Philippine Literature

Under the American Colonial Period

(1898 – 1941)

MARY ANN P. ALETIN

Instructor

Lesson Two
American Colonial Period
By the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
to extrapolate how literature started during the American era;
to trace the evolution of Philippine literature during the American period;
discuss the influences of American colonization to the Philippine literary forms.

Explore

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Filipino Revolutionists won against the Spaniards who colonized us for more
than 300 years. Our flag was hoisted on June 12, 1898 as a symbol of our
independence. General Emilio Aguinaldo was selected the first president of the
Philippine Republic but this was short lived. The Filipino-American war resulted in the
defeat of Gen. Miguel Malvar in 1903. The peace movements started as early as 1900.
Many Filipino started writing again and the nationalism of the people remain undaunted.
Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like news reporting, poetry, stories, plays,
essay and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of country and their longings
for independence.
The active arousal in the field of literature started to be felt in the following
newspapers:
1. El Nuevo Dia (The New Day/Ang Bagong Araw) – Established by Sergio
Osmenia in 1900. It was published during the early days of the American
occupation where media censorship was used as a tool to stop and abort Filipino
uprising against the new colonizers. The first daily newspaper in Cebu measures
21x12 inches. It ceased printing in 1902 but resumed as a triweekly paper
instead of as a daily on June 19, 1902. It was banned twice by the American
censors and threatened Osmeña with banishment because of his nationalistic
writings.
2. El Grito Del Pueblo (The Call on the Nation/Ang Sigaw ng Bayan) –
established by Pascual Poblete in 1900.
3. El Renacimiento (The Rebirth/Muling Pagsilang) - founded by Rafael Palma in
1900, a Spanish-Tagalog newspaper and the official publication of the “Partido
Independentista Immediata” (Immediate Independence Party) edited by Palma
 together with Teodoro Kalaw, Fidel Reyes, et al. “It was against the economical
exploitation of the country,” as the Editor observes.

There were also plays written then but after the first and second presentations in
Zorilla Theatre, the Americans put a stop to this because of the consistent theme of
nationalism. Included here were the following:
1. Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow), is a drama
simboliko in three acts written & directed by Aurelio Tolentino which was first
staged at the Teatro Libertad in Manila on May 14, 1903. The story depicts the
suppression done by the Americans and their plan to colonize the Philippines.
It was considered as Tolentino's “most significant contribution to Filipino drama
and most seditious drama of the era”. This anti-imperialist play led to his arrest
in 1903.
2. Tanikalang Ginto (Golden Chain) is a drama in three acts written by Juan
Abad in 1902. Ang Tanikalang Guinto made its Batangas debut on May 10,
1903, in the town of Batangas. On the same day American provincial
authorities seized the play's script and sued Abad for sedition. Judge Paul
Linebarger of the Batangas Court of First Instance deemed the play seditious.
The play was banned in 1903 and Abad was found guilty of sedition and
sentenced two years of imprisonment plus a fine of $2,000. Abad posted a bail
bond and was able to go free pending a decision on his conviction, which was
appealed to the Supreme Court. However, performances of the play in Laguna
and Cavite were met with praise and admiration.
3. Malaya (Free) by Tomas Remigio. His best-known work, Malaya, was
considered one of the finest nationalist play written during the American
Period. A three-acts Drama simboliko or "seditious" play written in Spain in
1898. First staged at Dulaang Luzon in Santa Cruz, Manila on 26 August,
1902. Then restaged in 1979 by Dulaang Babaylan at Manuel Roxas High
School, Quezon City. Malaya is the earliest of the drama simboliko plays
written in prose and verse, which shows to be anti-Spanish and other records
report it to be anti-American. This earliest drama simboliko in Tagalog is a
political allegory hidden in the love story of the heroine, Malaya (Spirit of
Independence) and the hero Magtanggol (the Filipino army). It depicts the
cruelness of the Spaniards and Americans; how the Filipino heroes fought for
their independence, rights, and the Philippines against these colonizers; and
encourages all the Filipinos to struggle for their rights.
4. Walang Sugat, which literally means “no wound or unwounded”, is a Tagalog-
language zarzuela written by Filipino playwright, Severino Reyes in 1898. The
 music for the original version of the play was written by Filipino composer
Fulgencio Tolentino. Walang Sugat was written when the zarzuela (a Spanish
lyric-dramatic genre that includes music, singing, and poetry) became a
"potent means" of expressing Filipino nationalism during the Spanish
occupation of the Philippines that followed three centuries of Spanish rule.

