Technological

Institute of the
Philippines
College of Arts
HSSD

THE AMERICAN PERIOD

Historical Background
Newspapers and Plays
Literature in Spanish, Filipino, English
 Historical Background
TIP-QC
• The Filipino revolutionaries won against the
Spaniards and the Philippine Independence
was proclaimed on June 12, 1898.
• The flag was hoisted by Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo and the Philippine Republic was
inaugurated but was short-lived.
• The Philippines lost in the Fil-American War
CA-HSSD
with the surrender of Gen. Miguel Malvar of
Batangas and Gen. Simeon Ola of Bicol.

//SSAndres 2
 Historical Background
TIP-QC
• Peace movements started as early as 1900
and many Filipinos started writing again
“after the sword was broken”
• They wrote all forms of literature like news,
poetry, stories, plays essays, novels which
clearly depicted their love of country and
longing for independence.
CA-HSSD
• The spirit of nationalism of the people
remained undaunted

//SSAndres 3
 NEWSPAPERS CIRCULATED
TIP-QC
1. El Nuevo Dia (The New Day) –
established by Sergio Osmena in
1900. American sensors banned and
threatened Osmena with banishment
2. El Grito del Pueblo (The Call of the
Nation) – established by Pascual
Poblete in 1900
CA-HSSD
3. El Renacimiento (The Rebirth) –
founded by Rafael Palma
//SSAndres 4
 PLAYS
TIP-QC
1. Kahapon, Ngayon, Bukas (Yesterday,
today and tomorrow) – written by
Aurelio Tolentino
2. Tanikalang Ginto – written by Juan
Abad
3. Malaya – written by Tomas Remigio
CA-HSSD 4. Walang Sugat – written by Severino
Reyes

//SSAndres 5
 Technological
Institute of the
Philippines
College of Arts
HSSD

Literature in Spanish
• The inspiration of our Filipino writers in Spanish
was Rizal
• His novels Noli and El Fili contained the best
qualities of novels ever written which inspired a
lot of Filipinos to use the Spanish language
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
1. Cecilio Apostol – wrote poems
dedicated to Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini
and all other heroes. His poem
dedicated to Rizal entitled “A Rizal” is
his masterpiece

“…que se una bala destrozo tu craneo

CA-HSSD
tambien tu idea destrozo un imperio”

//SSAndres 7
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
2. Fernando Ma. Guerrero – together
with Apostol, became Kings of
Balagtasan in Spanish. He also wrote
a poem to honor Rizal entitled
“Invocacion a Rizal”

“…hablar contigo que dejaste escrito

CA-HSSD
el evangelio libre de tu raza”

//SSAndres 8
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
3. Jesus Balmori – used the pen name
Batikuling. He was elected Poet
Laureate in Spanish besting Manuel
Bernabe with his topic Recuerdo

“… Mi tema es el Recuerdo, mi moto hidalguia

Mi divisa un laurel, mi corazon un penasco!
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 9
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
4. Manuel Bernabe – is a lyric poet
whose fierceness and nationalistic
spirit was unchanged in any topic. His
topic was Olvido

“… Recordar! Ay del alma que recuerde

la quiebra que ha sufrido la illusion…”
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 10
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
5. Claro M. Recto – he wrote poems
and compiled them under the title
Bajo Los Cocoteros (Under the
Coconut Trees)
6. Adelina Guerea – was the first
woman poet in the Philippines. She
obtained the Zobel Prize in her song
CA-HSSD
El Nido (The Nest)

//SSAndres 11
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
7. Isidro Marpori – became famous for
his books entitled Aromas de
Ensueno (Scents of Dreams)
8. Macario Adriatico – wrote the legend
of Mindoro entitle La Punta de Salto
(The Place of Origin)
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 12
 Filipino Writers in Spanish
TIP-QC
9. Epifanio delos Santos (Don Panyong)
– he was a good leader and
biographer in Spanish
10.Pedro Aunario – wrote the Decalogo
del Proteccionismo

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 13
Technological
Institute of the
Philippines
College of Arts
HSSD

