CHAPTER II – The Development of Philippine

Literature

LESSON 1

Understanding the Value of Literature

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Define literature.
Identify genres of Philippine literature.
Enumerate the benefits from studying literature.
Use context clue skills to find the meaning of a word.
Evaluate author’s purpose in writing.

BEFORE
READING
An excerpt from “Southeast Asian
Literary Traditions and the Philippines”
An Article by Bienvenido L. Lumbera
ABOUT THE ARTICLE

Literature is the verbal expression, oral or written, of the experiences of the

people as influenced by their history. The paper ‘Southeast Asian Literary Traditions and
the Philippines’ by Bienvenido Lumbera describes the significance of establishing a
linkage between literary traditions found in the Philippines and the traditions described in
its ASEAN neighbors. It advances the idea that the oral literature of the Philippines,
being indexical to the country’s ‘precolonial’ past serves as an important vehicle in
shaping cultural bridge with its ASEAN neighbors, and in establishing a sense of identity
and the national interest it represents in the larger socio-political, cultural and economic
landscapes.

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 1

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Why is it important to maintain national identity in the age of globalization?

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Genres

In the study of Philippine literature, genres refer to the different forms and
classifications of literary pieces. Examples are riddles, proverbs, songs, myths, epics and
so on.

Riddle, which is bugtong in Tagalog, tigmo in Cebuano, paktakon in Ilonngo, is folk

speech from the precolonial times characterized as a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling
question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed.
e.g. Bibingka ng hari, hindi mo mahati.
(Rice cake of the king, that you cannot divide.)- Answer: water

Proverb expresses norms or codes of behavior, community beliefs. It generally instills

values by offering nuggets of wisdom in short, rhyming verse.
e.g. Lumilipas ang kagandahan, ngunit hindi ang kabaitan.

Song is a short lyric poem that is intended to be sung. It has that particularly melodious
quality required by a singing voice. E.g. Anak by Freddie Aguilar

Myth is a usually traditional story common to the members of a tribe, race, or nation. It
usually involves the supernatural and serves to explain natural phenomena or suggest a
religious or moral truth.
e.g. Tungkung Langit and Alunsina (A Panay-Visayan creation myth)

Folktale is an anonymous, timeless, and placeless story circulated orally among a people.
E.g. The Misadventures of Juan Tamad

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 2

Epic is a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or
historical hero. E.g. Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang), an Ilocano epic.
USE READING SKILLS: The Author’s Purpose
Authors write with an aim or purpose in mind. The style of writing often reflects
the author’s purpose, which could be to entertain, to inform, to instruct, or to persuade.
As you read the article below, identify details related to the author’s purpose and fill in
the information in the Author’s Purpose Chart. An example has been done for you.

Author’s Purpose Chart

Author’s Purpose: to inform

Details:
My Evaluation: The author
The fact that, to this day, epics
continue to be included this information to
collected among ethnic groups emphasize to the readers the role of
is an indication oral literature, specifically epics, in
of the deep roots of this performing cultural identities. This
literary form in various information helps me understand
cultural communities. why the author asserts the idea that
oral literature translated in Filipino
language can serve as our cultural
bridge to other ASEAN nations.

Author’s Purpose:

Author’s Purpose:

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 3

PREVIEW VOCABULARY

Key Words and Words and Phrases Definition Practice

Phrases in Context
Read each key word and Read to see how the key Write down what you Practice using the
rate it using this scale: word or phrase can be think the word or key words and
① I don’t know this word used in a sentence. phrase means. Then phrases by
or phrase at all. use a dictionary to completing the
② I’ve seen this word or check your definition. following sentences.
phrase before.
③ Know this word or
phrase and use it.

form Narrative, lyric, and Song is a form of

[ˈfȯrm] dramatic are forms of lyric poetry that…
noun poetry.
① ② ③

rudimentary You need to have at One rudimentary

ru·di·men·ta·ry least a rudimentary function of
[ ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē] understanding of computer is …
adjective technology before you
① ② ③ can upload a video on
that website.

