Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region V - Bicol

DIVISION OF CAMARINES NORTE

St. Francis Caracciolo Culinary Academy Inc.

Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Vinzons Camarines Norte

21 Century Literature
st

from the Philippines

and the World

Quarter 1 Week 4 Module 4:

Lesson 4 – Canonical Filipino

Writers
12
COPYRIGHT © 2020

21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

QUARTER 1| MODULE 4: Canonical Filipino Writers

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,

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Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their

respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership

over them.

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,

mimeographing, or by any information and retrieval system, without written permission from

the copyright holder.

Development Team of the Module

Writer : Nathan Emmanuel P. Yasis

Language Editor : Kristine Aleta

Content Editor : Conrado A. Rempillo

Reviewed by : Conrado A. Rempillo

ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO CULINARY ACADEMY, INC.

333Km. Maharlika Highway, Danawan Pavilion Compound,
Sto. Domingo, Vinzons, Camarines Norte 4603
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Before you start answering the module, please set aside other tasks that will distract you while

studying the lessons.

1. Follow carefully all the content and instructions indicated in every page of this module.

2. Write on your notebook or any writing pad the concepts about the lessons. Keep in mind that

writing enhances learning.

3. Perform all the provided activities in the module.

4. Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.

5. Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.

6. Be Patient.

INTRODUCTION:
21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World Module aims to engage students

in appreciation and critical study of 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the

World, encompassing their various dimensions, genres, elements, structures, contexts, and

traditions.

LEARNING COMPETENCY:

Appreciate the contributions of canonical Filipino writers to the development of national

literature. (EN12Lit-Ic-24.

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module the students are expected here to

 familiarize with the different contributions of the Filipino canonical writers in Philippine

Literature;

 create an infographic about the canonical writers and their contributions to the

development of national literature;

  value the contributions of canonical Filipino writers in the development of Philippine

Literature.

PRE-TEST:

DIRECTIONS: Read the given statements carefully and choose the correct

1. He is one of the first contemporary poets and also known for introducing the reversed

consonance rhyme scheme in poetry.

A. Amado V. Hernandez B. Jose Garcia Villa

C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo

2. The writer is known for Rosales Saga. It is a series of novels that are set from the Spanish

colonial period to the proclamation of Martial Law in the 1970s.

A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Jose Garcia Villa

C. Amado V. Hernandez D. Nick Joaquin

3. The writer has the Poetry Collections like Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa (1993) and

Balaybay: Mga Tulang Lunot at Manibalang (2002) Spanish Period

A. Bienvenido S. Lumbera B. Jose Garcia Villa

C. Francisco Sionil Jose D. Nick Joaquin

4. The writer incorporated humor as a literary device which aims to make the audience or

readers laugh or be amused.

A. Bienvenido S. Lumbera B. Jose Garcia Villa

C. Francisco Sionil Jose D. Alejandro R. Roces

5. The writer was known for his/her moral profoundness. One of his/her remarkable short

stories, "The Black Monkey," won third prize in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award.

A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Jose Garcia Villa

C. Edith L. Tiempo D. Alejandro R. Roces

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1

DIRECTIONS: Look at the lines/ characters/ title that can be associated with the Filipino

writers. Identify who can be associated with them.

1. Dodong, Teang, Blas A. Amado V. Hernandez

2. Mga Ibong Mandaragit B. Carlos P. Romullo

3. The Woman Who had Two Navel C. Nick Joaquin

4. I am a Filipino… D. Jose Garcia Villa

5. Lina E. Cirilio F. Baustista

DISCUSSION:

The Return

If the dead years could shake their skinny legs and run
As once he had circled this house in thirty counts,
he would go thru this door among those old friends and they would not shun
Him and the tales he would tell, tales that would
bear more than the spare
Testimony of willed wit and his grey hairs.
And he would live in the whispers and locked heads.
Wheeling around and around turning back was where he started:
The turn to the pasture, a swift streak under a boy’s running;
The swing, up a few times and he had all the earth he wanted;
The tower trees, and not so tall as he had imagined;
The rocking chair on the porch, you pushed it and it started rocking,
Rocking, and abruptly stopped. He, too, stopped in the doorway, chagrined.
He would go among them but he would not tell, he could be smart,
He, an old man cracking the bones of his embarrassment apart.
 The previous poem is written by one of the canonical writers in the Philippines. She is

Edith L. Tiempo (1999) is a Filipino writer in English. She is a poet, fictionist, teacher, and a

literary critic. She is the only female national artist in literature. She was known for using

intricate and witty representations to portray significant human experiences.

