21st-Century Literature from the Philippines

and the World (Reviewer)

* What is Literature? * Folk Narratives

→ It is the beautiful expression of man‘s personal → Folk narratives consist of myths, legends and
interpretations of some aspect of human life, or a folktalkes. Myths are prose narratives explaining how
wording out in a unique, beautiful, and personal the world and people came to be in their form. These
manner of saying what an author thinks is a were the first tools man used to define his world. The
passionate meaning of life. This is saying that origin of the surrounding world has always been the
literature not only becomes but is ―life itself. object of interest of prehistoric Filipinos.
‖ -Amador Daguio
Pre-Colonization Proverbs
→ Oral and written literature were present in our → The proverbs or aphorisms express norms or codes of
culture even before colonizers came. We had our behavior, and community beliefs or they instill values by
own alphabet that our Malayan ancestors used. offering nuggets of wisdom in short, rhyming verses.
The written literary forms did not last because of → The proverbs or aphorisms express norms or codes of
the materials used such as: behavior, and community beliefs or they instill values by
1)leaves, offering nuggets of wisdom in short, rhyming verse.
2)bamboo canes, and Ex:
3) the ground.t. • the basahanon
→ Such materials did not last long because of its • extended didactic sayings from Bukidnon and
organic composition. the daraida and daragilon from Panay.
But the oral literature continued by word of mouth → Filipino proverbs or Tagalog proverbs or salawikain,
like: echo the value of the Philippines. They have been retold
1) riddles, and passed down from one generation to another, and
2) proverbs, the values and lessons they impart to us still hold true to
3) folksongs and folktales, this day.
4) myths and legends, etc.
Ex: If you plant, you harvest.
* Riddles
→ Riddles are generally poetic in form and come in (Kung may tinanim, may aanihin.)
one, two, three or four lines. During the pre-
colonial period, riddles serve as a form of folk Folk Songs
speech and are about the battle of the wits. Riddles → a form of folk lyric which expresses the hopes and
use one or more images to refer to an object to be aspirations, the people's lifestyles as well as their loves.
guessed. The use of obscure words has been These are often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and
invented for the purposes of rhyme and meter. naive as in the children's songs or Ida-ida
→ Sometimes the riddle may be in the form of a (Maguindanao), tulang pambata (Tagalog) or cansiones
direct question. These riddles are called is tigmo in para abbing (Ibanag)
Cebuano, bugtong in Tagalog, paktakon in Ilongo
and patototdon in Bicol. Ex:
→ Riddles describe something by comparing it to • lullabyes or Ili-ili (Ilongo)
another that has no significant relation to it but has • (love songs) the panawagon and balitao
similarities. Then anyone can try guessing what the • (Ilongo); harana or serenade (Cebuano);
thing being described is. What are metaphors? • the bayok (Maranao)
