In 1593, a prayer book called the Doctrina Christiana en lengua Española y tagala (Christian

Doctrine in the Spanish and Tagalog Languages) was one of the first books printed in the
Philippines.

The first book explaining the principles of the Tagalog

language was Arte y reglas de la lengua tagala (The Art and Rules of the Tagalog Language).

Tomas Pinpin’s Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang uicang Castilla (A Book for the
Tagalog to Study the Spanish Language) was the first published work by a Filipino and
contains a preface that is probably the first essay written by a Filipino.

Anecdotes
- These are short and amusing stories that contain lessons in life. Priests often use
anecdotes as part of their sermons.

Platicas (Sermons)
- These are lectures presented by Spanish priests that dealt with religious, biblical, and moral topics.
- In 1864, Padre Modesto de Castro compiled 25 of his sermons in Platicas
Doctrinales (Sermons on Doctrines).

Novenas
- These are a series of prayers repeated for nine consecutive days and are usually prayers
for petition and thanksgiving

Novels
- are long narrative stories, usually with fictional characters and with a sequence of
events divided into chapters.
- Examples of novels during the Spanish colonial period include
Pedro Paterno’s Ninay (considered the first Filipino novel), Padre Modesto de Castro’s
Urbana at Feliza, Padre Miguel Lucio y Bustamante’s Si Tandang Basio Macunat, and Jose
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

Essays
- These are personal pieces of writing that use the point of view of the writer.
- One of the most important essays during this period is “Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog” by
Andres Bonifacio. It was published in the newspaper Kalayaan.

Before the Spanish colonizers came, performances in the Philippines were in the form of
rituals. However, during the Spanish regime, these rituals were replaced by drama.

Dramas
- were performed to spread Christianity; thus, most dramas during the period
focused on the life of Jesus Christ. These dramas exist until today and are performed
mostly during the Holy Week.

Karagatan
- It is a form of poetic contest usually played as part of the rites held in connection with the
death of a person.
- It is based on a legend about a lady’s ring that fell in the middle of the
sea. The lady’s hand is offered in marriage as a reward to any young man who could retrieve
the ring.

Duplo
- It is another poetic contest held when a person dies or during the wake. Duplo consists of
puns, jokes, and riddles in the vernacular to relieve sadness.

Senakulo
- It is a play that portrays the life, passion, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Tibag
- It tells how Reyna Elena and her son Constantino searched for Jesus’s cross in Mount
Calvary.

Moriones
- It is a festival in celebration of the life of Saint Longinus. Saint Longinus was a blind Roman soldier
tasked to drive a spear through Jesus to make sure he was dead. A miracle happened when Jesus’s
blood touched him. He regained his eyesight and converted to Christianity. Because of this change of
faith, Saint Longinus was beheaded as ordered by Pontius Pilate.

Moro-moro
- It is a play written about the capture of a Christian Filipino army. In 1637, Gran Comedia de la Toma
del Pueblo de Corralat y Conquista del Cerro, written by Padre Geronimo Perez, was the first moro-
moro performed in Manila.

Sarswela
- It is a play with songs and dances with up to five acts, portraying the whimsies of romantic love.

Lagaylay
- This is a special occasion participated in by women in some parts of the Bicol region. It is a
presentation that aims to make a vow, make a petition, or offer praise and love toward religious icons
such as the Blessed Cross that St. Helen planted.

Panunuluyan
- This is presented before 12:00 A.M. on Christmas Eve. This is a presentation of the search of the
Virgin Mary and St. Joseph for an inn where Mary can give birth to Jesus.

The Salubong (Panubong)

- The Salubong depicts the moment when the Risen Christ met his mother. This play is shown
on Easter morning.

Carillo (Shadow Play)

- This is a form of dramatic entertainment performed on a moonless night during a town fiesta or on dark
nightsafter a harvest.
- made by projecting cardboard figures before a lamp against a white sheet.The figures are moved like
marionettes whose dialogues are produced by some experts.

The Sainete
- This was a short musical comedy popular during the 18th century. They were exaggerated
comedies shown between acts of long plays and were mostly performed by characters from
the lower classes.
- Themes were taken from everyday life scenarios.

HISTORY
•Filipino Revolutionists won against the Spaniards for more than 333 years.
•June 12, 1898
•Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
•Gen. Miguel Malvar defeat in 1903
•Undaunting nationalism of Filipinos remained.
•Writings clearly depicted love of country and longings for independence

In 1910
•A new group started to write in English
•4 mediums were used in literature during those times
•Writers in Spanish went to write on nationalism honoring rizal and other heroes
•Writers in tagalog continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the country their attempts to
arouse love for one’s native tongue
•Writers in English imitated the themes and methods of the americans
In 1920
•UP College Folio > Philippine Collegian
•DEAD STARS by Paz Marquez Benitez (character delineation, local color, plot, and message)
published in the Philippine Herald.
In 1930
- FOOTNOTE TO YOUTH by Jose Garcia Villa

EDUCATION
•Spread cultural values, English language to the Filipino people
•Institutionalized public education in 1901

Julian cruz balmaceda classified three kinds of tagalog poets

Poet of the heart (Makata ng Puso)
•Lope K. Santos, Iñigo Ed Regalado, Carlos Gatmaitan, Pedro Deogracias del Rosario, Ildefonso
Santos, Amado V. Hernandez, Nemecio Carabana, and Mar Antonio
Poet of life (Makata ng Buhay)
•Lope K. Santos, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florentino Collantes, Patricio Mariano, Carlos Gatmaitan, and
Amado V. Hernandez
Poets of the stage
(Makata ng Tanghalan)
•Aurelio Tolentino, Patricio Mariano, Severino Reyes, and Tomas Remigio.

Other forms of writing

Poetry
- Wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets. Poetry was original, spontaneous, competently written and
incorporated social consciousness.
Short Story
- Flourished during 1925-1941\
Publications
- Philippine Free Press provided first incentives to Filipino writers in English by offering prizes to
worthwhile contributions
Drama
- Did not reach the heights attained by other forms of writing