Literature in Filipino
(Tagalog)
• Florante at Laura and Urbana at
Felisa became the inspiration of the
Filipino (Tagalog) writers

//SSAndres 14
 Tagalog Poetry
TIP-QC
• Julian Cruz Balmaceda classified
Tagalog poets into three categories:

1. Poets of the Heart

2. Poets of Life
3. Poets of the Stage
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 15
 Tagalog Poetry
TIP-QC
Poets of the Heart
Lope K. Santos
Inigo Ed. Regalado
Carlos Gatmaitan
Pedro Gatmaitan
Jose Corazon de Jesus
Cirilo Panganiban
Deogracias del Rosario
Ildefonso Santos
CA-HSSD Amado V. Hernandez
Nemecio Carabana
Mar Antonio

//SSAndres 16
 Tagalog Poetry
TIP-QC
Poets of Life
Lope K. Santos
Jose Corazon de Jesus
Florentino Collantes
Patricio Mariano
Carlos Gatmaitan
Amado V. Hernandez

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 17
 Tagalog Poetry
TIP-QC
Poets of the Stage
Aurelio Tolentino
Patricio Mariano
Severino Reyes
Tomas Remigio

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 18
 Novelists and Biographers
TIP-QC
• Valeriano Hernandez
• Lope K. Santos
• Inigo Ed. Regalado
• Faustino Aguilar

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 19
 Short Story writers
TIP-QC
• Appeared in columns Pangsandaliang
Libangan (Short-time Leisure) and
Dagli (Fast)
• Lope K. Santos
• Patricio Mariano
• Rosauro Almario
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 20
 Short Story writers
TIP-QC
• In Liwayway publications, we find the
names:
• Deogracias Rosario
• Teodoro Gener
• Cirio H. Panganiban

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 21
 Lope K. Santos
TIP-QC
• Novelist, poet, author and grammarian
• Called “Apo” of the Tagalog writers
• “Ama ng Balarilang Filipino” (Father of
National Language Grammar)
• “Banaag at Sikat” was his masterpiece

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 22
 Jose Corazon de Jesus
TIP-QC
• “Huseng Batute”
• “Makata ng Pag-ibig”
• Wrote “Bayan Ko”
• “Isang Punong Kahoy,” an elegy, was
his masterpiece

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 23
 Amado V. Hernandez
TIP-QC
• “Makata ng mga Manggagawa”
• Wrote “Isang Dipang Langit,” “Bayang
Malaya,” “Munting Lupa”
• “Ang Panday” was his masterpiece

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 24
 Valeriano Hernandez Peña
TIP-QC
• Was known as “Tandang Anong”
• “Kuntil Butil” was his pen name
• “Nena at Neneng” was his masterpiece

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 25
 Iñigo Ed. Regalado
TIP-QC
• Son of Odalager, writer during Spanish
Period
• A popular story-teller, novelist and
newspaperman

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 26
 Tagalog Drama
TIP-QC
• Severino Reyes and Hermogenes
Ilagan – criticized the Spanish Moro-
moro and showed the values the
audience can get from the dramas

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 27
 Tagalog Drama
TIP-QC
1. Severino Reyes – the Father of
Tagalog Drama. “Walang Sugat” was
his masterpiece
2. Aurelio Tolentino – the Father of
Kapampangan Drama. “Luhang
Tagalog” was his masterpiece and his
“Napon, Ngeni at Bukas” was a
translation of “Kahapon, Ngayon at
CA-HSSD

Bukas”
//SSAndres 28
 Tagalog Drama
TIP-QC
3. Hermogenes Ilagan – founded the
group Campaña Ilagan, presenting
many dramas in Central Luzon
4. Patricio Mariano – wrote the novel
“Ninay.” His masterpiece was “Anak
ng Dagat”
CA-HSSD
5. Julian Cruz Balmaceda – wrote
“Bunganga ng Pating”

//SSAndres 29
 Vernacular Poetry (Ilocano)
TIP-QC
1. Pedro Bukaneg – Father of Ilocano
Literature. The Ilocano Bukanegan
was held to honor his name
2. Claro Caluya – the Prince of Ilocano
Poets
3. Leon Pichay – the Best Bukanegero.
CA-HSSD
Also a poet, novelist, short story
writer, dramatist and essayist