• figure of speech that uses direct • the people often sung to go with the
comparison of two unlike things or ideas movement of workers such as the kalusan
without using the words ―like or ―as (Ivatan)
• soliranin (Tagalog rowing song)
Ex: Dear Lord: Let thou be the street cleaner
• the mambayu, a Kalinga rice-pounding song;
Whilst I be the road the verbal jousts/games like the duplo popular
during wakes.
* Epics
→ Epics in the Philippines during the pre-
colonization are considered ethno-epics because American Colonization
they are histories of various ethnic groups. The → Philippine literary production during the American
epics come in various names: Guman (Subanon); Period in the Philippines was spurred by two significant
Darangen (Maranao); Hudhud (Ifugao); and developments in education and culture. One is the
Ulahingan (Manobo). These are sung or chanted to introduction of free public instruction for all children of
the accompaniment of indigenous musical school age and two, the use of English as medium of
instruments and dancing performed during instruction in all levels of education in public schools.
harvests, weddings or funerals by chanters. The → Many other Tagalog novelists wrote on variations of
chanters who were taught by their ancestors are the same theme, i.e., the interplay of fate, love and
considered "treasures" and/or repositories of social justice. Among these writers are Inigo Ed
wisdom in their communities. Regalado, Roman Reyes, Fausto J. Galauran, Susana de
Ex: Guzman, Rosario de Guzman-Lingat, Lazaro Francisco,
• Lam-ang (Ilocano); Hilaria Labog, Rosalia Aguinaldo, Amado V. Hernandez.
• Hinilawod (Sulod) → Noted novelists were Leon Pichay, who was also the
• Kudaman (Palawan) region‘s poet laureate then, Hermogenes Belen, and
• Darangen (Maranao) Mena Pecson Crisologo whose Mining wenno Ayat ti
• Ulahingan (Livunganen- Arumanen Kararwa is considered to be the Iloko version of a Noli
Manobo) me Tangere.
• Mangovayt Buhong na Langit (The → In the Visayas, Magdalena Jalandoni and Ramon
Maiden of the Buhong Sky from Tuwaang- Muzones would lead most writers in writing novels that
-Manobo) dwelt on the themes of love, courtship, life in the
• Ag Tobig neg Keboklagan (Subanon) farmlands, and other social upheavals of the period.
Marcel Navarra wrote stories and novels in
• Tudbulol(T'boli).
Sugbuhanon.
→ The separate, yet parallel developments of Philippine
Pre-Colonization literature in English and those in Tagalog and other
→ Prose Fiction presents a story that is invented languages of the archipelago during the American
and not literally “true”. It is written to be read period only prove that literature and writing in
rather than acted or performed and the events whatever language and in whatever climate are able to
depicted are told to us by a narrator, not enacted survive mainly through the active imagination of
or dramatized. One example of this is a myth. writers.
• Myth is often a story of origins, how the
world and everything in it came to be. It
may explain a practice, belief or natural
occurrence.