Some of her well-known poems are The Return, a poem that describes the

characteristics of old age, Lament for the Littlest Fellow, a poem that presents a metaphor to

describe the plight of a submissive wife under her domineering husband, and Bonsai, a poem

that gives a look at how tangible objects could be keepers of memories and emotions. As a

fictionist, she was known for her moral profoundness. One of her remarkable short stories,

The Black Monkey, won third prize in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award. The Black

Monkey, which is set during the time when guerrillas were fighting against the Japanese

during World War II, narrates the tormenting encounter of a woman with a monkey. She also

wrote the novel A Blade of Fern, which depicts the problems of Filipino miners of Nibucal in

southern Philippines. She was awarded as the National Artist for Literature in 1999.

CANONICAL FILIPINO WRITERS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS

Filipinos are passionate when it comes to literature. Many Filipinos are able to show their

artistry especially in terms of literature. In addition, here are the Filipino writers and their

contributions to literature specifically the development of national literature.

 “one of the first contemporary poets regardless of race or language”

 Known for introducing the reversed consonance rhyme scheme in poetry. According

to Villa, in this method, the last sounded consonants of the last syllable, or the last

principal consonant of a word, are reversed for the corresponding rhyme. (e. g. light –

tile, tall, tale, etc.)

 Dove, Eagle, and Lion (Doveglion)

 He was born on August 5, 1908 in Manila.

 He was named as the National Artist for Literature in 1973.

 He gained both local and international recognition for his works.

 A recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship.

 During his college years, he wrote Man Songs, a collection of controversial poems

that was considered too bold by the University of the Philippines and became the

ground for his suspension from the said institution.

 Some of his well-known literary works are Mir-i-nisa (won in the Philippines Free

Press in 1929), and Footnote to Youth (published in 1933).

 He is also known for his comma poems, where he employed a comma after every

word.

 He died on July 7, 1997.

 Born on September 13, 1903 in Hogonoy Bulacan

 a.k.a. Amante Hernani, Herminia dela Riva, Julio Abril

 Poet, playwright, novelist

 Philippine National Artist 1973

 Committed artist “Writer’s function is to act as the conscience of society and to affirm

the greatness of the human spirit in the face of inequity and oppression.”

 Labor leader

 Began his writing career, as a journalist and later editor of various pre-World War II

Tagalog newspapers, like Watawat, Pagkakaisa, Makabayan, Sampaguita and

Mabuhay Extra

 He was imprisoned in 1951 for alleged subversive activities.

 After being imprisoned for 5 years, he returned to journalistic practice, a columnist

for Taliba (1962-1967), editor, Ang Masa, until his death, 1970.

 Wrote Mga Ibong Mandaragit while in prison, first Filipino socio-political novel that

exposes the ills of the society as evident in the agrarian problems of the 50’s
 Also wrote Bayang Malaya, Isang Dipang Langit, Luha ng Buwaya, Amado V.

Hernandez: Tudla at Tudling: Katipunan ng mga Nalathalang Tula” (1921-1970),

Langaw sa Isang Basong Gatas, Magkabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol.

 Died on May 24, 1970

 His famous literary Work is Luha ng Buwaya.

 Born on May 4, 1917, Paco, Manila

 Poet, fictionist, essayist, biographer, playwright

 Pen name: Quijano de Manila

 Philippine National Artist 1976

 “Before 1521, we could have been anything and everything not Filipino; after 1565,

we can be nothing but Filipino.” –Culture and History, 1988

 Regarded by many as the most distinguished Filipino writer in English writing

 Starting as a proofreader for the Philippines Free Press, Joaquin rose to contributing

editor and essayist

 Bienvenido Lumbera writes that his significance in Philippine literature involves his

exploration of the Philippine colonial past under Spain and his probing into

psychology of social changes (Doña Jeronima, Candido’s Apocalypse and The Order

of Melchizedek)
 Wrote The Woman Who had Two Navels, (1961) which examines his country’s

various heritages.

 A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (1966), a celebrated play, attempts to reconcile

historical events with dynamic change

 Manila, My Manila: A History for the Young (1990) non-fiction, The Ballad of the

Five Battles (1981) a poetry, Rizal in Saga, Almanac for Manileños, Cave and

Shadows (1983) occurs in the period of martial law under Ferdinand Marcos

 Died on April 29, 2004

 Born on January 14, 1898 in Intramuros, Manila and grew up in Camiling, Tarlac.