sophisticated Some sophisticated The encryption

so·phis·ti·cat·ed programs require that codes being used by
[sə-ˈfi-stə-ˌkā-təd] passwords contain criminals are
adjective letters and numbers. incredibly
① ② ③ sophisticated and …

Legacy A monumental legacy in Ferdinand

leg·a·cy astronomy is Galileo’s Magellan’s
[ ˈle-gə-sē] telescopic observations expedition in 1522
noun of the heavens. left a legacy of …
① ② ③

contextualize Module writers must Teacher Lea

con·tex·tu·al·ize [kən- contextualize texts and contextualizes the
ˈteks-chə-wə-ˌlīz] genres to enhance the stories in her module
verb students’ learning to…
① ② ③ processes.

contemporary Contemporary artists Online platforms are

con·tem·po·rary [kən- were selected to paint now used to publish
ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē] the museum’s ceiling. contemporary
adjective poetry because…
① ② ③

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 4

heritage Though he was proud of It can be exciting to
her·i·tage his Italian heritage, he explore your
[ ˈher-ə-tij] really had never visited heritage and …
noun the country.
① ② ③

globalization The process of Not everyone has

glob·al·i·za·tion [ˌglō- globalization is the been benefiting the
bə-lə-ˈzā-shən] profound economic same from
noun change of the current globalization and
① ② ③ era. technological change
because …

decolonize To decolonize a There is a need to

de·col·o·nize territory is easier than to decolonize our
[dē-ˈkä-lə-ˌnīz] decolonize our practices if we want
verb consciousness. to…
① ② ③

precolonial Precolonial Filipinos An example of

pre·co·lo·nial made good armor for precolonial weapon
[ˌprē-kə-ˈlō-nē-əl] use in the battlefield, is …
adjective and swords were an
① ② ③ important part of native
weaponry.
Link The presentation of the Her Youtube video
[ˈliŋk] past is linked to all links important
verb forms of image stories from …
① ② ③ consciousness and
manipulation.

identity In fostering our Filipino You can show your

i·den·ti·ty identity, we must devote appreciation of your
[ ī-ˈden-tə-tē] ourselves to our studies Filipino identity
noun and the appreciation of through…
① ② ③ history, culture, and
literature.

DURING
READING

An excerpt from “Southeast Asian Literary

Traditions CASS-DELL
and the Philippines”
| Literature of the Philippines 5
 An Article by Bienvenido L. Lumbera
THE ORAL LITERATURE OF THE FILIPINOS

Philippine oral literature comes in many forms [ˈfȯrm] noun, classification or

and many languages. The forms range from the types

simplest to the most complex, depending on their

functions within the community. The most
rudimentary are the riddles and the proverbs, ru·di·men·ta·ry [ ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə
which function principally as vehicles for rē] adjective, basic or fundamental
familiarizing the younger members of the
community with their immediate environment
and for instructing them on the basic values which Analyze Literature
the older members of the community hold in
common. Songs take many forms, and once again, Genres: Enumerate the
it is function that determines the occasion and various forms of Philippine
the manner of the singing. Children have their oral literature and the
functions they serve.
own songs—lullabies to put them to sleep, game
songs to entertain them, learning songs to initiate ______________________
them into tasks appropriate for their age and
______________________
physical development. The adults have songs for
______________________
courtship, worship, work and entertainment.
Myths and folktales are for both young and old, ______________________
for these help them understand their ______________________
environment and relationships with one ______________________
another, and they allow them to cope with ______________________
mundane problems and with the mysterious
____________________
and the threatening.
______________________
The lengthiest and most sophisticated form ______________________
so·phis·ti·cat·ed [sə-ˈfi-stə-
of Philippine oral literature is the epic. As of 1994, ˌkā-təd]
thirty epics have been recorded, published or adjective, complex, elaborate
translated out of supposedly a hundred,”
according to the most recent review (Epics).
The fact that, to this day, epics continue to be
Analyze Literature
collected among ethnic groups is an indication
of the deep roots of this literary form in various Genres: What special function
cultural communities. These epics are treasured does an epic serve?
by the community as bearers of identity and
_________________________
_________________________
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 6
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
preservers of values and traditions which bind
the members.

