Chapter 2 : Historical Background of

Philippine Literature
Direction: Read in advance the history of Philippine Literature and tell
us how our literature evolves in the following periods

Pre Colonial Period

Pre-colonial literary pieces transferred in traditional narratives,
speeches, and songs include Tigmo in Cebuano, Bugtong in Tagalog,
patototdon in Bicol, and paktakon in Ilonggo. Baybayin (to spell) was
the pre-colonial writing system in the Philippines. Some modern
scripts in the Philippines descended from Baybayin
Spanish Colonization Period
Philippine literature was born in Spanish. There had been a rich literary
tradition in the islands before the Spaniards arrived but it was the Spanish
who started to publish those tales and stories. The works of Rizal, the best
known Filipino writer and national hero, are a result of this inter-cultural
process. Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both written by Jose
Rizal. The novels created controversy among the Spanish authority in the
Philippines.

Nationalistic/Propaganda and Revolutionary Period

Propaganda period is a turning point in our Philippine literary journey. This period
marked the beginning of the awakening of our sense of nationalism. The seeds of
liberty, equality, and fraternity are well starting to germinate from the many failures
experienced by the early waves of armed insurrections which were largely self-
contained, isolated and doomed from the start. The adage, “the pen is mightier than the
sword” will be pitted to good use here, too. So, what are you waiting for, join me as we
take a closer look at the Propaganda period, some of the major members of the
propaganda movement, and their salient contributions to the Philippine literary
tradition.
American Colonial Period
Philippine literary production during the American Period in the Philippines
was spurred by two significant developments in education and culture. One is
the introduction of free public instruction for all children of school age and
two, 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. The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to
Anglo-American modes of thought, culture and life ways that would be
embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the psyche of the
country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the
wellspring of a vibrant Philippine Literature in English.
Japanese Occupation Period
During the Japanese period, Philippine Literature in English was stopped and
writers turned to writing in Filipino. The Japanese authorities, with extreme
hate to the Americans, did their best to turn the Filipinos’ sympathy away
from them. They rewarded handsomely the Filipinos who are faithful to
them. Enlightenment literature, realism, romanticism and naturalism were all
established in Japan at this time. Writers such as Fukuzawa Yukichi, Mori
Ōgai, Tōson Shimazaki and Jun’ichirō Tanizaki (Japan’s first winner of the
Nobel Prize for Literature) dramatically changed literature for the country at
this time
Contemporary or Modern Period
Philippines literature in Tagalog was revived during this period. Most themes
in the writings dealt with Japanese brutalities of the poverty of life under the
Japanese government and the brave guerilla exploits. The Filipino literary
contemporary period is characterized by the use of native languages as the
main tool of literary expression rather than foreign languages. The
contemporary period began in the 1960s but truly began to flourish following
the end of the martial-law dictatorship in 1986. The Philippines were first
invaded by the Spanish in 1521, followed by the United States in 1898 and the
Japanese in 1941. Filipino literature transformed to take on the occupiers’
language during these times

MONICA MAE A. CODILLA

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