//SSAndres 30
 Vernacular Poetry (Kapampangan)
TIP-QC
1. Juan Crisostomo Soto – the Father of
Kapampangan Literature. The
Crisotan was held in his honor.
2. Aurelio Tolentino – his “Napon, Ngeni
at Bukas” was a translation of his
masterpiece “Kahapon, Ngayon at
Bukas”
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 31
 Vernacular Poetry (Visayan)
TIP-QC
1. Eriberto Gumban – the Father of
Visayan Literature. He wrote
zarzuela, moro-moro and plays in
Visayan
2. Magdalena Jalandoni – she was a
novelist wrote “Ang mga Tunuk san
isa ca Bulaclac”
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 32
Technological
Institute of the
Philippines
College of Arts
HSSD

Literature in English
Can be divided into three periods:
1. Period of Re-orientation
2. Period of Imitation
3. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth

//SSAndres 33
TIP-QC

American Period
PERIOD OF RE- ORIENTATION
CA-HSSD

SSAndres 34
 Period of Re-orientation (1898-1910)
TIP-QC
• English was used as medium of
instruction in public schools by 1900
• UP was the first to use English in
higher education
• First attempts to publish works:
– El Renacimiento (Rafael Palma)
CA-HSSD
– Philippines Free Press (R. McCullough
Dick & D. Theo Rogers)

SSAndres 35
 Period of Re-orientation (1898-1910)
TIP-QC
• Sursum Corda – first work to be
published in English and was written
by Justo Juliano in 1907
• Juan F. Salazar – wrote “My Mother”
and “Air Castles” were published in
1909
CA-HSSD
• Proceso Sebastian – wrote “To my
Lady in Laoag” and published in 1909

SSAndres 36
TIP-QC

American Period
PERIOD OF IMITATION
CA-HSSD

SSAndres 37
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Filipino writers imitated American and
English writers
• UP College Folio – the school
publication of the University of the
Philippines. It published literary
compositions in English written by the
pioneers in English poetry, essays and
CA-HSSD
short stories

SSAndres 38
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Pioneers in Poetry include:
1. Fernando Maramag – “Rural Maid”
2. Juan F. Salazar
3. Jose M. Hernandez
4. Vicente del Fierro
5. Francisco Tonogbanua
6. Maximo Kalaw
CA-HSSD 7. Vidal A. Tan
8. Francisco Africa
9. Victoriano Yamzon
SSAndres 39
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Pioneers in formal essay include:
1. Carlos P. Romulo
2. Jorge C. Bocobo
3. Mauro Mendez
4. Vicente Hilario
• Their essays were truly scholarly, full
CA-HSSD
of sobriety, substance and structure.

SSAndres 40
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Pioneers in informal essay include:
1. Ignacio Manlapaz
2. Godofredo Rivera
3. Federico Mangahas
4. Francisco B. Icasiano
5. Salvador P. Lopez
CA-HSSD
6. Jose Lansang
7. Amado G. Dayrit
SSAndres 41
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Short Stories began to be published in
various periodicals such as:
1. Philippine Collegian
2. Bulletin
3. The Philippine Herald
4. The Philippine Review
5. The Independent
CA-HSSD 6. Rising Philippines
7. Citizens
8. The Philippine Education Magazine
SSAndres 42
 Period of Imitation (1910-1924)
TIP-QC
• Paz Marquez Benitez – wrote the
“Dead Stars” which stand out as model
of perfection in character delineation,
local color, plot and message
• She also became the editor of
Women’s Journal, the first literary
magazine in English published in the
CA-HSSD
Philippines

SSAndres 43
 Period of Imitation Writers
TIP-QC
• Bernardo P. Garcia – wrote the poem
“George Washington”
• Eulogio B. Rodriguez – a research
writer of UP College of Liberal Arts
who won Villamor Prize in the
Provincial History Competition
CA-HSSD
• Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion – wrote
the award-winning poem “Azucena”