The cultural legacy that oral literature leg·a·cy [ ˈle-gə-sē] noun,

represents demands to be incorporated into inheritance, something transmitted
the literary component of the curriculum for by or received from an ancestor or
from the past
Philippine schools. Unfortunately, this legacy is
hardly accessible even to the most assiduous
student of Philippine literature in the form Note the Facts
which will allow it to claim a place in literary
studies. The epics, in particular, are in many What makes it difficult for oral
different languages, many of these only beginning literature such as epics to be
to be described by linguists. This means that, incorporated into the literary
even after they have been recorded and
component of the curriculum
transcribed, translation into a language accessible
for Philippine schools?
to many and reflective of the artistic genius of the
original remains a problem. _________________________
_________________________
It must be noted that, traditionally, the language _________________________
of research in the Philippine academe is
_________________________
English. This already poses a problem in the
_____
proper contextualization of a literary work
which is intricately woven into the cultural
fabric of the community. Producing a reasonably con·tex·tu·al·ize [kən-ˈteks-
chə-wə-ˌlīz] verb, to place
accurate rendition of the oral work into an something in a particular
English version further complicates the problem. context which may provide
important clues about the its
The English version often serves only as some kind social and cultural meaning.
of crib, guiding the reader through the
difficulties in the proper understanding and
appreciation of the text. No wonder, teachers
of Philippine literature have often recoiled from
a presentation of oral literature as part of their
courses. If they themselves cannot derive
enjoyment from the texts that are available for
their use, what can they expect from students who
see the epics as even more alien than Beowulf,
and the language into which they have been as
more impenetrable than Anglo-Saxon itself.

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 7

With English as the medium of instruction in the
Philippine educational system, the likelihood is
remote that pleasurable translations of Filipino
oral lore will form part of the literature our students
are taught to appreciate. The contemporary
con·tem·po·rary [kən-ˈtem-
student will continue to be suckled on the works pə-ˌrer-ē]adjective, modern,
of Filipino writers in English, both young and old, relating to present time
for these are the works that have familiar subject
matter and “artistic” language. Because much of our
literature is in the “unexciting” and often “clumsy”
English of scholars, young Filipinos have been effectively
cut off from a valuable part of their literary
her·i·tage [ ˈher-ə-tij]noun,
heritage, a heritage that can make them proud tradition, something handed
of their past and give them a secure sense of down from one's ancestors or
the past
identity as a people. Fortunately, there are
literature teachers who have kept up with the
times and have come to recognize the loss of the
past that the omission of oral literature from their
courses has occasioned. These teachers have now
begun to devise ways and means of restoring
oral literature to the history of Philippine
literature through videos and live performances.

Reconnecting Asia with Southeast Asia

Three years before the new millennium, in

this conference, the Philippines is being asked
to link up with the literary traditions of Southeast glob·al·i·za·tion [ˌglō-
bə-lə-ˈzā-shən] noun,  the
Asia. In the so-called “era of globalization,” expansion of many
isn’t the Philippines taking a rather belated businesses into markets
step toward what is then a necessary retrieval of throughout the world
its non-Western past? And isn’t the effort
altogether anachronistic at this time when we are
being enticed to “abolish national boundaries”
in the name of “global competitiveness”?

Contemporary Filipinos lost not only a good part

of their literary legacy when English was installed
as the language of instruction in Philippine
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 8
schools; they also lost a cultural bridge that would
have firmed up their relations with their neighbors.
Reclaiming its place in the culture of Southeast Asia de·col·o·nize [dē-ˈkä-lə-
cannot be too late, if Filipinos will recognize that ˌnīz] verb, to free from
the decolonization of their consciousness is a colonial status

process which remains to be completed.