Opening of Public Schools

Education became a very important issue for
the Unites States colonial government, since
it allowed it to spread their cultural values,
particularly the English language to the
Filipino people.
Two significant developments in
education and culture incited into action
during this period:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5LCY3q_L3I4/UwxbeiAHVjI/AAAA

1. The introduction of free public instruction for all children of school age and;
2. The use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in public
schools.
Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a greater
number of Filipinos. Those who availed of this education through college were able to
improve their social status and joined a good number of educated masses who became
part of the country’s middle class. (https://ncca.gov.ph/.../philippine-literature-during-the-
american-period)
Characteristics of Philippine Literature During the American Period
Three groups of writers contributed to Philippine Literature during this period.
During the first year of the American period, the languages used in writing were Spanish
and Tagalog and the dialects of the different regions, but Spanish and Tagalog
predominated.
In 1910, a new group started to write in
English. Hence, Spanish, Tagalog, the
Vernaculars and finally, English, were the
mediums used in literature during these
times. While the three groups were one in
their ideas and spirit, they differed in their
methods of reporting. The writers in
Spanish were wont to write on nationalism
like honoring Rizal and other heroes.
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-19294a8037869a72064b3152acd8f3d9-c

The writers in Tagalog continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the

country and their attempts to arouse love for one’s native tongue. The writers in English
imitated the themes and methods of the Americans.
(http://docshare02.docshare.tips/files/21169/211693712.pdf)
A. Literature in Spanish
The inspiration of our Filipino writers in Spanish was Rizal not only
because of his being a national leader but also because of his novels Noli and
Fili. These two novels contained the best qualities of a novel ever written, in
English or in Filipino. Those who were inspired to write in praise of him were
Cecilio Apostol, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Jesus Balmori, Manuel Bernabe, Claro
M. Recto and other writers.
Cecilio Apostol wrote poems dedicated to Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini
and all other heroes but his poem dedicated to
Rizal is considered the best poem in praise of the
hero of Bagumbayan.
Ode to Rizal

Eternal idol of the nation’s story

Arise immortal from the dream of glory
And break the sleep abysmal of repose,
Descend from shades eternal where you slumber,
From now our love intense as we remember
Would offer wreaths of laurel and of rose.

Eternal idol of the nation’s story,

Arise immortal from the dream of glory,
To you be laurels strewn, For ages long
Your holy name that shines like Thabor bright,
Will give to ages an eternal light,
To marble life, to harp eternal song.

Fernando Ma. Guerrero It is believed that Fernando Ma. Guerrero shared

with Apostol the reign in the balagtasan in Spanish
during their time. He also dedicated a poem to
Rizal but he collected the best of his poems in a
book called CRISALIDAS, meaning, a kind of
black, wooly caterpillar.
Jesus Balmori Jesus Balmori is well-known for his pen name of
Batikuling. He and Manuel Bernabe participated in
a debate on the topic – (Remembrance and
Forgetfulness). He was elected Poet Laureate in
Spanish besting Manuel Bernabe.
Manuel Bernabe Manuel Bernabe is a lyric poet and the fierceness
of his nationalistic spirit was unchanged in any
topic he wrote about. In his debate with Balmori, he
 was more attractive to the public because of the
modiolus words he used. He defended OLVIDO
(Forgetfulness).
Claro M. Recto In nobility of speech and theme, Claro M. Recto is
far beyond compare with the other writers of
Spanish. He collected his poems in a book entitled
“Bajo Los Cocoteros” (Under the Coconut
Trees/Sa Lilim ng Niyugan). He also wrote “Ante El
Martir” (Sa Harapan ng Martir) for Rizal.