SSAndres 44
 Period of Imitation Writers
TIP-QC
• Procopio Solidum – wrote “Never mind
and Other Poems”
• Lorenzo E. Paredes – wrote the first
poetry anthology “Reminiscenses”
• Zoilo Galang – published his first
volume of essay entitled “Life and
Success”
CA-HSSD • Eliseo Quirino and Vicente Hilario –
wrote the essay “Thinking for
Ourselves”
SSAndres 45
 Period of Imitation Writers
TIP-QC
• Rodolfo Dato – published his
anthology “Filipino Poetry”
• Carlos P. Romulo – published a
collection of plays entitled “Daughters
for Sale and other Plays”
• Zoilo Galang – published the first
CA-HSSD
anthology of short stories in “Tales of
the Philippines”

SSAndres 46
TIP-QC

American Period
PERIOD OF SELF-
CA-HSSD
DISCOVERY AND
GROWTH
SSAndres 47
 Period of Self-Discovery and Growth
(1925-1941)
TIP-QC
• Filipino writers acquired mastery of the
English Language
• They wrote confidently and
competently.
• They wrote in free verse, sonnets,
odes, elegies and others.
CA-HSSD • They even started to write novels and
dramas

SSAndres 48
TIP-QC

Period of Self Discovery and

Growth (1925-1941)

POETRY
CA-HSSD

SSAndres 49
 Poetry
TIP-QC
• 1925 – The Philippine Writers
Association was organized
• Luis Dato – wrote “Manila: A Collection
of Verses”
• Marcelo De Gracia Concepcion –
wrote “Bamboo Flute”
CA-HSSD • Aurelio S. Alvero – wrote “Moon
shadows on the Water”

//SSAndres 50
 Poetry
TIP-QC
• Pablo Laslo – edited the “English-
German Anthology of Filipino Poets”
• Luis Dato – published “My Book of
Verses”
• Rafael Zulueta da Costa – wrote “First
Leaves”
CA-HSSD • Aurelio S. Alvero – wrote “Nuances”
• Abelardo Subido – wrote the sonnet
“Soft Night”
//SSAndres 51
 Poetry
TIP-QC
• Rafael Zulueta da Costa – won the
Commonwealth Literary Contest with
his compilation “Like the Molave and
other Poems”
• “Many Voices” – won the second place
• Jose Garcia Villa – published “Poems
CA-HSSD
by Doveglion”. He also published his
books in the US.

//SSAndres 52
TIP-QC

Period of Self-Discovery and

Growth (1925-1941)
SHORT STORY
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 53
 Short Story Publishers
TIP-QC
• Aside from poetry, short story writing
has flourished during this time.
• Short story writers were motivated due
to incentives given by publications:
1. Philippine Free Press
2. The Graphic
CA-HSSD
3. The Philippine Magazine
4. UP Literary Apprentice

//SSAndres 54
 Short Story Writers
TIP-QC
• Paz Marquez Benitez – published her
first short story anthology “Filipino
Love Stories”
• Jose Garcia Villa – published
“Philippine Short Stories”
• Jose Garcia Villa – won first place the
CA-HSSD
Philippine Free Press short story
writing contest with his “Mir-i-nisa”

//SSAndres 55
 Short Story Writers
TIP-QC
• Manuel Arguilla – won the
Commonwealth Literary Contest for
short story with his “How my Brother
Leon brought home a Wife”
• Paz Latorena – wrote “Sunset”
• Jose Lansang – wrote “Broken
CA-HSSD
Parasol”
• Sinai C. Hamada – wrote “Talanata’s
Wife”
//SSAndres 56
 Short Story Writers
TIP-QC
• Fausto Dugenio – wrote “Wanderlust”
• Amado G. Dayrit – wrote “His Gift” and
“Yesterday”
• Amador T. Daguio – wrote “The
Woman who looked out of the
Window”
CA-HSSD • Other writers include:
– Arturo B. Rotor
– Osmundo Sta. Romana
//SSAndres 57
TIP-QC

Period of Self-Discovery and

Growth (1925-1941)
ESSAY
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 58
 Essays
TIP-QC
• Improved in quality and quantity
• Improvements in the subject, content
and style
• Essayists were classified according to:
1. Political, social, and reflective essays
2. Critical essays
CA-HSSD 3. Personal or Familiar essays