The oral literature which will link them once
again to Southeast Asia allows the Filipinos a
“precolonial” past which is still recoverable.
That past is a special weapon it can be wield
in resisting neocolonial hegemony that
“globalization” proposes to legitimize and
naturalize. Globalization, with the IMF and
the World Bank behind it, proposes to erase
national boundaries purportedly to ease
commercial intercourse among peoples of the
world. Doubtless, this is going to take place
and it will be to the advantage of strong
economies. Unstable economies, and these
are common in Asia, Africa and Latin America,
will have to stand up to the aggressive, rich
industrialized countries in order to survive in
the globalized international economic order.
In devising a strategy for survival, it is never
too late for a people to gear itself toward a
struggle. The Philippines, through its oral
literature, has a “precolonial” past which is
still recoverable. To recover that past, it needs
a native language that will allow it to make its
oral literature a living part of its contemporary
culture. That language is Filipino, so the
struggle for a native language that will also be
the language of instruction in the educational
system is part and parcel of recovering the past.
In a globalizing world, even as English is held
up as the global language, it may seem
paradoxical that the Philippines which has
been educating its youth through the medium
of English, must be urged to shift to its
national language.
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines
[ˈliŋk] verb, to couple or connect
by or as if by a link
pre·co·lo·nial [ˌprē-kə-ˈlō-nē-əl]
adjective, existing or occurring before
an area undergoes colonization
Use Reading Skills
Evaluate the author’s purpose.
Evaluate the author’s purpose
for writing about globalization
and the need for the Philippines,
as a country with unstable
economy, to recover its
precolonial past through its oral
literature. Record your
evaluation in your Author’s
Purpose Chart provided above.
Note the Facts
What language is proposed by
the author to be used in
reclaiming Philippine oral
literature?
_________________________
_________________________
9
To be able to maintain a firm hold on a sense of
identity and the national interest it represents,
the Philippines needs Southeast Asia. At the i·den·ti·ty [ ī-ˈden-tə-tē]noun,
outset, it may seem that it is only a literary The set of characteristics by
which a person or group is
tradition that it stands to recover in linking up definitively recognizable or
with the cultures of its neighboring countries. known
However, in the context of a period when “nation”
is claimed to be on the way to obsolescence, the
ob·so·lete [ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt]
Philippines needs a sense of region that adjective, no longer in use
will give it a larger identity when globalization
begins to eat away national identities.
Reconnecting with Southeast Asia fortifies the Use Reading Skills
Filipino by giving him a past that colonial Evaluate the author’s purpose
Education had closed off to him.
Why does the author assert that
the Philippines needs Southeast
Asia in the era of globalization?
Write your ideas in the Author’s
Purpose Chart.

Think and Reflect

Do you think recovering our oral literature through our national language
Filipino is our best strategy for establishing our sense of identity as Filipinos and
for our survival in the era of globalization? Explain.

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_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

AFTER READING

Name: _________________________________
Yr/Cr/Sec:_______________

Subject:________________________________
Date:_____________________
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 10
READING CHECK

Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is NOT true about literature?

A. It is one of the ways people in the community shape their own worlds, and
value their traditions.
B. It speaks of life—emotions, situations, and ideas.
C. It orients and guides the young.
D. It devalues the cultural fabric of the community where it comes from.

2. Which of the following oral literary genre is in rhyming verse and expresses norms
and community beliefs?
A. folktale C. riddle
B. proverb D. myth

3. Which of the following literary genre begins with the line, “In the beginning, the
earth was dark…”?
A. epic C. creation myth
B. Song D. folktale

4. Which of the following is a long narrative poem that talks about the adventures of a
hero?
A. song C. folktale
B. epic D. myth

5. What determines the occasion and manner of singing of a song?

A. function C. style
B. artistic conventions D. central idea

6. What value does the following proverb teach?

“You will not know what is coming unless you make a trip.”
A. intelligence C. initiative
B. guilt D. industry

7. What value does the following proverb teach?

“Natutuwa kung pasalop. Kung singili’y napopoot.”(Full of good cheer while
borrowing a measure of rice. Full of wrath when you ask him to pay it back.)
A. honesty C. loyalty
B. responsibility D. understanding

8. Which of the proverbs is NOT about alertness?

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 11
 A. If you want a chance, be quick in moving.
B. If the chicken is not on guard, the eagle sweeps upon it.
C. If you can spot the quarry, you are the winner.
D. Not all that glitters is gold.

