21st Century

Literature
from the
Philippines
and the World
 ALL ABOUT MY SELF

INTRODUCTION
Hi, I’m Danzelle but my family calls
me “adding” and some of my
classmates call me “Press”. I live in
Purok 3, Matti, Digos City. 17 years
old and I’m the youngest in my
family.

WHAT I LIKE
I like to hang out with my cousins.
Loves to play chess. Enjoys being
with the nature. I also like to eat and
cook. Additionally, I also like playing
badminton.

MY GOALS IN LIFE.
It is my intention to graduate from high school. The plan is to enroll in a
university with a course of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural
Engineering in the near future. Get a descent job. Help my family.
Discover the world through travel. Have a great life and be happy.

MOTTO IN LIFE
“DO NOT EXPECT PERFECTION, INSTEAD
STRIVE FOR PROGRESS”
 LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

FRIENDS
I have gain new friends’ new friends this school
year. I am very grateful that I met them I know it
will be hard without my peer’s help.

TEACHER
This is my teacher,
ma’am Beth. She’s
kind and amazing. She
thought us allot of
things about the
wonder of our
Literature.
 PRECOLONIAL PERIOD

The pre-colonial
period in the
Philippines, which
predates the arrival of
the Spanish in the 16th
century, is a
fascinating era. The
first settlers of the
Philippines arrived
through land bridges
around 15,000 -
30,000 BC. These first settlers, known as the Aetas, were excellent
hunters and food gatherers.
Pre-colonial Philippine society was both different and the same as in the
present. Some aspects of the pre-colonial period have survived into our
time. The society was made up of three classes: nobles (made up of the
datu and their families), mahadlika or maharlika (freemen) and the alipin
(dependents).
Economic activities during this period included agriculture, livestock,
fishing, mining, lumbering and shipbuilding, weaving, and trade. The
pre-colonial Filipinos had their own languages, system of writing,
literature, music and dance, and art.
By 1000 BC, the inhabitants of the Philippine archipelago had developed
into four distinct kinds of peoples: tribal groups, warrior societies, the
petty plutocracy of the Ifugao Cordillera Highlanders, and the harbor
principalities of the estuarine civilizations.
During pre-colonial times, women shared equal footing with men in
society. They were allowed to divorce, own and inherit property, and
even lead their respective
barangays or territories.
This period was
characterized by a rich
cultural heritage and a
society that was largely
self-sufficient and
prosperous before the
arrival of foreign
colonizers.
During the pre-colonial period in the Philippines, a variety of literary
works were created, many of which were passed down orally through
generations. Here are some examples:

1. Riddles (Bugtong): These were used to test wit, ingenuity, and

imagination. They were usually rhyming couplets with a regular
syllabic count.

2. Proverbs (Salawikain): These were terse statements of practical

wisdom based on long experience and observations about
life. They were often stated in figurative language and usually
rendered in rhyming couplets.

3. Idioms (Sawikain): These were phrases or fixed expressions that

had a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning.

4. Songs: Songs were of great variety, expressive of a gamut of

human experiences and feelings. They were sung at almost every
occasion: work, worship, wedding, and war, with the
accompaniment of musical instruments.

5. Epics: Epics were sustained narratives based on oral tradition

revolving around supernatural events or heroic deeds. Examples of
these are Lam-ang, Hinilawod, Kudaman, and Darangen.

6. Folk Tales: These included myths, legends, fables, and fantasies.

7. Writing Systems: There were at least 16 different ancient writing

systems used during the pre-colonial period.
PRACTICES
Social Classes. The pre-colonial period in the Philippines was
characterized by a rich and varied set of practices and traditions. The
society was organized into three main classes: the nobles, the freemen,
and the dependents. The nobles, made up of the datu and their families,
were the ruling class. The freemen, also known as mahadlika or
maharlika, enjoyed certain freedoms and privileges. The dependents, or
alipin, were the lowest class and were subject to the will of their masters.
Women in this period enjoyed a status equal to that of men. They had
the right to divorce, own and inherit property, and even lead their
respective barangays or territories. This is a stark contrast to many other
societies of the same period.
The pre-colonial Filipinos had a functioning judicial and legislative
system. Their economic life was diverse and included activities such as
agriculture, livestock rearing, fishing, mining, lumbering and
shipbuilding, weaving, and trade.
Culturally, they had their own languages, system of writing, literature,
music and dance, and art.
Their religious beliefs
were also quite complex
and included belief in an
afterlife, burial and
mourning customs,
priesthood, rituals,
sacrifices and feasts.
These practices
significantly shaped the
way of life of pre-
colonial Filipinos.