B. Filipino Literature
“Florante at Laura” of Francisco Balagtas and “Urbana at Felisa” of
Modesto de Castro became the inspiration of the Tagalog writers.
There were three kinds of Tagalog poets classified by Julian Cruz
Balmaceda:
1. Poet of the Heart (Makata ng Puso) that includes Lope K. Santos, Iñigo Ed.
Regalado, Carlos Gatmaitan, Pedro Gatmaitan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Cirilo
H. Panganiban, Deogracias del Rosario, Ildefonso Santos, Amado V.
Hernandez, Nemecio Carabana, and Mar Antonio.
2. Poets of Life (Makata ng Buhay) is led by Lope K Santos, Jose Corazon de
Jesus, Florentino Collantes, Patricio Mariano, Carlos Garmaitan, and Amado
V. Hernandez.
3. Poets of the Stage (Makata ng Tanghalan/Dulaan), spearheaded by Aurelio
Tolentino, Patricio Mariano, Severino Reyes, and Tomas Remegio.

In the realm of short stories that started to appear in the column “Panandaliang
Libangan” (Short-time Leisure) and “Dagli” (Fast) the names of Lope K. Santos,
Patricio Mariano, and Rosauro Almario are
still noted. In the Liwayway Publications,
we find Deogracias Rosario, Teodoro
Gener, and Cirio H. Panganiban. Noted
novelists or biographers were Valeriano
Hernandez Peña, Lope K. Santos, Iñigo
Ed. Regalado, Faustino Aguilar, etc. Here
are the autobiographies of some of the
writers mentioned:
https://rocesfamily.com/sm2002/rocesphils/images/liwayway2.gif

Lope K. Santos a novelist, poet and author, and grammarian covered

three periods of Tagalog literature – American,
 Japanese and the contemporary period. If Manuel L.
Quezon is called the Father of the National Language,
Lope K. Santos is called the Father of the National
Language Grammar. He was also called the “Apo” of
the Tagalog writers. “Banaag at Sikat” was his
masterpiece. Banaag at Sikat has almost the same
theme and motif of Aguilar’s “Pinaglahuan”, as the hero
of the novel, Delfin, also falls in love with a rich woman,
daughter of a wealthy landlord. The love story of
course is set also within the background of
development of the worker’s trade union movement
and throughout the novel, Santos engages the readers
in lengthy treatises and discourses on socialism and
capitalism.
Jose Corazon De Jesus is very popularly known as Huseng Batute. He was
also called the “Poet of Love” in his time. Believed to
be his masterpiece is an elegy entitled, “Ang Isang
Punong Kahoy “(A Tree).
Amado V. Hernandez dubbed as the “Makata ng mga Manggagawa” (Poet
of the Laborers) in our literature because he pictures in
his poem the intense love for the poor worker or
laborer. To him, a poem is a scent, bittersweet
memories, and a murmur of flowing water. The pen is
powerful and according to him, even a king can be bent
by the pen. He contributed a lot of writings to literature
like Isang Dipang Langit (A Stretch of Heaven), Bayang
Malaya (A Free Nation), Ang Panday (The Blacksmith)
which is his obra-maestra, and Munting Lupa (A Small
Plot).
Valeriano Hernandez Peña Together with Lope K. Santos he reached the summit
of his novel-writing. He was known as Tandang
Anong and his pen name was Kuntil Butil (Small
Grain). He considers “Nena At Neneng” his
masterpiece. Valeriano Hernandez Peña’s Nena at
Neneng narrates the story of two women who
happened to be the best of friends as they cope with
their relationships with the men in their lives. Nena
succeeds in her married life while Neneng suffers from
a stormy marriage because of her jealous husband.
Iñigo Ed. Regalado was a son of a popular writer during the Spanish time
known as Odalager. He proved that he not only
followed the footsteps of his father but also reached the
peak of his success by the “sumpong” (whim) of his
pen. He also became a popular story-teller, novelist
and newspaperman. The Tagalog Drama During the
advent of the American period, Severino Reyes and
Hermogenes Ilagan started the movement against the
moro-moro (a play on the Spanish struggles against
the Muslims) and struggled to show the people the
values one can get from the zarzuela and the simple
plays.

