Historical Background of Philippine

Literature

Contemporary Period
Lesson Objectives

 demonstrate understanding of Philippine Contemporary

literature;
 trace the events that happened during the history of
Philippine literature which led to the rise of
Contemporary Literature;
 identify the genres that flourished during the
Contemporary period of Literature;
 gauge the amount of impact Contemporary literature had in
Philippine literature;
Lesson Objectives

 identify the contemporary literature that flourished

during the period;
 analyze the meaning of representative contemporary
Philippine Literature;
 share your thoughts and ideas about the concepts and
literature discussed;
 determine the significance of contemporary literature to
the growth of Philippine literature and culture.
• After the periods following the colonization of the
Spaniards, Americans and Japanese in the Philippines, the
Filipino writer continued to produce literature that
reflect various themes, perspectives, forms, structures
and approaches.
• The contemporary period of Philippine Literature came
about which gave rise to many Filipino authors from
various corners of the country to express themselves every
way possible.
 What are your expectations about
contemporary literature, especially in
the Philippines?
 Background

 The flowering of Philippine literature in the various

languages continue especially with the appearance of new
publications after the Martial Law years and the
resurgence of committed literature in the 1960s and the
1970s.
 Filipino writers continue to write poetry, short stories,
novellas, novels and essays whether these are socially
committed, gender/ethnic related or are personal in
intention or not.
 
 Background

• History took another twist; once more, the Filipino people

regained their independence which they lost twenty years
ago.
• In the span of four days form February 21-25, 1986, the
so-called People Power (Lakas ng Bayan) prevailed.
• Together, the people barricaded the streets petitioning
the government for changes and reforms.
• Freedom became a reality –won through a peaceful,
bloodless and God-blessed revolution.
 Background

• Philippine society was in turmoil for a few weeks but the

rejoicing after the Pres.
• Marcos was toppled down from power was sheer euphoria.
• Singing, dancing and shouting were the order of the day.
 Background

• The events created overnight heroes.

• In this historical event, the role played by two big
figures in history cannot be doubted.
• To Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrileand Armed Forces
Chief of Staff Fidel V. Ramos, as well as to the cause of
freedom do the Filipinos owe their gratitude for the
blessing of Independence.
• To the Filipino people, this is the true Philippine
Republic, the true Republic of the Philippines.
 Background

• Of course, the Filipino writer has become more conscious

of his art with the proliferation of writers’ workshops
here and abroad and the bulk of literature available to
him via the mass media including the internet.
 Background

• The various literary awards such as the Don Carlos Palanca

Memorial Awards for Literature, the Philippines Free
Press, Philippine Graphic, Home Life and Panorama literary
awards encourage him to compete with his peers and hope
that his creative efforts will be rewarded in the long
run.
 Background

• With the new requirement by the Commission on Higher

Education of teaching of Philippine Literature in all
tertiary schools in the country emphasizing the teaching
of the vernacular literature or literatures of the
regions, the audience for Filipino writers is virtually
assured.
• And, perhaps, a national literature finding its niche
among the literatures of the world will not be far behind.
Brief History

• 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.
Brief History

• The Philippines was 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.
Brief History

• A rich culture of folk narratives and traditions served as

the foundation of Filipino literature prior to the Spanish
invasion in 1521.
• With the Spanish invasion, these native literary
traditions were undermined and replaced with Spanish
language traditions.
• One of the most heralded Filipino writers, Jose Rizal,
wrote all his works in Spanish when he called for a
revolution against Spanish occupation.
Brief History

• With the invasion of the United States in 1898, the

language for literary works turned to English, and new
literary forms were introduced, including the short story,
essay and free-verse poem.
• Many Filipino writers during this period attended American
and British schools and brought Western literary
traditions back to the Philippines.
• English was suppressed during the Japanese occupation in
1941 and replaced with Japanese literary traditions until
1946, when the Philippines became independent.
Brief History

• The contemporary movement toward the use of native

languages in Filipino literature was slow to begin due to
the oppressive martial-law dictatorship of Ferdinand
Marcos from 1972 to 1986.
• However, following the end of the dictatorship, the
Philippines undertook an effort to resurface their native
language literary history, and the Philippine Commission
on Higher Education made it obligatory to teach Philippine
literature to students.
Characteristics of the beginning
of Contemporary Period

1.Martial Law curtailed and repressed human rights,

including the freedom of the press.
2.Writers used symbolisms and allegories to drive home their
message, at the face of heavy censorship.
3.Theatre was used as a vehicle for protest such as PETA
(Philippine Educational Theatre Association) and UP
Theatre.
Characteristics of the beginning
of Contemporary Period

4. From 80’s onwards, writers continue to show dynamism and

innovation.
5.Filipino writers became more conscious of their art with
the proliferation of writers’ workshops here and abroad.
 Characteristics of
Contemporary Literature

 Contemporary literature reflects current trends in life and

culture, these things change often, contemporary literature
changes as well. It reflects the author’s perspective and can
come across as cynical. It questions facts, historical
perspectives and presents two contradictory arguments side by
side.

 Contemporary literature features a somewhat modern narrative,

but it also contains a harsher reality.
 Characteristics of
Contemporary Literature

 A new reality blossomed in the post-war mind, and it included a

personal cynicism, disillusionment, and frustration that is
common to this literary period.
 Typical characteristics of the contemporary period include reality-
based stories with strong characters and a believable story.

 Settings usually keep to the current or modern era, so futuristic

and science fiction novels are rarely included in this category.

 Well-defined, realistic, and highly developed characters are

important in classifying a written work as contemporary, and most
writing in this category features stories that are more character
driven than plot driven.
 Characteristics of
Contemporary Literature

 English and Filipino continue to be the major media of

literature.