Bayanihan, pronounced as /ˌbʌɪəˈniːhan/, is a Filipino custom derived

from the word “bayan”, which means nation, town or community. The
term Bayanihan itself literally
means “being in a bayan”, and
it refers to the spirit of
communal unity, work, and
cooperation to achieve a
particular goal.

This spirit of Bayanihan turns

ordinary people into heroes. It
is the antidote to indifference,
division, mistrust, and mediocrity. It happens when people unite to help
individuals and communities in need without expecting anything in
return2. Giving aid, even to strangers, is a distinguishing mark of
Filipino culture.

Bayanihan is also inspired by other enduring Filipino values like

malasakit (compassion), pagdadamayan (sympathy), pakikipagkapwa-
tao (regard for others), and kusang-palo (volunteerism). In times of
heavy typhoons, when everyone is a
victim, Filipinos pitch in and give
whatever they can.

“Magbayanihan tayo” is a Filipino

phrase used when someone invites
others to become heroes for the
community. In the Filipino context, a
hero is someone who loves his
people. This sense of community and
unity is what makes Bayanihan a
core essence of the Filipino culture.

Barter. In the pre-colonial period of the Philippines, trade among the

early Filipinos and with traders from neighboring lands like China, Java,
Borneo, and Thailand was conducted through a system known as barter.
The barter system is a method of exchange where goods or services are
directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium
of exchange, such as money.

However, the inconvenience of the barter system led to the adoption of a

specific medium of exchange – the cowry shells. Cowries produced in
gold, jade, quartz and wood became the most common and acceptable
form of money through many centuries. Since the Philippines is
naturally rich in gold, it was used in ancient times for barter rings,
personal adornment, jewelry, and the first local form of coinage called
Piloncitos. Religion in the pre-colonial Philippines was a mix of
indigenous religious beliefs and mythologies.

Religion. Some of these are still

practiced today, particularly by
various indigenous peoples of the
Philippines. These beliefs were later
influenced by Hinduism and
Buddhism.

During pre-colonial times, a form of

animism was widely practiced in the
Philippines. The term animism encompasses a collection of beliefs and
cultural mores anchored more or less in the idea that the world is
inhabited by spirits and supernatural entities, both good and bad, and
that respect must be accorded to them through worship. These nature
spirits later became known as “diwatas”, despite keeping most of their
native meanings and symbols, due to the influence of Hinduism in the
region.

Some worship specific deities, such as the Tagalog supreme deity,

Bathala, and his children Adlaw, Mayari, and Tala, or the Visayan deity
Kan-Laon1. These practices coincided with ancestor worship.

By the time the Spanish arrived and began making any record of the
culture, the Tagalog regions were already heavily influenced by trade
and migration. Populated regions were a mix of Tagalogs,
Kapampangan, Tinguianes, and Muslims. The Manila area was a center
for trade, which also brought migrant workers.