Ex: the story of ―Tungkung Langit and Alunsin as

adapted by F. Landa Jocano.

Spanish Colonization
→ The Spanish colonial period of the
Philippines began when explorer Ferdinand
Magellan came to the islands in 1521 and claimed
it as a colony for the Spanish Empire. The period
lasted until the Philippine Revolution in 1898.
→ Among the religious poetry from the period is
the pasyon in octosyllabic quintillas that played an
important part in the Filipinos‘ way of
remembering Christ's agony. Gaspar Aquino de
Belen's "Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong
Panginoon natin na tola" (Holy Passion of Our Lord
Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in 1704 is the
country's earliest known pasyon.
Post War and Contemporary Period Tagalog Literature
→ The flowering of Philippine literature in the various → Tagalog Literature is the literature used in most
languages continue especially with the appearance of parts of Luzon. Those who use this type of
new publications after the Martial Law. Filipino writers literature are coming from Southern Luzon,
continue to write poetry, short stories, novellas, novels Central Luzon and Metro Manila or NCR.
and essays whether these are socially committed, → Among the Southern Tagalog provinces are
gender/ethnic related or are personal in intention or not. Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Aurora, Oriental
→ According to Francis C. Macasantos and Priscilla Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque,
Macasantos in their essay on Philippine Literature in the Palawan and some towns of Rizal province.
Post-War and Contemporary Period , they wrote, ―The → In Central Luzon, there are three provinces
Philippine novel, whether written in English or any of the where Tagalog is predominantly used and these
native languages, has remained social-realist. Edgardo are the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Bataan and
Reyes‘ Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1966), for instance, is a Bulacan.
critique of urban blight, and Edilberto K. Tiempo‘s To Be → Metro Manila is comprised of cities composing
Free is a historical probe of the western idea of freedom the national capital region namely Manila, Quezon
in the context of indigenous Philippine culture. Kerima City, Pasay City, Caloocan City, Mandaluyong City,
Polotan Tuvera‘s novel The Hand of the Enemy (1972), a Pasig City, Marikina City, Muntinlupa City and
penetratingly lucid critique of ruling-class psychology, is suburban towns of Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela,
entirely realistic, if Rizalian in its moments of high satire, Pateros and Taguig.
although unlike the Rizalian model, it falls short of a → Tagalog region is the birthplace of a rich
moral vision. tradition of Philippine culture in language, politics,
→ Filipino writer has become more conscious of his art economy and literature. Considering this rich and
with the proliferation of writer’s workshops here and envigorating cultural matrix, it is not surprising that
abroad and the bulk of literature available to him via the it is the Tagalog region that was destined to be the
mass media including the internet. The various literary birthplace of historic men in Philippine politics,
awards such as the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards culture and literature that includes Francisco
for Literature, the Philippines Free Press, Philippine Balagtas Baltazar, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio,
Graphic, Home Life and Panorama literary awards Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del
encourage him to compete with his peers and hope that Pilar, Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Amado V.
his creative efforts will be rewarded in the long run. Hernandez, Lope K. Santos, Lazaro Francisco,
Faustino Aguilar, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Alejandro
21st-Century Philippine Literature Abadilla, Modesto de Castro.
→ The literary tradition in the Tagalog regions is
→ The 21st Century Philippine Literature covers the new especially outstanding in the field of oral literature
range of developments in digital writings, creative like bugtong (riddle), proverbs, and native songs.
writing and genres. These oral literature is always in poetic forms,
usually seven-syllabic rhymes, so Asian in form and
Poetry perspective.
→ At present, the Tagalog Literature is a blending
→ Poetry is written by a poet in meter or in verse
of the elements of Spanish, American and Filipino
expressing various emotions which use a lot of
culture, sometimes with one of them
techniques like figures of speech.
predominant but never alone. So, when we speak
→ Among the literary genres, poetry is the most closely
of the soul of the Tagalog literature today, we
related to music. Like music, it appeals to the senses and
speak of the harmonious blending of the native and
imagination. Like
foreign elements: these make up the present day
music, too it is meant to be heard.
Tagalog literature.
→ Poetry in the Philippines has indeed come a long way
— evolving and taking on dramatic turns as it journeys
with history — from the ancient
Narrative Poetry
times, the monarchic rule of Spain, U.S. → Narrative poetry tells a story. Its main purpose
→ In the end, whatever one may write about, in is to entertain through story telling.
whatever theme or format it may take, the poem, to → Example of a narrative poem made by a National
borrow the words of National Artist for Literature Artist for Literature is ―Mariang Sinukuan‖ by
Edith L. Tiempo, ―thus liberated‖ remains ―firmly, Virgilio Senadren-Almario aka Rio Alma.
undeniably poetry. Colonialism, the birth of the • One of the most notable Filipino writer is
Republic, martial law, to Edsa and present. Virgilio Almario aka Rio Alma. He is a
National Artist for Literature and has won
several awards for his works.
Figure of Speech Text Tula
→ Poetry comes in a wide variety of forms, such as
→ a literary device used as a word or phrase that has a
free verse, blank verse, couplet, sonnet, quatrain,
meaning that may be different than its literal meaning. It
cinquaine, diamante, limerick, haiku, and ballad.
adds colour and interest, and awakens the imagination.
Many forms, such as haiku and sonnet, were
originally developed in other languages but
Personification became popular with poets writing in English.
→ is a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an → One of the most recent genres in Philippine
animal is given human attributes. The non-human Literature is the text tula, a poetry genre mastered
objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they by Frank Rivera where entire poems are written
have the ability to act like human beings. and read on mobile phones.