 He was conferred as National Artist for Literature in 1982.

 Wrote 18 books

 First Asian who served as the president of the United Nations General Assembly

 I am a Filipino is one of the many essays written by Carlos P. Romulo. It was

published in The Philippines Herald in August 1941.

 He also wrote the book entitled I Saw the Fall of the Philippines, in which he narrated

his personal experiences as an aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in

Corregidor.
 followed by, I See the Philippines Rise, (a sequel to I Saw the Fall of the Philippines)

a journalistic account of the Philippine War in 1944.

 Mother America: A Living Story of Democracy, a discussion of his political ideals

about American democracy in the Philippines,

 I Walked with Heroes, his autobiography.

 He died on December 15, 1985.

 Writer, poet, essayist, critic, journalist, teacher

 A Filipino teacher and a contemporary writer

 One of the prominent Filipino fictionists in English

 Poignant short stories

 The Flowers of May, The Mats, How to Read

 The Flowers of May, The Mats, Christmas Gift were adapted as screenplays.

 Pioneered the development of the short story as lyrical prose-poetic form

 Pride of fiction is that it is able to render truth, that is able to present reality.

 Some of his well-known literary works are the short stories Frankie, The Man Who

would be Poe, Death in a Factory, A Clown Remembers, Lina

 Known for innovating and exploring new literary forms and experimenting with

different techniques in short story writing.

 A member of the group The Veronicans, which was composed of influential Filipino

writers who aimed to use sensible literature in order to create a greater impact on the

Philippines.

 Widely known as F. Sionil Jose, was born on December 3, 1924 in Rosales,

Pangasinan.

 His life and most of his works are influenced by Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

 He edited various literary and journalistic publications, and he founded the Philippine

PEN, an organization of poets, playwrights, and novelists.

 He opened Solidaridad Publishing House in 1965. A year after, he founded Solidarity,

a magazine that produces content mainly focused on "current affairs, ideas, and the

arts."

 He was a recipient of numerous awards. Some of which are the Ramon Magsaysay

Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communications in 1980, the Pablo

Neruda Centennial Award in 2004, and the Officer in the French Order of Arts and

Letters in 2014.

 He was conferred as National Artist for Literature in 2001.

 F. Sionil Jose’s works are generally written in English and are translated to more than

twenty languages and produced worldwide.

 Among his most celebrated works is the Rosales Saga. It is a series of novels that are

set from the Spanish colonial period to the proclamation of Martial Law in the 1970s.

This saga includes the following novels: Po-on, Tree, The Pretenders, Mass, and My

Brother, My Executioner.

 He has also written several short stories, including the notable The God Stealer. It is a

story about the friendship of Philip Latak, an Ifugao, and Sam Christie, an American

who wanted to buy a bulol, a sculpture of an Ifugao god. The story depicts the

relationship and truths about the colonizer and the colony.

 Waywaya: Eleven Filipino Short Stories is a compilation of short stories about pre-

Hispanic Philippine society.

 In 2004, he published the children’s book The Molave and Other Children’s Stories.

 F. Sionil Jose is among the most widely read Filipino writers in English whose novels

and short stories depict a wide scope of social underpinnings and struggles of the

Filipino masses. He is the country’s most influential living writer who employs

realism through his narrative techniques and styles.

 Poetic, literary historian critic

 Children books

 12 books of poetry

 Makinasyon at Peregrinasyon, Doktrina ng Anak Pawis, Mga Retrato at Rekwerdo,

Muli, Sa Kandungan ng Lupa

 popularly known by his pen name Rio Alma, is a Filipino artist known for his poetry

and literary criticism. He was proclaimed National Artist for Literature in 2003.

 Almario, together with poets Rogelio Mangahas and Lamberto E. Antonio, pioneered

the second modernist movement in Filipino poetry. In his own words, he defines

modernist poetry as sparing, suggestive, and restrained in emotion; its vocabulary and

subject are immersed in the now. Among his poetry collections are Makinasyon at

Ilang Tula (1968), his very first collection; Peregrinasyon at Iba Pang Tula (1970),

which won first prize in poetry in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards; Doktrinang

Anakpawis (1979); Mga Retrato at Rekwerdo (1984); and Muli Sa Kandungan ng

Lupa (1994).