SCRIPT
Baybayin, also known as
Alibata, is a pre-colonial
script used in the
Philippines. It’s an abugida
type of script, which is a
writing system where each
character represents a
consonant-vowel sequence.
Baybayin is part of the
Brahmic scripts family and
was widely used in Luzon
and other parts of the Philippines before and during the 16th and 17th
centuries. However, its use was replaced by the Latin alphabet during
the Spanish colonization period. The script was primarily used in the
Tagalog language and to a lesser extent in Kapampangan-speaking areas.
Its use spread to the Ilocanos in the early 17th century. Baybayin has
distinct characters for consonants and vowels, with the vowels i & e and
u & o sharing the same character. Vowels are represented with a
diacritical mark when combined with a consonant. For instance, ‘ba’
would be written as, ‘bi’ or ‘be’ as , and ‘bu’ or ‘bo’ as . This script is a
significant part of Filipino history and culture.
EPICS
“Indarapatra at Sulayman”
is a Philippine epic from the
Maguindanao people. The story
revolves around two brothers,
Indarapatra and Sulayman, who
possess magical abilities.
Long before the arrival of Islam
in Mindanao, the entire island
was covered with water, and the
sea covered all the lowlands so that nothing could be seen but the
mountains jutting from it. The people lived in peace and prosperity on
the highlands.
However, their peace was disrupted by four monstrous creatures that
devoured every human being they could find. These monsters were
Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs that lived partly on land and
partly at sea; Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form of a man that lived
on Mt. Matutum; Pah, an enormous bird so large that it covered the sun
when on the wing; and a dreadful bird with seven heads and the power
to see in all directions at the same time.
The news of these great disasters reached King Indarapatra in a distant
city across the sea. His heart filled with compassion for the people of
Mindanao. Indarapatra sent his brother Sulayman to defeat these
monsters. Sulayman succeeded but did not return, prompting Indarapatra
to follow him. He found Sulayman lifeless but was able to revive him
using a magical charm.
Together, they defeated the monsters and saved their kingdom from
destruction. Their story is a testament to bravery, brotherhood, and the
triumph of good over evil.

“Biag ni Lam-ang” is a pre-

Hispanic epic poem of the Ilocano
people of the Philippines. The story
was handed down orally for
generations before it was written
down around 1640. The epic tells the
story of Lam-ang, who was born with
the ability to speak. His parents were
Don Juan and Namongan, who lived
in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in the northern part of the
Philippines. Before Lam-ang was born, Don Juan went to the mountains
to punish a group of their Igorot enemies.
Upon learning about his father’s fate, Lam-ang decided to avenge his
father. He went on a journey and killed all the Igorots, except for one
whom he let go so that he could tell other people about Lam-ang’s
greatness.After his triumphant return, Lam-ang fell in love with a
beautiful woman named Ines Kannoyan. He defeated all other suitors,
including a giant named Sumarang. After their marriage, Lam-ang dove
into the sea to retrieve a pearl from a magical oyster as part of a tradition
but was swallowed by a fearsome fish called Berkaken.Ines had Lam-
ang’s bones fished out of the sea and brought before Lam-ang’s magical
rooster, who then blew on them. Miraculously, Lam-ang came back to
life. The epic ends with Lam-ang and his wife living happily ever after.

“Hinilawod” is an epic poem

from the island of Panay. The term
of the epic translates to “Tales
From The Mouth of The Halawod
River”. It is commonly known to
the Visayan people of Panay.
The epic begins with a sky goddess
named Alunsina. The king of the
gods, Kaptan, feared that she would remain unmarried and urged her to
marry. Many gods attempted to woo Alunsina, but she chose a mortal
named Paubari, the datu of Halawod. This decision enraged the other
gods who failed to court her. They conspired to hinder the marriage of
Alunsina and Paubari by flooding Halawod. However, Alunsina and
Paubari were saved from the flood with the help of Suklang Malayon,
Alunsina’s sibling.After the flood, Alunsina and Paubari returned to
Halawod. Months later, Alunsina gave birth to triplets named Labaw
Donggon, Humadapnon, and Dumalapdap. After they were born,
Alunisina asked Bungot-Banwa to uphold a ritual to strengthen the
triplets.The triplets each embarked on their own path. Labaw Donggon
was imprisoned by Saragnayan after their battle. Labaw Donggon’s son
avenged his father and won against Saragnayan. Humadapnon and
Dumalapdap were enraged when they heard their brother’s
fate. Humadapnon decided to hoax Saragnayan and his
descendants. While Dumalapdap married Lubay Lubyok Mahanginun si
Mahuyokhuyokan and battled a two-headed being named Balanakon. He
also battled Uyutang, a being with large fangs and sharp nails.When the
siblings returned home, Datu Paubari celebrated their triumph.

