMAROPA (Southern Tagalog Islands)

The name of this region is an acronym that combines the names of its provinces:
Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

With its National Parks, World Heritage Sites, protected marine areas and even
wild safari parks, the MIMAROPA region is definitely something different. You won’t find
big cities, bustling highways, or traffic jams here. You will find rugged roads, palm-
fringed beaches, and peace and serenity.

There’s an enchantment to this region, especially underwater. Above land you’ll

find simple towns, delicious seafood, and the quiet, laid-back island life that the people
of MIMAROPA have had for centuries.

EXAMPLE:

Suan, The Good Guesser

There was once an old woman who had an only son named Suan. Suan was a
clever, sharp-witted boy. His mother sent him to school. Instead of going to school,
however, Suan climbed up the tree that stood by the roadside. As soon as his mother
had passed by from the market, Suan hurried home ahead of her. When she reached
home, he cried, “Mother, I know what you bought in the market to-day.” He then told
her, article by article. This same thing happened so repeatedly, that his mother began
to believe in his skill as a diviner.
One day the ring of the datu’s daughter disappeared. All the people in the
locality searched for it, but in vain. The datu called for volunteers to find the lost ring,
and he offered his daughter’s hand as a prize to the one who should succeed. Suan’s
mother heard of the proclamation. So she went to the palace and presented Suan to
the datu. “Well, Suan, tomorrow tell me where the ring is,” said the datu. “Yes, my lord, I
will tell you, if you will give your soldiers over to me for tonight,” Suan replied. “You shall
have everything you need,” said the datu.
That evening Suan ordered the soldiers to stand around him in a semicircle.
When all were ready, Suan pointed at each one of them, and said, “The ring is here,
and nowhere else.” It so happened that Suan fixed his eyes on the guilty soldier, who
trembled and became pale. “I know who has it,” said Suan. Then he ordered them to
retire. Late in the night this soldier came to Suan, and said, “I will get the ring you are in
search of, and will give it to you if you will promise me my safety.” “Give it to me, and
you shall be safe,” said Suan.
Very early the next morning Suan came to the palace with a turkey in his arms.
“Where is the ring?” the datu demanded. “Why, sir, it is in this turkey’s intestines,” Suan
replied. The turkey was then killed, and the ring was found inside it. “You have done
very well, Suan. Now you shall have my daughter’s hand,” said the datu. So Suan
became the princess’s husband.
 One day the datu proposed a bet with anyone who wished to prove Suan’s skill.
Accordingly another datu came. He offered to bet seven cascos of treasure that Suan
could not tell the number of seeds that were in his orange. Suan did not know what to
do. At midnight he went secretly to the cascos. Here he heard their conversation, and
from it he learned the number of seeds in the orange. In the morning Suan said
boastfully, “I tell you, your orange has nine seeds.” Thus Suan won the whole treasure.
Hoping to recover his loss, the datu came again. This time he had with him fourteen
cascos full of gold. He asked Suan to tell him what was inside his golden ball. Suan did
not know what to say. So in the dead of night he went out to the cascos, but he could
learn nothing there. The next morning Suan was summoned into the presence of the
two datus. He had no idea whatever as to what was in the ball; so he said scornfully,
“Nonsense!” “That is right, that is right!” shouted a man. “The ball contains nine cents.”
Consequently Suan won the fourteen cascos full of gold. From now on, nobody
doubted Suan’s merit.