SLA No.

1: Timeline of Philippine Literature

Subject Code/Number: CORE01
Subject Title: 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Teacher: Ms. Misty Marie Rosal

A. Learning Competency

 Identify the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from the pre-
colonial to the contemporary. (EN12Lit-Ia-21)

B. Learning Outcomes

1. Familiarize the timeline of Philippine literature from pre-colonial to contemporary.

2. Share experiences about the student’s most loved Filipino story.

C. Learning Content

TIMELINE OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

I. Pre-colonial (BC to 1564)

A. Characteristics
1. Based on oral traditions
2. Crude on ideology and phraseology

B. Literary Forms
1. Oral Literature
a. Riddles (bugtong)- battle of wits among participants tigmo- Cebu
paktakon- Iloilo patotdon- Bicol
b. Proverbs (salawikain)- wise saying that contain a metaphor used to teach as a food for
thought.
c. Tanaga- a mono-rhyming heptasyllabic quatrain expressing insights and lessons on life
is “more emotionally charged than the terse proverb and thus has affinities with the
folk lyric”.

2. Folk Songs- a form of fold lyric which expresses the hopes and aspirations, the people’s
lifestyles as well as their loves. These are often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive
a. Hele or oyayi- lullaby
b. Ambahan (Mangyan)- 7-syllable per line poem that are about human relationships
and social entertainment.
c. Kalusan (Ivatan)- work songs that depict the livelihood of the people
d. Tagay (Cebuano and Waray)- drinking song
e. Kanogan (Cebuano)- song of lamentation for the dead

3. Folk Tales
a. Myth- explain how the world was created, how certain animals possess certain
characteristics, why some places have waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, flora or fauna.
b. Legends- explain the origin of things
c. Fables- used an animal characters and allegory
d. Fantastic Stories – deal with underworld characters such as “tiyanak” “aswang”
“kapre” and others.
 4. Epics- these are narratives of sustained length based on oral tradition revolving around
supernatural events or heroic deeds.

II. Spanish Colonization Period (1565-1863)

A. Characteristics
1. It has two distinct classifications: religious and secular
2. It introduced Spanish as the medium of communication
B. Literary Forms
1. Religious Literature- religious lyrics written by Iatino poets or those versed in both Spanish
and Tagalog were included in early catechism and were uses to teach Filipinos the Spanish
language.
a. Pasyon- long narrative poem about the passion and death of Christ. The most popular was
“Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Cristong Panginoon Natin” by Aguino de Belen.
b. Senakulo- dramatization of the pasyon, it shows the passion and death of Christ
2. Secular (non-religious) Literature
a. Awit – colorful tales of chivalry made for singing and chanting Ex. Florante at Laura by
Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.
b. Korido – metrical tale written in octosyllabic quatrains. Ex. Ibong Adarna by Jose de la Cruz
(Huseng Sisiw).
c. Prose Narratives – written to prescribe proper decorum
i. Dialogo
ii. Ejemplo
iii. Manual de Urbanidad
iv. Tratado
III. Nationalistic/Propaganda And Revolutionary Period (1864-1896)
A. Characteristics
1. Planted seeds of nationalism in Filipinos
2. Language shifted from Spanish to Tagalog
3. Addressed the masses instead of the “intelligentsia”
B. Literary Forms
1. Propaganda Literature- Reformatory in objective
a. Political Essays- satires, editorials and news articles were written to attack and expose the
evils of Spanish rule.
i. Diariong Tagalog- founded by Marcelo H. Pilar
ii. La Solidaridad- editor-in-chief is Graciano Lopez Jaena
b. Political Novels
i. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo – Jose Rizal’s masterpieces that paved the way
to the revolution.
2. Revolutionary Literature- more propagandastic than literary as it is more violent in nature and
demanded complete independence for the country.
a. Political Essays – helped inflame the spirit of revolution
i. Kalayaan- newspaper of the society, edited by Emilio Jacinto
b. Poetry
ii. True Decalogue- Apolinario Mabini
iii. Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas- Andres Bonifacio
iv. Liwanag at Dilim- Emilio Jacinto

IV. American Colonial Period (1910-1945)

A. Period of Apprenticeship (1910-1930)
1. Filipino Writers imitated English and American models
2. Poems written were amateurish and mushy, which phrasing and diction is awkward and
artificial.
a. Short Stories
 i. Dead Stars- Paz Marquez Benitez
ii. The Key- Paz Latorena
iii. Footnote to Youth –Jose Garcia Villa
b. Novels
i. Child of Sorrow- first novel in English by Zoilo Galang
B. Period of Emergence (1920-1930)
1. Highly influenced by Western literary trends like Romanticism and Realism.
a. Short Stories- most prevalent literary form
i. Jose Garcia Villa- earned the international title “Poet of the Century”

V. Japanese Occupation (1942-1960)

A. War Years (1942-1944)
1. Tagalog poets broke away from the Balagtas tradition and instead wrote in simple
language and free verse
2. Fiction prevailed over poetry
a. 25 Pinakambuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino (1943)- compilation of the short story contest
by the military government
i. Suyuan sa Tubigan- Macario Pineda
ii. Lupang Tinubuan- Narciso Reyes
iii. Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa- Liwayway Arceo

B. Period of Maturity and Originality (1945-1960)

1. Bountiful harvest in poetry, fiction, drama and essay
2. Filipino writers mastered English and familiarized themselves with diverse techniques.
3. Literary “giants” appeared
a. Palanca Awards for Literature
i. Jose Garcia Villa
ii. Gregorio Brillantes
iii. Nick Joaquin
iv. Gilda Cordero Fernando
v. NVM Gonzales
vi. Bienvenido Santos
b. National Artist Awards
i. Jose Garcia Villa
ii. Nick Joaquin

VI. Contemporary/Modern Period (1960-Present)

A. Characteristics
1. Martial Law repressed and curtailed human rights, including freedom of the press
2. Writers symbolisms and allegories to drive home their message, at the face of censorship
3. Theater was used as a vehicle for protest, such as the PETA (Phil. Educational Theater
Association) and UP Theater.
4. From the eighties onward, writers continue to show dynamism and innovation

D. Self-learning Activity

Content Evaluation (Comment your answers in the group by Friday. Wait for the subject teacher’s post
in the 21st century literature group.)
1. Recall your most loved Filipino story.
2. How did it reflect the Filipino culture and tradition?
3. How did it symbolize you as a Filipino?