THE SPANISH PERIOD

The Spanish
colonial period in
the Philippines
lasted from 1565 to
1898, during which
the Philippine
Islands were ruled
as the Captaincy
General of the
Philippines within
the Spanish East Indies. This period began with the arrival of Ferdinand
Magellan in 1521 and was marked by Spain’s financed expeditions to
the Philippine islands.
Initially, the Philippines were under the Viceroyalty of New Spain, based
in Mexico City, until the independence of the Mexican Empire from
Spain in 1821. After that, the Philippines was under direct royal
governance until 1898.
During this period, Spanish was the language of government, education,
and trade throughout the three centuries (333 years) of the Philippines
being part of the Spanish Empire and continued to serve as a lingua
franca until the first half of the 20th century.
The Spanish initially viewed the Philippines as a stepping-stone to the
riches of the East Indies (Spice Islands), but even after that possibility
was foreclosed by the Portuguese and Dutch, they still maintained their
presence in the archipelago.
The Spanish colonial period ended with Spain’s defeat by the United
States in the Spanish American War, marking the beginning of American
colonial rule in Philippine history.

SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN THE SPANISH ERA

Ferdinand Magellan, born as Fernão de Magalhães around 1480 in
Northern Portugal, was a Portuguese explorer best known for having
planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East Indies across
the Pacific Ocean. He discovered the interoceanic passage thereafter
bearing his name and achieved the first European navigation to Asia via
the Pacific. During this voyage, Magellan was killed in the Battle of
Mactan, Mactan Island, now Province of Cebu, Cebu group of islands in
1521 in the present-day Philippines. After Magellan’s death, Juan
Sebastián Elcano took the lead of the expedition, and with its few other
surviving members in one of the two remaining ships, completed the
first circumnavigation of Earth when they returned to Spain in 1522.
Magellan was born into a family of
minor Portuguese nobility and
became a skilled sailor and naval
officer in service of the Portuguese
Crown in Asia. King Manuel
refused to support Magellan’s plan
to reach the Maluku Islands (the
“Spice Islands”) by sailing
westwards around the American
continent. Magellan left Portugal
and proposed the same expedition
to King Charles I of Spain, who
accepted it.
Lapu-Lapu, whose name was first
recorded as Çilapulapu, was a datu (chief)
of Mactan in the Visayas in the Philippines1.
He is widely known for the Battle of
Mactan. On April 26, 1521, he and his men
defeated the Spanish forces, led by
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan
and his native allies Rajah Humabon and
Datu Zula1. His victory in this battle is
widely celebrated, and he is considered the first Filipino hero for his
resistance to imperial Spanish colonization2. Monuments of Lapulapu
have been built all over the Philippines to honor his bravery against the
Spaniards.

Miguel López de Legazpi, also known as

El Adelantado and El Viejo, was a Spanish
conquistador who established the first
Spanish settlement in the East Indies and
became the first Governor-General of the
Spanish East Indies. He led an expedition to
conquer the Philippine islands in the mid-
16th century. His administration was based in New Spain for the Spanish
crown and also encompassed other Pacific islands, namely Guam, the
Mariana Islands, Palau, and the Carolinas. After obtaining peace with
various indigenous tribes and kingdoms, he made Cebu City the capital
of the Spanish East Indies in 1565 and later transferred to Manila in
1571. He worked to convert the natives to Catholicism. His legacy
includes laying the foundation for Spain’s dominion over the Philippines
that lasted until the Spanish-American War of 1898.

Ruy López de Villalobos was a

Spanish explorer who led an
expedition to the Philippines in
15431. He was born around 1500 in
Málaga, Spain. His expedition was an
attempt to colonize the Philippines and
establish Spanish control there under
the terms of the treaties of Tordesillas
and Zaragoza1. However, due to poor
knowledge of the Pacific’s winds and
currents, Villalobos was unable to feed
his men through barter, raiding, or
farming and request resupply from
1
Mexico . As a result, he abandoned his mission and fled to the
Portuguese-held Moluccas, where he died in prison.
Villalobos is chiefly remembered for some sources crediting him with
naming Leyte the “Philippine Island” in honor of the Spanish crown
prince Philip (later King Philip II). The name was later extended across
the entire Philippine Archipelago and its nation. Other sources credit the
name to one of his captains, Bernardo de la Torre.

