21ST Century

Literature from
the Philippines
and World
Diane Joyce M. Lorayna
Subject Teacher
( )
 Philippine literature in English came to a halt. Except for
the TRIBUNE and the PHILIPPINE REVIEW, almost all
newspapers in English were stopped by the Japanese.
 This had an advantageous effect on Filipino Literature, which
experienced renewed attention because writers in English turned to
writing in Filipino.
 The weekly LIWAYWAY was placed under strict surveillance
until it was managed by Japanese named Ishiwara.
 The Japanese language, Nippongo was introduced but not well-
embraced by the Filipinos despite it is being forcefully taught by
the Japanese.
 Many Filipino writers wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. in
the Tagalog and other vernacular language. Topics and themes
were often about life in the provinces to escape Japanese control
and censorship.
Filipino
Poetry
 The common theme of most poems
during the Japanese occupation was
nationalism, country, love, and life in
the barrios, faith, religion and the
arts.
 HAIKU
A poem of free verse of Japanese origin.
It has 17 syllables divided into 3 lines.
The first has 5 syllables, second has 7, and the third has 5
syllables.
Haiku normally features allegorical meaning.
It is usually short but it covers a wide scope.
The favorite topics of haiku writers include nature, love,
patriotism, nationalism, friendship and the human emotions.
The first noted Filipino poet to write haiku was Gonzalo K. Flores, also
known as Severino Gerundio, an avant-garde poet during the Japanese
period. Here are some of his haiku, along with translations, published in
Liwayway, June 5, 1943.
 TANAGA / TANKA
The Tagalog tanaga, which dates back
to 1500, has been referred to as the
Philippine equivalent of the Japanese
haiku.

Tanaga is a poem composed of 4 lines

with each line having 7 syllables,
written in aaaa or aabb, abba, or abab
rhyming pattern.
Tanaga have no titles.
Ildefonso Santiago Santos (1897–1984) was a Filipino educator, poet,
and linguist. Recognized as one of the finest poets in Tagalog, Santos was
renowned for his use of the ancient Filipino form of poetry, the Tanaga.
Filipino
drama
The drama experienced a lull during the Japanese
period because movie houses showing American
films were closed. The big movie houses were just
made to show stage shows.

Many of the plays were reproductions of English

plays to Tagalog. The translators were Francisco
Soc Rodrigo, Alberto Concio, and Narciso Pimentel.
They also founded the organization of Filipino
players named Dramatic Philippines.
PANDAY PIRA SA PULA, SA BULAGA SINO BA KAYO?,
by Jose Ma. PUTI by by Clodualdo DAHIL SA ANAK, and
Hernandez Francisco Soc del Mundo HIGANTE NG PATAY
Rodrigo by Julian Cruz
Balmaceda
 Filipino
short story
● The field of the short story widened during the Japanese
Occupation. Many wrote short stories.
● The best writings in 1945 were selected by a group of judges
composed of Francisco Icasiano, Jose Esperanza Cruz, Antonio
Rosales, Clodualdo del Mundo and Teodoro Santos.

As a result of this selection, the following got the first three prizes:

First Prize: Narciso Reyes with his LUPANG TINUBUAN

Second Prize: Liwayway Arceo’s UHAW ANG TIGANG NA LUPA
Third Prize: NVM Gonzales’ LUNSOD NAYON AT DAGAT-DAGATAN
 PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE IN
ENGLISH
  Because of the strict prohibitions
imposed by the Japanese in the writing and publishing of works
in English, Philippine literature in English experienced a dark
period. The few who dared to write did so for their bread and
butter or for propaganda.
 Writings that came out during this period were journalistic in
nature.
Writers felt suppressed but slowly, the spirit of nationalism
started to seep into their consciousness. While some continued
to write, the majority waited for a better climate to
publish their works.
Carlos P. Romulo who won the
Pulitzer Prize for his bestsellers I
SAW THE FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES,
I SEE THE PHILIPPINES RISE and his
MOTHER AMERICA AND MY
BROTHER AMERICANS.
THE REBIRTH
OF FREEDOM
( )
 Americans came On July 4, 1946, the
back to the Philippines Philippines regained
in 1945, and there was is freedom and the
a lot of Filipino flag waved
palpable rejoicing joyously alone. The
among Filipinos chains were broken.
‚The early post-liberation period was marked by
a kind of ‘struggle of mind and spirit’ posed by
the sudden emancipation from the enemy and
the wild desire to see print.
Filipinos had, by this time, learned to express
themselves more confidently, but post-war
problems beyond language and print-like
economic stability, the threat of new ideas, and
mortality had to be grappled with side by side.‛
(Kahayon and Zulueta)
 NEWSPAPERS
(1) Free Press
(2) Morning Sun of Sergio Osmeña, Sr.
(3) Daily News of Manuel Roxas
(4) Manila Times and Daily Mirror of Joaquin Roces
(5) Evening News of Ramon Roces
(6) The Philippines Herald of Andres Soriano, Sr.
(7) Chronicle of the Lopezes
(8) Bulletin of Menzi
The Commonwealth Literary Awards gave prizes to
meritorious writers. Those who won were:

1. LIKE THE MOLAVE –by Rafael Zulueta da Costa (Poetry)

2. HOW MY BROTHER LEON BROUGTH HOME A WIFE –by
Manuel E. Arguilla (Short Story)
3. LITERATURE AND SOCIETY –by Salvador P. Lopez
(Essay)
4. HIS NATIVE SOIL –by Juan Laya (Novel)
WRITERS AND THEIR BOOKS
(1) The Voice of the Veteran by Amante Bigornia,
Roman de la Cruz, Ramon de Jesus, and J. F.
Rodriguez
(2) Twilight in Tokyo, and Passion and Death of the
USAFFE by Leon Ma. Guerrero
(3) For Freedom and Democracy by S. P. Lopez
(4) Betrayal in the Philippines by Hernando Abaya
(5) Seven Hills Away by NVM Gonzales
 Poets and their poems
(1)Have Come, Am Here by Jose Garcia Villa
(2)Prose and Poems by Nick Joaquin
(3)Who Spoke of Courage in His Sleep by NVM
Gonzales
(4)Speak Not, Speak Also by Conrado V.
Pedroche
(5)Philippine Harvest by Amador Daguio
 NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES IN ENGLISH

(1) Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana

(2)Pen Anthology of Short Stories (1958) by
Francisco Arcellana
(3)The Hand of the Enemy (1961) by Kerima
Polotan
(4)The Adversary (1968) and The Trail of
Professor Riego (1969) by Luis V. Teodoro, Jr.
 PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN TAGALOG
(1) Mga Piling Katha (1947-48) by Alejandro Abadilla
(2) Sining at Pamamaraan ng Pagaara lng Panitikan
(1965) by Rufino Alejandro
(3) Manlilikha, Mga Piling Tula (1961-67) by Rogelio G.
Mangahas
(4) Manunulat: Mga Piling Akdang Pilipino (1970) by
Efren Abueg
(5) EMga Aklatni Rizal (Many books about Rizal were
written by Filipino authors during this period.)
PALANCA AWARDEES
FOR
LITERATURE
 Another inspiration for writers in Filipino was the launching of the
Palanca Memorial Awards for literature headed by Carlos
Palanca Sr. in 1950. The awards were given to writers of short
stories, plays and poetry.
The first awardees in its first year, (1950-51) short story were the
following:
First Prize: KUWENTO NI MABUTI by Genoveva Edroza
Second Prize: MABANGIS NA KAMAY…MAAMONG KAMAY by
Pedro S. Dandan
Third Prize: PLANETA, BUWAN AT MGA BITUIN by Elpidio P.
Kapulong
Nicomedes "Nick" Marquez Joaquin
was a Filipino writer and journalist best
known for his short stories and novels in
the English language. He wrote using the
pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin
was conferred the rank and title of
National Artist of the Philippines for
Literature. Among his voluminous works
are The Woman Who Had Two Navels, A
Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, Manila,
My Manila: A History for the Young, The
Ballad of the Five Battles, Rizal in Saga,
Almanac for Manileños, Cave and
Shadows.
José García Villa was a Filipino poet,
literary critic, short story writer, and
painter. He was awarded the National
Artist of the Philippines title for literature
in 1973, as well as the Guggenheim
Fellowship in creative writing by Conrad
Aiken. He earned the international title,
“Poet of the Century.” Villa's works have
been collected into the following books:
Footnote to Youth, Many Voices, Poems
by Doveglion, Poems 55, Poems in
Praise of Love:
Néstor Vicente Madali González
was a Filipino novelist, short story
writer, essayist and, poet. Conferred as
the National Artist of the Philippines
for Literature in 1997. Gonzalez's
published novels are the Winds of
April, A Season of Grace, and The
Bamboo Dancers. His published short
story collections are Seven Hills Away,
Children of the Ash Covered Loam and
Other Stories, Look Stranger, On This
Island Now, Selected Stories and
Mindoro and Beyond.
Bienvenido Nuqui Santos was a
Filipino - American fiction, poetry and
nonfiction writer. He wrote the short
stories “The Scent of Apples" and "A
Praying Man", Santos authored the story
collections "You Lovely People" and "The
Day the Dancers Came". His novels
include "Villa Magdelena", "The Man
Who (Thought He) Looked Like Robert
Taylor", and "What the Hell For You Left
Your Heart in San Francisco".
Gilda Cordero-Fernando was a
Filipino writer, publisher, visual artist,
fashion designer, theater producer,
and social activist known for writing
and publishing numerous works
exploring Filipino culture. Gilda
became a famous short-story writer
whose stories were collected into a
book, The Butcher, the Baker and
the Candlestick Maker (Cordero-
Fernando 1962).
Gregorio C. Brillantes, a Palanca
Award Hall of Famer and a multi-
awarded fiction writer, is one of the
Philippines' most popular writers in
English. Among his works are Faith,
Love, Time and Dr Lazaro (1960), The
Distance to Andromeda (1960), The
Years (1960), The Young Man (1960), A
Taste for the Fine Whiskey (1980), Help
(1980), The Apollo Centennial (1980),
The Cries of Children (1980)