9. According to the article, what makes the reading of our literature unexciting and less
meaningful?
A. the subject of the literary pieces
B. the function of the literary piece
C. English as the medium of translation and instruction
D. the rich symbolisms and creative expressions used in the literature

10. Members of a tribe or race can have common myths which serve varied purposes,
EXCEPT:
A. trace a portion of their history C. suggest a religious or moral truth
B. explain natural phenomena D. predict future calamities.

VOCABULARY CHECK

Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. “Mundane matters such as paying bills and shopping for food do not interest her.”
What does mundane mean?
A. ordinary C. exceptional
B. noble D. unique

2. “The Benedictines have been best known as educators and as preservers of antique
texts.” What does preserver mean?
A. A person that destroys something
B. A person who maintains something in its original form
C. A person who exacts punishment or in return for an injury.
D. A person that mends or repairs something.

3. “Jake was an assiduous student, commonly spending fourteen hours a day among his
books.” What does assiduous mean?
A. careful C. passive
B. weird D. diligent

4. “Voters legitimize the government through the election of public officials" Which is
NOT a meaning of legitimize?
A. make official C. make legal

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 12

 B. nullify D. validate

5. “It sounds paradoxical: the events that made the universe habitable were
catastrophic.” Which is NOT a meaning of paradoxical?
A. temporary C. incongruous
B. Inconsistent D. inconsistent

USE READING SKILLS: Evaluate Author’s Purpose

1. Review your Author’s Purpose Chart. Why did the author write this article?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. How do the details and information included in the article enhance the author’s
purpose?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 13

 LESSON 2

History of Philippine Literature

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Name the authors and literary works that shaped the
literary repertoire of the Philippines.
Sequence historical and cultural events in to show how
each period developed.

BEFORE
READING

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period
An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador
ABOUT THE ESSAY

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 14

 The essay gives us an overview of how Philippine literature shaped and was
shaped by our country’s cultural traditions and socio-political histories. It outlines the
journey of Philippine literature through different periods: Precolonial era, Spanish
colonial period, American colonial period, Japanese colonial period, Martial Law regime,
and the Contemporary period.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

If you could go back in time, what time and place would you visit? Why?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Literary Periods

Literary period is basically defined as a span of time for literature that shares
intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. In Philippine context, describing
the evolving patterns of our literary heritage prompts us to recount also the socio-cultural
milieu that produced it in the process. Philippine historical and literary periods are:
Precolonial Period, Spanish Colonial Period, American Colonial Period, Japanese
Regime, Martial Law Period, and Contemporary Period.

Precolonial Period: The Philippines already had its own rich literary tradition, written
and oral, long before the Spaniards came. This oral literary tradition in particular plays a
crucial role in reproducing the structure of native society (Quiros, 2019).

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 15

Spanish Colonial Period: Literature during this period may be classified as religious
prose and poetry, and secular prose and poetry (Godinez-Ortega). This period also
includes literature produced by the Propaganda Movement.

American Colonial Period: The introduction of free public instruction for all children of
school age, and the use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in
public schools encouraged literary production during this period (Quindoza-Santiago).

Japanese Colonial Period: Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development

during this period. Philippine Literature in English came to a halt, and most publications
in English were stopped. The use of Filipino language was also mandated.

Contemporary Period: The flowering of Philippine literature in the various languages

continues especially with the appearance of new publications after the Martial Law years
and the resurgence of committed literature in the 1960s and the 1970s. Commission on
Higher Education mandated the teaching of Philippine Literature in all tertiary schools in
the country emphasizing the teaching of the vernacular literature or literatures of the
regions (Godinez-Ortega).

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

Sequence of events refers to the order of events as they happen. As you read the
essay, keep track of the sequence of events by completing the Sequence Map below.
Draw the order of events as they are explained. Include a short caption under each image.