Father Pedro de
Valderrama was
the only priest in
Ferdinand
Magellan’s
expedition. He
celebrated the first
documented
Catholic Mass in
the Philippines on
March 31, 1521,
Easter Sunday. This historic event took place along the shores of what
was referred to in the journals of Antonio Pigafetta as “Mazaua”, which
is widely believed by many historians and the government today to be
Limasawa off the tip of Southern Leyte. Father Pedro de Valderrama
also performed the first baptism in the Philippines in Sugbu (Cebu).

Ladino, in the Spanish colonial

period in the Philippines, Ladinos
were indigenous Filipinos who had
learned Spanish. They were
employed by the Spaniards as
translators of the teachings of priests
and friars. They played a significant
role in the propagation of Philippine
literature during the Spanish era by
translating Spanish works into
Filipino languages and vice versa.
Anthropologist and historian Zeus
Salazar defines the elite as an
acculturated group of people whose
origins in the country can be traced
back to the ‘ladino,’ the Filipino
version of 'Westernized Spanish-
speaking Latin Americans’ The
ladinos translated the message of the Spanish missionaries into
Philippine languages and vice versa, to facilitate colonialism 2. In short,
the ladino was instrumental in getting themselves and their fellow
Filipinos colonized by Spain.
Later on, in the context of Spanish colonialism, ladinos became
“escribanos” (clerks, secretaries, etc.), “abogadillos/apoderadillos”
(lawyers) and government workers, serving the interests of
colonialism2. Others joined religious organizations as secular/diocesan
priests (there was prejudice against Filipinos in the friar orders),
“donados” (lay brother), sacristan (altar boy), etc.

LITERATURES IN SPANISH PERIOD

“Noli Me Tángere”, which translates to “Touch Me Not” in Latin, is
a novel written by Filipino writer José Rizal. The novel tells the story of
Don Crisóstomo Ibarra, a young man of Filipino and Spanish descent
who returns to the Philippines after a seven-year trip to Europe.
Upon his return, Ibarra sees the oppression wrought on the Indigenous
population by Spanish colonialism. As Ibarra attempts to do something
about this, he finds himself confronting forces that view him as a direct
threat to their power—and who will do whatever it takes to retain it.
The novel begins at a dinner party hosted by Captain Don Santiago
(Tiago), a wealthy resident of Manila. Guests assembled at the party
include other members of the upper class as well as friars of both the
Dominican and Franciscan orders. During dinner, Don Crisóstomo
Ibarra arrives—the party being his first stop post-returning from
Europe. He is there to visit his fiancée María-Clara, Santiago’s
daughter2. However, the celebratory atmosphere soon turns tense as one
of the friars, Father Dámaso, becomes angry at Ibarra’s arrival.
After the party, Ibarra learns that his father, Don Rafael, died while in
prison and Father Dámaso had his corpse exhumed and removed from
the Christian cemetery (i.e., dumped into a river).
Choosing not to seek revenge, Ibarra carries on his father’s work by
constructing a school with the help of Nol Juan. Just as the school is
about to be inaugurated, Elias saves Ibarra from an assassination
attempt, resulting in the death of the assassin, who was hired by a secret
enemy.
When Father Damaso once
again insults Ibarra, it is the
belittling of his father that
pushes Ibarra to attempt to stab
the priest, but he is stopped by
Maria Clara. As a consequence,
the Archbishop
excommunicates Ibarra from
the Catholic Church.