Two collections of the Tagalog short stories were published during this period.
1. Mga Kuwentong Ginto (Golden Stories) published in 1936. The first was
written by Alejandro Abadilla and Clodualdo del Mundo that contained the 25
best stories according to them.
2. Mga Kuwentong Ginto ng 50 Batikang Kuwentista (50 Golden Stories by
50 Noted Storytellers) in 1939 by Pedrito Reyes.
The “Parolang Ginto” by Clodualdo del Mundo and Abadilla’s, “Talaang
Bughaw” was also popular in this season.
During the time of the American era, Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan
started a movement against the moro-moro and forced to introduce to the people the
greater benefits from zarzuela and explicit drama.
The people who should not be forgotten in this field of literature are the following:
Severino Reyes Father of the Tagalog Drama and author of the immortal
“Walang Sugat”.
Walang Sugat is an 1898 Tagalog-language zarzuela
written by Filipino playwright Severino Reyes. The
music for the original version of the play was written by
Filipino composer Fulgencio Tolentino. I t was written
when the zarzuela became a "potent means" of
expressing Filipino nationalism during the Spanish
occupation of the Philippines that followed three
centuries of Spanish rule.
Aurelio Tolentino The dramatist in whom the Kapampangans take pride.
Included in his writings were “Luhang Tagalog”, his
masterpiece, and “Kahapon, Ngayong At Bukas” that
resulted in his incarceration.
Hermogenes Ilagan
Patricio Mariano
Julian Cruz Balmaceda
Founded the group “Compaña Ilagan” that presented
many dramas in Central Luzon.
Wrote the novel “Ninay” and “Anak ng Dagat” (Son of
the Sea), reputed as his masterpiece.
Wrote “Bunganga Ng Pating” (Shark’s Mouth). This
gave him much honor and fame.

At the time of the American Period, the state of the Tagalog Novels was doing
good. Aside from Lope K. Santos and Valeriano Hernandez Peña, other great novelists
were Faustino Aguilar and Iñigo Ed. Regalado.
Almost all Tagalog writers during this age of the Americans were able to
compose beautiful poems which made it difficult to select the best. Even if poetry
writing is as old as history, poetry still surfaces with its sweetness, beauty, and melody.

Other Forms of Philippine Literature

Ilocano Literature:
Pedro Bukaneg
Claro Caluya
Leon Pichay
Pampango Literature
Juan Crisostomo Soto
Aurelio Tolentino
Visayan Literature
Eriberto Gumban
Magdalena Jalandoni
Known as the “Father of Ilocano Literature” the word
Bukanegan was derived from his name, which means
Balagtasan (a poetic contest) in Ilocano.
Was fondly called the Prince of Ilocano Poets. He was
also a novelist.
Also, a poet, novelist, short story writer, dramatist and
essayist and best known as “Bukanegero”
(Father of Kapampangan Literature). The word
CRISOTAN (meaning Balagtasan) in Tagalog is taken
from his name.
He truly proved his being a Kapampangan by translating
Kahapon, Ngayon At Bukas into Kapampangan which
he called Napon, Ngeni at Bukas.
Father of Visayan Literature. Wrote a zarzuela, moro-
moro and a play in Visayan.
She devoted her talent to the novel and wrote “Ang Mga
Tunuk San Isa Ca Bulaclac.” She wrote novels that
dwelt on the themes of love, courtship, life in the
farmlands, and other social upheavals of the period.