 Almario’s earliest works of literary criticism were published in the Dawn, the weekly

organ of the University of the East. Some of those works were later included in Ang

Makata sa Panahon ng Makina (1982), now considered as the first book of literary

criticism in Filipino. His other critical works include Taludtod at Talinghaga (1965),

which tackles the traditional Tagalog prosody; and Balagtasismo Versus Modernismo

(1984), in which he presents the two main directions of the Tagalog Poetry.

 Almario performed significant deeds in the field of Philippine literature. He founded

the Galian sa Arte at Tula (GAT) with the other poets Teo Antonio and Mike Bigornia

in 1970; and the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA), an organization of

poets who write in Filipino, in 1985. From 1986 to 1992, he served as chairman of the

Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), considered to be the biggest

 umbrella organization of writers. From 1998 to 2001, he served as executive director

of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). In 2013 he became the

chairman of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF).

 Alejandro R. Roces was a Filipino literary writer. He was born on July 13, 1924.

 He was a playwright, an essayist, and a short story writer. He was also a columnist at

the Philippine Star, the Manila Times, and the Manila Chronicle.

 Alejandro R. Roces was known for his short story "We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers,"

a story about an American soldier in the Philippines who brags about his drinking

habits, but becomes overly drunk after drinking lambanog offered by a Filipino

farmer.

 His other literary works are "My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken," a story which talks

about two brothers who were arguing whether the chicken they caught was a hen or a

rooster; Something to Crow About, the first Filipino zarzuela in English about a man

named Kiko who earns a living by means of cockfighting; and Fiesta, a collection of

essays about various Philippine festivals.

 Alejandro R. Roces was conferred as National Artist for Literature in 2003.

 He died on May 23, 2011.

 Was called Beny when he was a young boy, was born in Lipa, Batangas on April 11,

1932. His parents had passed away before he turned five.

 Lumbera took a degree in journalism at the University of Santo Tomas in 1950 and

graduated cum laude in 1954. A year before his graduation, his first published work,

the poem Frigid Moon, appeared in the Sunday magazine of the Manila Chronicle.

 Lumbera writes in English and Filipino. Below are some of his works.

 Poetry Collections

Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa (1993)

Balaybay: Mga Tulang Lunot at Manibalang (2002)

 Critical Works

Abot Tanaw: Sulyap at Suri sa Nagbabagong Kultura at Lipunan (1987)

Writing the Nation/Pag-Akda ng Bansa (2000)

Tagalog Poetry, 1570–1898: Tradition and Influences in Its Development

(2001)

 Librettos

Tales of the Manuvu (1977)

 Rama Hari (1980)

Sa Sariling Bayan: Apat na Dulang May Musika (2003)

 Lumbera has received numerous awards for his work. The most notable ones were the

Special Prize from the Palanca Awards for his poetry collection Sunog sa Lipa at Iba

Pang Tula in 1975, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and

Creative Communication Arts in 1993, and the Philippine Centennial Literary Prize

for Drama in 1998.

 Lumbera received the title of National Artist for Literature in 2006.

 a poet, fictionist, essayist, critic and writer of nonfiction, taught crea-tive writing and

literature

 was awarded an honorary degree—the only Filipino to have been so honored there

(International Writing Program at the University of Iowa (1968–1969))

 received Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards (for poetry, fiction and essay in English

and Filipino) as well as Philippines Free Press Awards for Fiction, Manila Critics'

Circle National Book Awards, Gawad Balagtas from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat

ng Pilipinas, the Pablo Roman Prize for the Novel, and the highest accolades from the

City of Manila, Quezon City and Iligan City.

  His poems have appeared in major literary journals, papers, and magazines in the

Philippines and in anthologies published in the United States, Japan, the Netherlands,

China, Romania, Hong Kong, Germany and Malaysia.

 Summer Suns (1963), Words and Battlefields (1998), The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus

(2001),

 Fiction: Stories (1990), Galaw ng Asoge (2003)

 Literary Theory and Cultural Studies: Breaking Signs (1990), Words And

Battlefields: A Theoria On The Poem (1998), The Es-trella D. Alfon Anthology Vol. I

- Short Stories (2000)

Order of National Artist

Logo

The Order of National Artist (ONA) [Orden ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining] is the highest

national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to

the development of Philippine arts. The Order of National Artist aims to recognize:

a) Filipino artists who have made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the

country;

b) Filipino artistic accomplishment at its highest level and to promote creative expression as

significant to the development of a national cultural identity; and

c) Filipino artists who have dedicated their lives to their works to forge new paths and

directions for future generations of Filipino artists.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION The Order of National Artist shall be given to artists who

have met the following criteria:

4.1 Living artists who are Filipino citizens at the time of nomination and at the awarding, as

well as those who died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens

at the time of their death.