“El Filibusterismo”, also known as “The Reign of Greed”, is the

second novel written by Dr. José Rizal, the national hero of the
Philippines. This novel is a sequel to his first novel, “Noli Me Tángere”
and addresses topics of great importance to the Filipino Propaganda
Movement, such as clerical abuses, racism against the Philippine people,
and the need for political r eform.
The story begins thirteen years after the deaths of Sisa and Elias. The
protagonist from the first novel, Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra, returns to the
Philippines in the guise of Simoun, a suspected American jeweler who is
close to the Captain-General, the Spanish governor of the colonial
Philippines.
Simoun tries to persuade Basilio to join his quest for revenge against the
Spanish Government. However, Basilio refuses as he wants to finish his
studies2. Meanwhile, Filipino students submit a petition to establish a
Spanish Language Academy which gets rejected.
Simoun continues plotting his revenge against the government 2. To
advance his plans, he arranges a marriage and tries to create chaos in a
forced opening of a convent to abduct Maria Clara. However, Maria
Clara passes away that same evening.
The students hold a gathering expressing their disappointment over the
failed establishment of the Spanish Language Academy. The next day,
posters containing criticism and calls for rebellion are found on the
university’s doors, and the students’
organization members are
blamed. The students are arrested,
and Basilio is among those
apprehended.
This deeply affects Juli, Basilio’s
lover. Although hesitant, Juli
eventually seeks help from Padre
Camorra to free Basilio. Traumatized
by an incident with Padre Camorra,
she jumps from the convent window,
leading to her death.
Simoun continues plotting his
revenge against the government. To
advance his plans, he partners with
Don Timoteo Pelaez and arranges
Juanito’s marriage to Paulita Gomez.

“My Last Farewell” is a 14-verse valedictory poem written by

Dr. José Rizal shortly before his execution. The poem, which was one of
the last notes he wrote before his death, is a testament of his love for his
homeland, the pre-Hispanic Philippines, for which he was giving his
life. He used the poem to say goodbye to his friends, family, and loved
ones.
Rizal expresses his wish to die for his motherland and bids farewell to
his loved ones, his homeland, and all the
people he cared for. He hopes that
today’s youth will continue what he had
just begun for the freedom for which he
had fought and he is also grateful to
those Filipinos who had just dedicated
their lives for their motherland’s
affection.
The wisdom and insight of Rizal upon
writing his last poem “Mi Ultimo Adios”
is mirrored in the present on many
edges. His love for the nation and many
activists is still formed today to fight for
the country, to have freedom of speech
and criticism. The poem contains lines
that enlightened and ignited the flame of millions of people’s hearts.

“Florante at Laura” is a
classic Filipino poem written by
Francisco Balagtas in the early
19th century. It’s an epic poem
consisting of 8,000 lines and
divided into eighteen cantos. The
story begins in a dark, gloomy
forest in the outskirts of the
kingdom of Albania, near the
Kosito River whose water is
poisonous. There, Florante, who
is tied to a big higera tree,
despairs over his unfortunate life.
Florante is the son of a princess
and a royal adviser. He was
almost captured by a vulture
when he was a baby but was
saved by his cousin Menalipo. At 11 years old, Florante’s parents sent
him to Athens, Greece, to study under Antenor. There, he meets Adolfo,
the brightest student in their school. After six years of studying
Astrology, Philosophy and Mathema tics, Florante surpassed Adolfo’s
capabilities, talents, and intelligence.
Upon returning to Albania with his friend Menandro, Florante falls in
love with Laura, the daughter of King Linceo. However, his happiness is
short-lived as Adolfo conspires against him. Adolfo takes over the
throne of Albania and captures Laura. Meanwhile, Florante is tied up in
the forest where the story began.
In the forest, Florante is found by Aladin, a Muslim warrior who had
been banished by his father Sultan Ali-Adab. Aladin rescues Florante
from two lions. Afterward, they share their respective life stories and
misfortunes.
While they are talking, they hear voices and find Laura and Flerida
(Aladin’s beloved) who have escaped from Adolfo. In the end, Florante
and Laura return to rule Albania while Aladin and Flerida rule Persia.

The “Doctrina Christiana” were two early books on the

catechism of the Catholic Church,
Philippines. These are two of the
Philippines. The books were
Juan de Plasencia.
The “Doctrina Christiana en letra
Sangley Chinese printer Keng
lengua española y tagala” was
and Classical Tagalog with Latin
The primary goal of these books
across the Philippine
important tool for Spanish
convert the indigenous population
both published in 1593 in Manila,
earliest printed books in the
written by Fray Juan Cobo and Fray
y lengua china” was printed by the
Yong1. The “Doctrina Christiana en
written in Early Modern Spanish
and Baybayin script.
was to propagate Christian teaching
archipelago. They served as an
missionaries in their efforts to
to Christianity.
PRACTICES DURING SPANISH PERIOD