//SSAndres 59
 Political, social and reflective
essayists
TIP-QC
• Using their newspaper columns
• Very popular during this time
1. Federico Mangahas
2. Salvador P. Lopez
3. Pura Santillan Castrence
4. Vicente Albano Pacis
CA-HSSD
5. Ariston Estrada
6. Jose Lansang

//SSAndres 60
 Critical essayists
TIP-QC
• Using their newspaper columns
• Very popular during this time
1. Salvador P. Lopez
2. I.V. Mallari
3. Ignacio Manlapaz
4. Jose Garcia Villa
CA-HSSD
5. Arturo B. Rotor
6. Leopoldo Y. Yabes
7. Maximo Soliven – “They Called it
Brotherhood” //SSAndres
61
 Personal or Familiar essayists
TIP-QC
• Using their newspaper columns
• Very popular during this time
1. Francisco “Mang Kiko” B. Icasiano
2. Alfredo E. Litiatco
3. Solomon V. Arnaldo
4. Amado G. Dayrit
CA-HSSD
5. Consuelo Gar Catuca

//SSAndres 62
 Notable essays in this period
TIP-QC
1. “Literature and Society”
– written by Salvador P. Lopez.
– A collection of critical reflections and
serious essays
– Won first place in the Commonwealth
Literary Contest in essay

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 63
 Notable essays in this period
TIP-QC
2. “The Filipino Way of Life”
– written by Camilo Osias
– A series of essays on the Filipino way of
life as drawn from history, folkways,
philosophy, and psychology of the
Philippines

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 64
 Notable essays in this period
TIP-QC
3. “Mang Kiko”
– Reprints of Francisco B. Icasiano’s
essays in the “Sunday Times Magazine”
under the column “From my Nipa Hut”
– It is an essay of the common tao and is
written with humor and sympathy

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 65
 Notable essays in this period
TIP-QC
4. “I am a Filipino”
– An editorial essay written by Carlos P.
Romulo printed in the “Philippines Herald”
magazine
– Was published in his book “My Brother
Americans” in New York by Double Day &
Company in 1945
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 66
TIP-QC

Period of Self-Discovery and

Growth (1925-1945)
DRAMA
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 67
 Drama
TIP-QC
• UP introduced playwriting as a course
• UP established the UP Little Theater
and provided incentives for playwrights
• Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero became director
of UP Theater
• He founded the UP Mobile Theater
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 68
 Notable dramas in this period
TIP-QC
1. Daughters for Sale and other Plays –
written by Carlos P. Romulo
2. The Radiant Symbol – by Jorge
Bocobo
3. The Husband of Mrs. Cruz & A
Daughter of Destiny – written by Vidal
CA-HSSD
A. Tan
4. The Waves – written by Hilarion Vibal

//SSAndres 69
 Notable dramas in this period
TIP-QC
5. The Oil Lamp & The Earthquake –
written by Augusto C. Catanjal
6. The Land of our Fathers – written by
Severino Montano
7. Panday Pira, the Cannon Maker –
written by Jose M. Hernandez
CA-HSSD 8. 13 Plays – a collection of plays
written by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero

//SSAndres 70
 Notable biographies in this period
TIP-QC
1. Quezon – written about Manuel L.
Quezon by I.P. Caballero and
Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion
2. The Great Malayan – won the
Commonwealth Literary Contest for
biography about Rizal. It was written
by Carlos Quirino, the most famous
CA-HSSD
biographer of the period

//SSAndres 71
 Notable biographies in this period
TIP-QC
3. Quezon, the Man of destiny – was
also written about Manuel L. Quezon
by Carlos Quirino, the most famous
biographer of the period
4. The Birth of Discontent – an
autobiography written by I.V. Mallari
CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 72
 Notable historian in this period
TIP-QC
1. Teofilo del Castillo – wrote the “Brief
History of the Philippine Islands”

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 73
 Notable publications in this period
TIP-QC
1. The Philippine Free Press – was first
to give incentives to writers who get
their works published

CA-HSSD

//SSAndres 74