Sequence Map

oral literature like epics

and folksongs were chanted

___________________________ _________________________
__________________________

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 16

___________________________ __________________________
__________________________

_________________________ __________________________
_________________________

_________________________ __________________________
_________________________

_________________________ __________________________
__________________________

_________________________ __________________________
__________________________

DURING
READING

The Journey of Philippine Literature: From

Precolonial to Contemporary Period
An Essay by Marlon T. Salvador

Before the Spaniards came to the Philippines,

our forefathers had already their own
literature, which can be described as oral
because they were handed down by word
CASS-DELL | Literature
Analyze Literature
Literary Periods: Describe the
kind of literature produced in
precolonial times. Identify also
of the Philippines
the contributions of the 17
Negritoes, Indons, and Malays
to the literary heritage of the
Philippines.
 of mouth from one generation to another.
The vagrant Negritoes contributed songs
and superstitious beliefs. They did not have
a system of government unlike the Indons
who brought literary genres or forms like
folktales, epics, paganistic faith, and
legends. The Malays contributed the
baybayin, the syllabary with seventeen
symbols. They also brought legends,
folktales, the “balangay” system of
government, and the brief statements of
practical wisdom called proverbs which are
based on long experience about life.

Puzzles that usually consist of two lines that

rhyme called riddles are considered as the
early forms of poetry, which is now Culture Note
developed in various forms that usually Riddle or bugtong abounds in
appear in stanzas. Early drama, now many ethnolinguistic groups in
performed onstage, was in the form of the Philippines. Give one
paganistic rituals led by babaylan, a priest example of riddle from your
or priestess. culture or group.
__________________________
When the Spaniards set their feet on the __________________________
Philippine soil, they found out that __________________________
literature had been existing in two
__________________________
forms: prose and poetry. The riddles, proverbs
and sayings were in the form of poetry , while
the legends, fables and folktales were in
Use Reading Skills
prose. The conquerors destroyed written
literature in perishable materials because Analyze Sequence of Events
they believed that these were the handicraft Use the Sequence Map to write
of evil. Later, the printing press was set up four events that occur on this
and Doctrina Christiana was the first output page of the essay. Write each
in 1593. The pasyon, which relates the life event in a complete sentence.
and death of Christ, was used to replace
the old epics. The most popular of this type
was Gaspar Aquino de Belen. There also Note the Facts
born forms of metrical romance of
European origin, namely: awit and corrido, What literary genres or forms
became popular during the
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines
Spanish Colonial Period? 18

__________________________
__________________________
examples of which are the Florante at Laura
and Ang Alamat ng Ibong Adarna.

The first printed literary work in Tagalog

was the poem May Bagyo Ma’t May Rilim
(1605) while the first known published
prose was in the form of letter, the
Ang Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini
na sina Urbana at Feliza by Modesto de
Castro. Meanwhile, the first recorded epic
(only in 1889) was the Biag ni Lam-ang Analyze Literature
among the Christian Ilokos. They noticed
that Filipinos were fond of plays so they Literary Periods: Name
began to stage the Cenaculo, which depicts authors and their literary works
the life and passion of Christ; the during Spanish Colonial Period.
Santacruzan, which portrays Reyna Elena’s
__________________________
search for the cross where Christ died;
and others. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
In 1872, the three priest-martyrs were
executed. From then, a clamor for change __________________________
against Spanish abuses began to bloom. __________________________
The event anchored the launching of the __________________________
Propaganda Movement in Spain that aimed __________________________
to clarify issues, denounce abuses and
__________________________
injustices, and refute accusations. Its
newspaper La Solidaridad became the organ __________________________
that projected the views of the group where ____________________
essay found its place. Meanwhile, in 1885, __________________________
Pedro Paterno published the first novel
Ninay which awakened national
Use Reading Skills
consciousness. It became the precedent for
Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and its sequel, the Analyze Sequence of Events
El Filibusterismo. Marcelo H. del Pilar’s Use the Sequence Map to write
Dasalan at Tocsohan is considered as his five events that occur on this
most daring work against the friars. page. Write each event in a
complete sentence.
When Rizal was captured and exiled in
Dapitan, the Katipunan was formed with
its paper Kalayaan where Katapusang Note the Facts
CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 19
Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa were printed to campaign What poems were published by
for freedom. the Katipunan during the
Spanish Colonial Period?