Catholicism: The
Spanish introduced
Catholicism and
established a Walled
City in Manila. Most
Filipinos had little
contact with the
Spanish other than
through the
church. Their
acceptance of
Christianity acted
both to pacify the population and bond them with the Spaniards. Prior to
the arrival of Catholic missionaries and explorers from Spain, Islam had
been introduced in the Philippines in the late 14th century through trade
with merchants from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East. It was
only later in the 16th century that the voyages of Portuguese explorer
Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) first brought Catholicism to the
archipelago. The indigenous Filipinos had religions of their own long
before the arrival of the Spanish. After nearly four-hundred years of
Spanish contact in the Philippines, the Filipinos appeared to have
adopted Catholicism from the Spanish. This was a significant practice as
it shaped Filipino identity and culture for centuries to come.

Colonization and
Trade: The Spanish
initially viewed the
Philippines as a stepping-
stone to the riches of the
East Indies (Spice
Islands). Even after the
Portuguese and Dutch had
foreclosed that possibility,
the Spanish still maintained their presence in the archipelago. The
primary purpose of t he Philippines was to trade New World silver for
Chinese silk. This was a significant practice as it established the
Philippines as a key player in international trade during that period.
PROPAGANDA 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.

The Propaganda Movement was a significant period in the history

of the Philippines. It was a reform and national consciousness movement
that arose among young Filipino expatriates in the late 19th century. The
movement was active approximately from 1880 to 1898, and especially
between 1880 and 1895, before the Philippine Revolution began.
Key figures of this movement included José Rizal, Graciano Lopez
Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Marcelo H. del Pilar. They advocated for
various reforms such as the secularization of the clergy, representation of
the Philippines in the Cortes Generales of Spain, the granting of Spanish
citizenship to Filipinos, recognition of the Philippines as a province of
Spain, the guarantee of basic freedoms, and equal opportunities for
Filipinos in government service.
One of the most prominent members, José Rizal, wrote two political
novels—Noli me tangere (1887; Touch Me Not) and El
filibusterismo (1891; The Reign of Greed)—which had a wide impact
in the Philippines. These works and others contributed to a growing
sense of Filipino identity and nationalism.
However, despite expressing loyalty to the Spanish colonial government,
Spanish authorities harshly repressed the movement and executed its
most prominent member, José Rizal. The calls for reform were not
heeded by the Spanish colonial
government, which eventually
gave rise to a revolutio n that
sparked in 1896.
“Ilustrado” is a term that
was used during the Spanish
colonial period in the Philippines. It refers to the Filipino educated class
in the late 19th century. The term simply means “erudite”, “learned”, or
enlightened ones. In New Spain, where Philippines is also a part of,
there is the term called gente de razón (people of reason or rational
people) that bear the same meaning.These were middle men who were
educated in Spain and were exposed to the ideals of Spanish liberty and
European nationalism. The class was composed of native-born
intellectuals and cut across ethnolinguistic and racial lines, namely
Indios, Insulares, and Mestizos. They aimed for reform via a more
equitable arrangement of both political and economic power under the
tutelage for Spain.According to Stanley Karnow in his book “In Our
Image: America’s Empire in the Philippines,” the class was identified as
the “rich Intelligentsia” or rich educated people, since many were
offspring of wealthy landowners.
Some of the known Ilustrados include Marcelo H. del Pilar (1850–
1896), Félix Resurrección Hidalgo (1855–1913), Graciano López Jaena
(1856–1896), Antonio Luna (1866–1899), Juan Luna (1857–1899), and
José Rizal (1861–1896).

La Solidaridad, (Spanish: “The

Solidarity”) newspaper, based
in Barcelona and later Madrid, that
espoused the relatively liberal views of
the Filipino Propaga nda Movement,
which sought reform in the Spanish
colony of the Philippines. The group was
made up of a coalition of Filipino exiles
and university students who
had matriculated at European universities.
The first issue of the biweekly newspaper
was published in 1889 and La
Solidaridad remained a major public arm
of the movement until its final issue in
1895. The paper sought to put political pressure on the Spanish
government, and, though not initially revolutionary, it helped spawn a
united front for Filipino independence.