4.2 Artists who through the content and form of their works have contributed in building a

Filipino sense of nationhood.

4.3 Artists who have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning

distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists.

4.4 Artists who have created a substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently

displayed excellence in the practice of their art form thus, enriching artistic expression or

style.

4.5 Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through:

4.5.1. Prestigious national and/or international recognition, such as the Gawad CCP para sa

Sining, CCP Thirteen Artists Award, and NCCA Haraya Awards (Alab and Dangal)

4.5.2 Critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works

4.5.3 Respect and esteem from peers

LEARNING ACTIVITY #2:

Make an infographic of the canonical Filipino writers and their contribution to Philippine

Literature. An example is provided for you. Draw your infographic on a separate sheet of

paper.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #3
DIRECTIONS: Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.

A Eulogy of Roaches
By Bienvinido Lumbera

Blessed are the cockroaches. They settle where they wish Dying is brief and cheap
and have no rent to pay. and thus cannot affright.
In this country they are
Eviction is a word A whiff of toxic mist,
the citizens who last.
quite meaningless to them an agile heel, a stick
They need no police
 to promulgate their peace
because they tolerate
each other’s smell or greed.
Friends to dark and filth,
they do not choose their meat.
Although they neither sow
nor reap, a daily feast
is laid for them in rooms
and kitchens of their pick.
who do not have to own
their dingy crack of wall.
Not knowing dearth or taxes,
they increase and multiply.
Survival is assured
even the jobless roach;
his opportunities
pile up where garbage grows.
—the swift descent of pain
is also final death.
Their annals may be short,
but when the simple poor
have starved to simple death,
roaches still circulate
in cupboards of the rich,
the strong, the wise, the dead.

1. How did the poem make you feel? Was there an image being created in your mind

while reading the poem?

2. What are the characteristics of a cockroach that are mentioned in the poem?

3. The “cockroaches” is used as a metaphor for what? Explain your answer.

4. What does the line “survival is assured even the jobless roach” mean?

5. What is the significance of the poem in the socio-political landscape of our country

today?

LEARNING ACTIVITY #4:

Write at least 150-word reflection using the given questions as guide.

How do you think the canonical writers help in developing our national literature? How do

you envision Philippine Literature without them? Cite examples that will prove your answer.

POST-TEST:

DIRECTIONS: Read the questions carefully and choose the best answer.

1. This writer performed significant deeds in the field of Philippine literature. He founded the
Galian sa Arte at Tula (GAT) with the other poets Teo Antonio and Mike Bigornia in 1970.
A. Amado V. Hernandez B. Virgilio S.Almario C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo

2. His novels and short stories depict a wide scope of social underpinnings and struggles of the
Filipino masses. He is the country’s most influential living writer who employs realism through
his narrative techniques and styles.
A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Virgilio S.Almario C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo

3. He pioneered the development of the short story as lyrical prose-poetic form

A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Francisco Arcellana C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo
4. The writer has one of the great contributions to Philippine literature not only because the work
shows one’s love for his country and freedom but also of being proud as a Filipino.
A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Francisco Arcellana C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo

5. He is regarded by many as the most distinguished Filipino writer in English writing.

A. Francisco Sionil Jose B. Francisco Arcellana C. Nick Joaquin D. Carlos P. Romulo

REFLECTIVE LEARNING SHEET

Name: _______________________Grade and Sec.______________

Lesson 4: Canonical Filipino Writers

REFLECTIVE LEARNING SHEET No. 4

Directions: Write a reflection about what you have learned about Canonical Filipino Writers by

answering the questions inside the box. You may express your answers in a more critical and

creative presentation of your learning.

What I Liked Most about the What I Need to Improve in What I want to learn more

Lesson Understanding the Lesson about the lesson.

REFERENCES:

Lumbera, Bienvenido, & Lumbera, Cynthia Nograles, PHILIPPINE LITERATURE A History

and Anthology, 2005, Anvil Publishing Inc.

Martin, Maria Gabriela P., Guevarra, Alona U., Del Campo, Emar Ivery, ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION ARTS AND SKILLS Beyond Borders, Reading Literature in the 21st

Century, 2016, The Phoenix Publishing House

Fronoza, Wenifreda R., De Guia, Lani G., & Bautista, Richard R., The Philippines, and the World

21st Century Literature, 2017, Trinitas Publishing Inc.