LESSON 9: PERIOD OF ACTIVISM

(1970- 1972)
ENGLISH 5
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
 According to Ponciano Pineda, youth activitivism in
1970-72 was due to domestic and worldwide
causes.
 Activism is connected with the history of our Filipino
youth.
 Because of the ills of society, the youth moved to
seek reforms. Some continued to believe that the
democratic government is stable and that it is only
the people running the government who are at fault.
 Some believed that socialism or communism should
replace democracy. Some armed groups were
formed to bring down the democratic form of
government.
 Many young people became activists to ask for
changes in the government. In the expression of this
desire for change, keen were the writings of some
youth who were fired with nationalism in order to
emphasize the importance of their petitions.
 Many young activists were imprisoned in military
camps together with rebel writers. As early a this
period of history we can say that many of those
writers who were imprisoned were true nationalists
and heroes of their time.
A. THE SEEDS OF ACTIVISM
 The seeds of activism resulted in the declaration of
Martial Law in 1972.
 It was said that the seed were earlier sown from the
times of Lapu-lapu, Lakandula, and Rizal. The
revolution against the powerful forces in the
Philippines can be said to be the monopoly of the
youth being the hope of the Fatherland- is still valid
even today.
B. PERIOD OF THE BLOODY PLACARDS
 Pineda also said that this was the time when the
youth once more proved that it is not the constant
evasion that shape our race and nationalism.
 There is a limit to one’s patience.
 It may explode like a volcano if overstrained.
 Life? What avails life if one is a coward who does
not take a stand for himself and for the succeeding
generations?
C. THE LITERARY REVOLUTION
 The youth became completely rebellious during this
period. This was proven not only in the bloody
demonstrations and in the sidewalk expressions but
also in literature.
 Campus newspapers showed rebellious emotions.
The one aristocratic writers developed an
awareness for society. They held pens and wrote on
placards in red paint the equivalent of MAKIBAKA
(To dare!).
 They attacked the ills of society and politics. Any
establishment became the symbol of the ills that had
to be changed.
 The frustration of youth could be felt in churches and
schools. Even the priests, teachers and parents, as
authorities who should be respected became targets
of the radical youths and were thought of as
hindrances to the changes they sought.
 The literature of the activists reached a point where
they stated boldly what should be done to effect
these changes.
 Some of those who rallied to this revolutionary form
of literature were Rolando Tinio, Rogelio Mangahas,
Efren Abueg, Rio Alma, and Clemente Baustista.
WRITINGS DURING THEOF ACTIVISM
An example:
“Marahil dahop ang dila ko upang isaulo’t
ipaliwanag
Ang panaginip at kamatayan ng sanglaksang anak-
pawis
Saksi ako sa palahaw ng ng mga dalagitang tila
kinakatay na baboy
habang ginagahasa ng mga hayok na pulitiko’t
negoyante
Sa sabuyan ng putik ng mga kongregistang
pangkuan,
 kapiling ang kani-kaniyang alipores at
Tagapayong Puti ay nag-uunahang ibenta ang
bayan
Ano ang silbi ng kabayanihan? Ng limos na laurel
at ginto?
Ipangangalan sa iyo’y isang kalyeng baku-bako o
kaya’y lumuting monumentong ihian ng mga
lasenggo?”
It
was also during this
period that Bomba films
that discredit our ways
as Filipinos started to
come out.
E. PALANCA AWARDEES FOR
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
 (Establihed in 1950, the Palanca Memorial Awards
for Literature had been giving cash prizes for short
story, poetry and one-act play writing as an incentive
to Filipino writers.
 The prize come from La Tondena, Inc. the firm
founded by the late Carlos Palanca Sr.
ENGLISH SHORT STORY
 1970-71
◦ First Prize- “The Ritual”- Cirilo F. Bautista
◦ Second Prize- “Beast in the Fields”- Resil Mojares
◦ Third Prize- “Children of the City”- Amadis Ma.Guerrero
ENGLISH POEMS
 1970-71
◦ 1st prize- “The Archipalago”- Cirilo F. Bautista
2nd prize- ”Five Poems”- Wilfredo Pacual Sanchez
3rd prize- “From Mactan to Mendiola”- Federico Licsi Espino Jr.
1971-72
1st prize- “ The Tomato Game”-NVM Gonzales
2nd prize- “The Apollo Centennial”- Gregorio C. Brilliantes
3rd prize- “After this, Our Exile”- Elsa Martinez Coscolluela
ENGLISH POEMS
 1971-72
◦ 1st Prize - “Batik Maker and Other Poems”- Virginia R.
Moreno
◦ 2nd Prize- “The Edge of the Wind”- Artemio Tadena
◦ 3rd Prize- “Tinikling” ( A Sheaf of poems)”- Federico Licsi
Espino Jr.
ENGLISH ONRE-ACT PLAY
 1970-71
◦ 1st prize- “The Grotesque Among Us”- Maiden Flores
◦ 2nd prize- “Age of Prometheus”- Jesus T. Peralta
◦ 3rd prize- “Operation Pacification”- Alfredo O. Cuenco, Jr.
 1971-72
◦ 1st prize- “Grave for Blue Flower”- Jesus t. Peralta
◦ 2nd Prize- “The Undiscovered Country”- Manuel M. Martell
◦ 3rd Prize- The judge recommend that inasmuch as the 3
third prize winners are especially deserving, the prize of
P1,000.00 be divided among these three:
“The Boxex”- Rolando S. Tinio
“Now Is The Time For All Good
Men To Come To The Aid of
Their Country”- Julian E.
Dacanay
“The Renegade”- Elsa Martinez
Cocolluela
F. WRITERS DURING THIS PERIOD
 JOSE F. LACABA- in his book DAYS OF DISQUIET,
NIGHTS OF RAGE; THE FIRST QUARTERS STORM
and RELATED EVENTS, wrote of the tragic and
tumultuous moments in our country’s history.
 Lacabra mentions that those students demonstrating at
that time knew and were aware that what they were
doing would be crucial to our country’s history.
 Student leaders thought up grandiose names for their
organizations and hence, the proliferation of acronyms
like SUCCOR, YDS, KTPD, SAGUPA,SMP, KKK, and
SDK.
 Politicians endorsed bills for those who interfered
with student demonstrators. Mayor Antonio Villegas
himself, on Feb 18, 1970, led demonstrators away
from angry policemen.
 Other politicians like Eva Estrada Kalaw, and
Salvador Laurel, Benigno Aquno Jr wrote about
condemnation of police brutalities.
OTHER WRITERS
 Nick Joaquin
 S.P. Lopez
 Gregorio Brillantes
 F.Sionil Jose
 Petronillo Daroy
 Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc
 Mauro Avelina
 Jose W. Diokno
Writers from other media…
 Journalists-
◦ Jose Burgos Jr.,
◦ Antonio Ma. Nieva
 Movie Director
◦ Lino Brocka
 Art Critic
◦ Leonidas Benesa
 Book Publisher
◦ Gloria Rodriguez
 Music Critic
◦ Anna Leah S. De Leon
 They came up with resolutions that pleaded for
causes other than their own- like the general
amnesty for political prisoners, and other secret
decrees restricting free expression.
 They requested editors and publishers to publish the
real names of writers in their columns. It called on
media to disseminate information on national
interest without partisan learnings and resolved to
be united with all causes decrying oppression and
repression.
NEXT
 Lesson 10- Period of the New Society (1972-1980)
 Lesson 11-Period of the Third Republic (1981-1985)
 Lesson 12- Periods 1986