Mood Lyric Poems

→ is one element in the narrative structure of a piece of → are often divided into stanzas or verses. Stanzas
literature. It can also be referred to as atmosphere areusually separated by a single blank line. Stanzas
because it creates an emotional setting enveloping the within a poem mayhave the same form or may
reader. Mood is established in order to affect the reader vary. The poet also tries to develop interesting
emotionally and psychologically and to provide a feeling forms based on variations of rhyme, rhythm and
for thenarrative. It is how a reader feels after reading a metre.
story.
• Ex: Horror movie gives the suspense mood to Rhyme
the audience because of the nature of the story,
→ Rhyme is the repetition of sounds in different
the music used and the plot. It gives the feeling
words. Rhyme can occurwithin lines (internal
of suspense to the viewers.
rhyme) or - more usually - at the end of lines (end
rhyme).A rhyme scheme is a short formula for
Dr.Paolo Manalo describing the pattern of rhymein a poem. End
→ is a poet born in Manila and an assistant professor of words that rhyme are assigned the same letter.
English, literature and creative writing at the University
of the Philippines-Diliman. Until recently, he was the Frank Rivera: Makata sa cell phone
literary editor of the Philippines Free Press. His first book → was born on 29 February 1948 in Paete, Laguna.
of poems, Jolography (University of the Philippines Press, He received his AB English-Filipino degree from the
2003) received the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards University of the Philippines.
for Literature (2002) and the UP Gawad Chanselor • Tuhog-tuhog (2005); Jose Rizal
(2004). • Iba't ibang Pananaw (2005)
→ Code-switching and code-mixing are present in this • Halik sa Kampilan (2005)
poem, for example lines 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12, • Makata sa Cellphone (2005)
where Filipino and English words are used in the same • TAO: Isang Tagulaylay Sa Ikadalawampu't
sentence. Repetition of the words ―dude‖, ―man‖, Isang Siglo (2004)
―pare‖ and ―he‘s‖ also plays a significant role in this • Oyayi, Ang Zarzuela (2004)
poem. Even when the poem is somewhat ambiguous, it • Darna, Etc.(2003)
does not confuse coherent reading. It actually enables • Sining Kambayoka's Mga Kuwentong
one to think profoundly and absorb the creativeness of Maranao (2003)
the writer even if the poem is unpredictable in some way. • Ambon, Ulan, Baha: Sarsuwelang Pinoy
• CoÑotations (An Excerpt) (Usually known as (2003)
Conyo) • Gothic Telemovies (2002)
• MULAT: Mga Isyung Panlipunan sa mga
DEEPENING Dulang Pantelebisyon (2002)
• Mga Dula sa Magkakaibang Midyum
→ Poets all have different styles of writing but when it
(1982)
comes to the general use of writing style such as the
• Ama at iba pa, Sari-saring Dula (1982)
narrative style, they all fall into the same idea- the focus
→ His awards include;
of their story is the timeline when things occurred.
• Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino honors
Narrative poetry may use the free verse form.
→ Free verse is an open form of poetry. It does not use • Paete Outstanding Citizen Award
consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical • Aliw Awards; Dalitext
pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural • Global Filipino Literary Award
speech. • Palanca
 • National Book Award
• UP National Fellow
• MSU Kambayoka Gador Award The plot of a Story
• CCP and NCCA Awards
• Urian → is the main action that runs through the
• Philippine Centennial Literary Award whole story. It begins with a problem or
• Patnubay ng Sining, Manila situation and ends when the problem is solved
• People's Journal Award or finished in some way. Below is the opening
• Bahag-Hari Television of a story and the end of a story. Decide what
the problem is, then what the steps, or plot
• Catholic Mass Media Award
actions, should be to link the beginning of the
• Manila Film Festival
story with the end. You may have new
• Film Academy of the Philippines
characters or a new setting that should be
• Star Awards; and the Famas.
added in your steps. There is space provided
→ Also known as ―makata sa cell phone‖ with his popular
for three steps. You may add more if needed.
―textula series, Rivera has, to date, authored 21 books of
plays for stage, radio, TV and film; plus short stories, essays Five elements in a Story
and four books of poetry published by the UST Publishing
House. • Introduction- The beginning of the story
→ 2 Tanagang UAAP by Frank G. Rivera where the characters and the setting is
• is a type of Filipino poem, consisting of four lines with revealed.