C. Philippine Literature in English

It started in 1900, teaching English in Philippine schools. From that time until
1930 there were many written essays, short stories and poetry. Some essays were easy
to understand because they were mostly humorous but some were also about
education, history, politics and other social issues.
It has been noted that stories during that time were about love and the themes
and events are mostly imitations only.
Here are our other writers in the English Language:
Jose Garcia Villa A famous Filipino writer in English in the field of short
story and poetry. He is also known by his pen-name
“Doveglion”
Jorge Bocobo An essayist and orator. Some of his writings were
Filipino Contact with America, A Vision of Beauty and
College Education
Zoilo Galang Credited as one of the pioneering Filipino writers who
worked with the English language and the author of the
first Philippine novel written in the English language, A
Child of Sorrow, published in 1921.
Angela Manalang Gloria was a Filipina poet who wrote in English & one of her
composition was “April Morning”.
Zulueta de Costa Achieved the first reward for his poem “Like the Molave”
in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940
NVM Gonzales Fictionist, essayist, poet, and teacher, articulated the
Filipino spirit in rural, urban landscapes. He won the First
Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940. The awards
attest to his triumph in appropriating the English
language to express, reflect and shape Philippine culture
and Philippine sensibility.
His works includes “My Islands” and “Children of the Ash
Covered Loom” to which it was translated in many local
languages in India.
Estrella Alfon Assumed as the first Filipino woman writer in the English
language before the war. She wrote “The Magnificence”
and “Gray Confetti”.
Arturo Rotor Authored “The Wound and the Scar”, the first book
published in Philippine Book Guild.

Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American colonization of

the country, could not escape being imitative of American models of writing especially
during its period of apprenticeship.

When did the Philippines started writing in English?

 In 1910, a new group started to write in English. Hence, Spanish, Tagalog, the
Vernaculars and finally English, were the mediums used in literature during these
times but Spanish and Tagalog language predominated.

What are the Time Frames of Philippine Literature in English?

The beginning of Philippine literature in English can be traced with the coming of
the Americans in the country. For this purpose, the time frame for this period can be
divided into three namely:
A. The Period of Re-orientation (1898-1910)
In August 13, 1898,
English as a literary vehicle
came with the American
occupation. The Period of
Re-orientation covered the
early years of American
period and the landing of
the Americans to Philippine
shores including the
Philippine-American War.
Even during the war, the Americans established public school system in areas that
have been pacified. English language was used as medium of instruction in public
schools as early as 1900 in the Corregidor Island. The first English teachers were
the American soldiers stationed in various areas. Later on, the professional teachers
arrived via US Army transport ship “USS Thomas” hence, these pioneering teachers
were called “Thomasites.” In1908 – primary and intermediate grades were using
English. This was also the time when the forerunner in the use of English, UP, was
founded.
Writers of this period were still adjusting to the new found freedom after the
paralyzing effect of repression of thought and speech under the Spanish regime.
They were adjusting the idea of democracy, to the new phraseology of the English
language and to the standards of the English literary style. Writers had to learn direct
expression as conditioned by direct thinking. They had to learn that sentence
constructions, sounds and speech in English were not the same as in the
vernacular. They had to discard sentimentality and floridity of language for the more
direct and precise English language.
During this period in literature, only few were produced and what have been
written was not much of literary worth. The first attempts in English were in two
periodicals:
 1. El Renacimiento by Rafael Palma founded in Manila in 1901
2. Philippines Free Press by R. McCullough Dick and D. Theo Rogers
established in year 1905 in Manila.
Justo Juliano’s written poetry, the Sursum Corda which appeared in the
Renacimiento in 1907, was the first work to be published in English. While in 1909,
My Mother and Air Castles of Jan F. Salazar were also published in this periodical.
It was also in 1909 when Proceso Sebastian followed with his poem, To My Lady in
Laoag.