 Literature as a venue for socio-politico-economic-religious

discussions and a vehicle for personal thoughts and feelings has
become more marked.

 Literary themes cover a wide range of subjects most outstanding

among which are existentialism and the search for identity in
varying levels and settings, deception and violence.
 Characteristics of
Contemporary Literature

 The Anglo-American tradition, which includes the free verse and

the blank verse, gained acceptance among writers.

 The Euro-Hispanic tradition was blended with the tradition of

propaganda and revolutionary literature to become a truly
Filipino tradition.

 The ‘60s and the ‘70s saw the resurgence of cause-oriented

literature. This militancy, although markedly toned down, has
continued to the present.
 Characteristics of
Contemporary Literature

 Further development of regional literatures has been given a

stronger impetus through the inclusion of regional literary
masterpieces in the college curriculum.

 Filipino writers have become more conscious of their craft as

shown by the regular conduct of writing workshops (Godinez-
Ortega 6).

 Feminists writing emerged stronger after the 1990’s.

 Post- EDSA

 The year 1986 demarcates the beginning of new scene in the

unfolding narrative of contemporary Philippine Literature.

 It saw the fall of the dictatorship that President Marcos set

up on September 21, 1972, when he placed the Philippines under
martial rule, initiating a regime that did not only suppress
the writers’ right to free expression but also created
conditions that made collaboration and cooptation convenient
choices for artists struggling for recognition and survival.
 Post- EDSA

• Writing under the Martial Law Regime was characterized by

militancy and belligerence, even when it showed up in the legal
press.
• Especially after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the
temper of poetry and theatre derived much of its heat and
direction from the political culture of the underground national
democratic movement. 1986 EDSA Revolution.
 Post- EDSA

• However, when the enemies were overthrown in 1986, the literary

activity showed a certain disorientation manifesting itself in a
proliferation of concerns taken up by individual writers and
groups.
 Post- EDSA

Creative Writing centers

 Academic institutions where Creative Writing is a part of

the curricular offerings.

 Writers’ organizations that periodically sponsor symposia

on writer and/or set up workshops for its members and other
interested parties.

 Through these centers that writers get to hear about new

developments in writing and derive enthusiasm for their
crafts. 1986 EDSA Revolution.
 Post- EDSA

Writers’ Organizations
 UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipino)
 PANULAT (Pambansang Unyon ng mga Manunulat)
 Panday Lipi
 GAT (Galian sa Arte)
 Katha
 LIRA (Linangan sa Imahe, Retorika at Anyo)
 GUMIL (Gunglo Dagiti Manunurat nga Ilokano)
 LUDABI (Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya)
 PEN ( Pen, Essay and Novel)
 Post- EDSA

• La Tondeña, sponsors of the venerable Carlos Palanca

Memorial Awards in Literature, has made the name “Palanca”
a synonym for quality literary works in both English and
Filipino.
 Post- EDSA

• The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) was
created by law in 1992.
• It has a Committee on Literary Arts which funds
workshops, conferences, publications and a variety of
projects geared towards the production of a “national
literature”.
• The committee has the aim of developing writing that is
multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and truly national.
 Post- EDSA

• Non-governmental organizations have helped hand in hand

with some institutions in giving recognition to writers
from specific sectors in the society.
• These NGO’s includes the Amado V. Hernandez Foundation; the
GAPAS foundation, and the KAIBIGAN.
 Post- EDSA

• Campus publications are another group of outlets that is of

importance as a source of non-traditional, experimental
writing.
• These campus publications could either be a weekly student
newspapers, quarterly magazines, or annual literary
journals.
•  
 Post-EDSA

• Overall, the character of the Philippine literary scene

after “EDSA” maybe pinpointed be referring to the theories
that inform literary production, to the products issuing
from the publishers to the dominant concerns demonstrated
by the writers’ output, and to the direction towards which
literary studies are tending.
•  
Characteristics of Post
EDSA Literature

1.There is in the academe an emerging critical orientation

that draws its concerns and insights from literary
theorizing current in England and the United States

2.Post-EDSA publishing has been marked by adventurousness, a

willingness to gamble on “non-traditional” projects.
Characteristics of Post
EDSA Literature

3. The declining prestige of the New Criticism, whose rigorous

aesthetic norms has previously functioned as a Procrustean
bed on which Filipino authors and their works were
measured, has opened a gap in the critical evaluation of
literary works.

4.The fourth and final characteristic of post-EDSA writing is

the development thrust towards the retrieval and the
recuperation of writing in Philippine languages other than
Tagalog.
Task time!

Big Question: Given everything that took place after the

Period of the Third Republic, what leap has Philippine
Literature taken as far as the Contemporary Period is
concerned? What do you think are the benefit/s and downside/s
of this?
Criteria Points

Content:
The paper exhibits grasp of the concepts pertinent to the topic of concern. Information is 3
complete and well supported by details, significantly increasing knowledge of the topic.

Organization:
Details are organized and presented very effectively and highly keeps the interest of the 3
reader.
Coherence/Cohesion:
The writing flows very smoothly and comprehensively from one idea to another through 3
correct use of transitions.

Language Use:
There is clear use of a personal and unique style of writing suited to audience and 3
purpose in the entire write up; the paper holds the reader’s interest with ease.

Grammar & Mechanics:

3
No error in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation is evident.
 Task time!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
1. Answer in 2 paragraphs ONLY.
2. Cite sources (if there’s any).
3. Follow the given format.
4. Use the file name WT2_Last name (WT1_Manalo)
5. Drop your submission in the Google drive.
6. Submission deadline: May 10, 2021, until 4:30 PM.
Prepare for a quiz next week
Coverage : Lecture 9 & 10