seven to nine syllables each with the same rhyme at • Rising Action- This is where the events in
the end of each line --- that is to say a 7-7-7-7 or 9-9- the story become complicated and the
9-9 Syllabic verse, with an AABB rhyme scheme. conflict in the story is revealed (events
• To compare, the Japanese haiku has 17 phonetic between the introduction and climax).
units divided into three phrases of 5, 7 and 5 units • Climax- This is the highest point of interest
respectively. and the turning point of the story. The
reader wonders what will happen next; will
Deepening the conflict be resolved or not?
• Falling action- The events and
→ As mentioned previously, haiku is similar to tanaga in the
complications begin to resolve themselves.
use of rhyming and formal verses (patterned verses).
The reader knows what has happened next
→ By the late 1950s, American poets practiced haiku regularly.
and if the conflict was resolved or not
Some brought the ultra-precise, Basho-influenced Zen
(events between climax and resolution).
mentality to their written
• Resolution- The Part of the plot that
observations, while others sought to incorporate modern
concludes the falling action by revealing or
themes, objects, sense of time, and issues to their works.
suggesting the outcome of the conflict.
→ Kerouac‘s poem closely followed the Japanese measure
(when translated into Japanese, the haiku has a precise 5-7-5 → Mina V. Esguerra writes contemporary
"on" count), while Wright wrote in the popular 5-7-5 syllable romance and young adult novellas. She has a
style. bachelor's degree in Communication and a
master's degree in Development
Chick lit or Chick literature Communication, put to good use in her work as
trainer and content management consultant.
→ is genre fiction which addresses issues of modern
womanhood, often humorously and light-heartedly. The genre
became popular in the late 1990s, with chick lit titles topping
Short Story
bestseller lists and the creation of imprints devoted entirely to → a piece of prose fiction marked by relative
chick lit. shortness and density, organized into a plot and
→ Here in the Philippines, industry insiders place its debut to with some kind of denouement at the end. The
have taken place in 2002, which is about the time Summit plot may be comic, tragic, romantic or satiric. It
Books began publishing English-language novels for young, usually focuses on one important event in the
female urbanites. Since then, chick lit has become one of the lives of a small number of central characters.
top money-makers of the local book industry, with its books
having print runs far beyond those of other local titles. The
usual print run for other books is 1,000 copies each. Summit,
which is credited even by
its rivals as having gotten chick lit going, has printed at least
10,000 copies of each of its 12 chick-lit titles. Three of these
have enjoyed second print runs.
Style defines writers– who they are, what they have in mind and how they
construct reality as seen in their own works, be it in poem or in prose. Style is the
technique writers use in his writing.

Expository writing style: is a subject-oriented style. The focus of the writer is

to tell the readers about the specific subject or topic and in the end the author leaves out
his own opinion about the topic.

Examples: how-to manuals, textbooks

Descriptive writing: is when the author is trying to paint a picture for you.
Descriptive writing, by its nature, is poetic, often using sensory details to pull the reader
into the writer's world.

Example: In good descriptive writing, the author will not just say: ―The vampire killed
his lover.‖

He or she will change the sentence, focusing on more details and descriptions, like: ―The
bloody, red-eyed vampire, sunk his rust-colored teeth into the soft skin of his lover and
ended her life."

Persuasive writing: is pretty much what it sounds like: the writer is trying to
persuade you to see his or her point-of-view. Persuasive writing is subjective since the
writer is using his or her opinions to support a central idea. Some forms of persuasive
writing include presidential speeches, opinion-based editorials in the newspaper, or texts
that serve as 'calls to action.'

Narrative writing: the purpose is to tell a story. The author will create different
characters and tell you what happens to them (sometimes the author writes from the
point of view of one of the characters—this is known as first person narration). Novels,
short stories, novellas, poetry, and biographies can all fall in the narrative writing style.
Simply, narrative writing answers the question: ―What happened then?