B. Period of Imitation (1910-1925)

By 1919, the UP-College Folio published the literary compositions of the first
Filipino writers in English. They were the pioneers in short story writing.
They were then groping their way into imitating American and British models
which resulted in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style, lacking vitality and
spontaneity. Their models included Longfellow and Hawthorne, Emerson and
Thoreau, Wodsworth and Tennyson, Thackeray and Macaulay, Longfellow, Allan
Poe, Irving and other American writers of the Romantic School.
While writers of UP-College Folio who pioneered in English poetry included
Fernando Maramag, tagged as the best editorial writer during this period, Juan F.
Salazar, Jose M. Hernandez, Vicente del Fierro and Francisco M. Africa and
Victoriano Yamzon.
The noted essayists of this time were: Carlos P. Romulo, Jorge C. Bocabo,
Mauro Mendez, and Vicente Hilario. Their essays were truly scholarly
characterized by sobriety, substance and structure. They excelled in the serious
essay, especially the editorial type.
The group of writers such as Ignacio Manlapaz, Godofredo Rivera, Federico
Mangahas, Francisco B. Icasiano, Salvador P. Lopez, Jose Lansang and
Amado G. Dayrit were the next group of writers who introduced informal essay,
criticism and the journalistic column. They spiced their work with humor, wit and
satire.
In the field of short stories, Paz M. Benitez’s “Dead Stars” stood out as a
model of perfection in character delineation, local color, plot and message written in
the early 1920’s. Other short stories published were but poor imitations of their
foreign models.
The Philippine Collegian later replaced UP-College Folio. At this period,
newspapers and periodicals were also printed like the Bulletin, The Philippines
Herald (1920), the Philippine Review, the Independent, Rising Philippines and
Citizens, and the Philippine Education Magazine 1924.
C. Period of Self-Discovery (1925-1941)
In this era, Filipino writers acquired and mastered the English writing. With
confidence and competence, they wrote on a lot of subjects although the old-time
favorites of love and youth persisted. They went into all forms of writing like the
novel and the drama.

POETRY. Noteworthy names in this field include Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion,

Jose Garcia Villa, Angela Manalang Gloria, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa
Subido and Rafael Zulueta de Costa. They turned into not only love poems but
patriotic, religious, descriptive and reflective poems as well. They wrote in free
verse, in odes and sonnets and in other types. Poetry was original, spontaneous,
competently written and later, incorporated social consciousness.

SHORT STORY. Poetry and short story flourished during these times because it
was probably of the incentives provided by publications like the Philippine Free
Press, The Graphic, The Philippine Magazine and college publications like the UP
Literary Apprentice.
Other writers during this time include Osmundo Sta. Romana, Arturo Rotor, Paz
Latorena’s - “Sunset,” and Jose Garcia Villa’s - “Mir-in-isa.” From 1930 to 1940, the
Golden Era of Filipino writing in English saw the short story writers “who have
arrived,” like Jose Lansang’s - “The Broken Parasol”, Sinai C. Hamada’s -
“Talanata’s Wife”, Fausto Dugenio’s – “Wanderlust”, Amando G. Dayrit’s – “His Gift”
and “Yesterday”, Amador T. Daugio’s – “The Woman Who Looked Out of the
Window”.

Characteristics of the short stories during these times:

There were still remnants of Spanish influence in the use of expressions that
were florid, sentimental, exaggerated and bombastic. The influence of the Western
culture also was already evident.