In 1899, the Spaniards formally turned __________________________

over the Philippines under the governance __________________________
of America in conformity with the Treaty __________________________
of Paris. The first group of American
__________________________
teachers known as Thomasites who were
__________________________
aboard a ship named Thomas, arrived and
brought changes to the educational system. __________
Hence, Filipino writers began writing in Note the Facts
English because The Philippine Free Press
What event ended Spanish Rule
(1905) and the College Folio (UP school organ,
in the Philippines?
1910) had been circulated.
__________________________
The outbreak of the World War II caused the __________________________
scarcity of paper. In this period, the haiku __________________
became popular because it does not need much
space for it only contains three lines and a total
of seventeen syllables. Analyze Literature

Literary Periods: Which

The Declaration of Martial Law in 1972 greatly
literary period is considered the
affected literature. From this period to the Golden Age of Filipino
present, writers and different artists continue to literature where in writing in
flourish with the aim of bringing social reform English was prohibited and
and subscribing to freedom of expression. writers in Filipino and in
All this just proves that the history of a nation vernacular languages
affects its literature. flourished?

_________________________
__________

AFTER READING

Name: _________________________
Subject:____________________
Yr/Cr/Sec:_____________________ Date:_______________________

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 20

READING CHECK

A. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is considered the earliest form of drama in Philippine literary
history?
A. folksongs C. cenaculo
B. rituals D. legends

2. Which historical and literary period in the Philippines is considered the Epic Age?
A. Precolonial C. American
B. Spanish D. Contemporary

3. Which of the following is the Christian epic which talks about the life and suffering
of Christ?
A. pasyon C. bodabil
B. cenaculo D. awit

4. Which of the following is NOT a product of the Spanish period?

A. Doctrina Christiana C. Footnote to Youth
B. Dasalan at Tocsohan D. Urbana at Feliza

5. Who among the following propagandists used the pen name Plaridel?
A. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Jose P. Rizal
B. Pedro Paterno D. Graciano Lopez Jaena

6. Which of the following is NOT a work of Jose Rizal?

A. Noli Me Tangere C. Sa Aking Mga Kabata
B. El Filibusterismo D. Ninay

7. Who wrote Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas and Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa?

A. Marcelo H. del Pilar C. Pedro Paterno
B. Andres Bonifacio D. Apolinario Mabini

8. Who among the following are the first American teachers in the Philippines?
A. Dominicans C. Thomasites
B. Augustinians D. Jesuits

9. Which of the following did NOT emerge during the Pre-Spanish period?

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 21

 A. Haiku C. Proverbs
B. Folksongs D. Riddles

10. Which of the proverbs does NOT talk about hypocrisy?

A. She seems to be a saint, but her heart is naughty.
B. The ant is where the sugar is.
C. When she turns her back she looks like a virgin, but when she faces you she
looks like a ‘sigbin’.
D. It is hard to wake a person who pretends to be asleep.

B. Identify the period of Philippine literature which is characterized by items 1-10. Write
the letter on your answer on the space provided before each number.

A. Precolonial B. Spanish C. American D. Japanese E. Contemporary

_____1. Literature was handed down by word of mouth.

_____2. Pre-colonial epics were changed.
_____3. First work of prose was written.
_____4. Short story flourished.
_____5. There were metrical romances.
_____6. There were religious and rebellious literatures.
_____7. The short poem of three lines was known.
_____8. Liwayway magazine was under strict supervision.
_____9. Filmmaking has become the most popular art form.
_____10. There are vast literary works in different literary forms.

Name: _________________________
Subject:____________________

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 22

Yr/Cr/Sec:_____________________ Date:_______________________

USE READING SKILLS: Analyze Sequence of Events

1. Review the Sequence Map you created. Briefly retell the sequence of events in writing
as they occur.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

2. After looking into the events that shaped Philippine literary landscape, we may find
that we have become a society of various or heterogeneous traditions. Is this an
advantage or disadvantage? Explain your answer.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 23

CASS-DELL | Literature of the Philippines 24