ESSAYS AND OTHER PROSE STYLES. Essays during this period improved with
the years in quality and quantity, in content, subject and style. Essayists like Carlos
P. Romulo became even more eminent editorial writers.
The notable writers of essays during this period were:
a. Political, social reflective essays: Through their newspaper columns the
following became very popular: Federico Mangahas, Salvador P. Lopez, Pura S.
Castrence, Vicente Albano Pacis, Ariston Estrada and Jose A. Lansang.
 b. Critical essays were espoused by Salvador P. Lopez, I.V. Mallari, Ignacio
Manlapaz, Jose Garcia Villa, Arturo B. Rotor, and Leopoldo Y. Yabes. An example
of this is Maximo V. Soliven’s, THEY CALLED IT BROTHERHOOD.
c. Personal or Familiar essays were written by F.B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko),
Alfredo E. Litiatco, Solomon V. Arnaldo, Amando G. Dayrit and Consuelo Gar
(Catuca).

Some of the notable works during this time were:

Salvador P. Lopez, Literature and Society (1940), which is a collection of critical
reflections and serious essays and which won first prize in the Commonwealth
Literary Contest of 1940.
Camilo Osias published The Filipino Way of Life, a series of essays on the
Filipino way of life as drawn from history, folkways, philosophy and psychology of the
Philippines also in 1940.
In 1941, F.B. Icasiano (Mang Kiko) was reprints of the best of 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.
August 16, 1941 when Carlos P. Romulo had an editorial printed in the
Philippines Herald entitled, I Am a Filipino. It was reprinted in his book My Bother
Americans in 1945 in New York by Doubleday & Co.

Other essayists include:

Ignacio Manlapaz, Vicente Albano Pacis, I.V. Mallari, Jose M. Fernandez,
Leopoldo Y. Yabes, Isidro L. Ritizos, Pura Santillan.
The Philippine Writer’s League put out a collection of essays called Literature
Under the Commonwealth.
Amando G. Dayrit with his column Good Morning Judge led others like Leon
Ma. Guerrero, Salvador P. Lopez, Vicente Albano Pacis, Jose A. Lansang and
Federico Mangahas.

BIOGRAPHY. It was in 1935, when I.P. Caballero and Marcelo de Gracia

Concepcion wrote about Quezon.
Carlos Quirino, the most famous biographer during the period wrote, “The Great
Malayan” that won a prize in a national contest in 1938 sponsored by the
Commonwealth of the Philippines. He also wrote “Quezon, the Man of Destiny.”
In 1940, I.V. Mallari’s The Birth of Discontent revealed the sensitive touch of a
writer who in simple language was able to reveal his profound thoughts and feelings.
 HISTORY. Our Filipino writers during this period have somewhat not written about
history. With regards to the literary history, we can cite Teofilo del Castillo’s The
Brief History of the Philippine Islands in 1937.

PUBLICATIONS. The first incentives to Filipino writers in English was initiated and
provided by The Philippine Free Press, offering prizes to worthwhile contributions.
Other publications followed suit.

THE DRAMA. Drama during this period did not reach the heights attained by the
novel or the short story. University of the Philippines provided the incentives when
they introduced playwriting as a course and established the UP Little Theater.

Answer the given questions below. (5 pts each)

1. When did the Philippines attained its first independence? Elaborate its historical
background in a whole paragraph.
2. What was the state of literature during the time of the American colonization?
3. Name the various newspapers published during this period. Who were its
founders?

Evaluate

Activity No. 2: Character sketch.

Read, search & watch videos of the unfading zarzuela, “Walang Sugat” by
Severino Reyes.
With the same number & members of groups formed in previous activities,
make a character sketch of the main characters. Brainstorm.
Compare and contrast the main characters.
Be creative & innovative. Apply what you think the best that would suit to your
work.
Collect & compile the output in one file through google drive & submit it in
canvas or through my gmail account @: maletin10.gened@gmail.com.
Deadline of submission is on April 25, 2021
References:
Santiago, Erlinda M. et al. (2010). Panitikang Filipino: Kasaysayan at Pang-unlad
Pangkolehiyo. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store.
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