-a condensed form of an original material.

-it is definitely shorten a long article but, with a condition of

not distorting the original point of view of the author.

1. Read the selection

2. Reread the selection
3. Write down the important details
4. Write what you remember with the guide of the key words you noted
5. Consider the principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis;
mechanics of writing and rules in grammar.

-it is Greek term which means “writing or speaking on this model”

-it is a restatement of the meaning of the original selection but the
number of words is not limited.

1. Read and reread the original selection.

2. Explain difficult terms clearly and simply in one’s own words without
resorting to synonyms.
3. Clarify the ideas of the author without coding one’s own.
4. Apply all the rules in writing and grammar.
-it reflects culture of the society.
-it is an act.
-it can be handed down for one generation to another by
spoken or written means.
-it requires:
1. Universal Value
2. Artistic Merit
3. Transcendental Importance
4. Immorality

-refers to the time, place and condition in which the story takes place.

-these are the persons, animals, or things moving around the plot of the story.
TWO MAIN TYPES OF CHARACTERS
 Protagonist- these refers to the main character of the story.
-he or she is the heroin of the story
 Antagonist- he or she is the villain in the story, who opposed the main
character in the story.

-refers to the struggle of complication involving the characters of the story.

FIVE TYPES OF CONFLICT
 Man vs. Man
 Man vs. Himself
 Man vs. Nature and Supernatural being
 Man vs. Society
 Man vs. Technology
 -this refers to the series of actions and events happened in the story.

1. Exposition- this is the part that sets the mood of the story where in
characters, settings and background are being introduced.
2. Rising Action- this is the part of the plot that marks the on-set of the major
conflict in the story.
3. Climax- this is the part that builds the highest tension and considered to
be the stored highest point of interest.
4. Falling Action- this marks the revelation and realization of the characters
leading to the resolution of the stories main conflict.
5. Denouement- this is the final resolution and outcome of the story.

-pertains to the voice used by the writer as a narrator of

the story and how it was seen or toned.

 OMINISCIENT- the author allows the inner thought and feelings of the main
characters to be represented in the text.
 FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW- the author is the observing and speaking in the
story, he can be one of the characters or the one portraying his own identity.
 THIRD PERSON OR LIMITED POINT OF VIEW- the author chooses a characters as
a narrator who will be central observer and will detect action inside the story.
 –this refers to the atmosphere and tone of the story.
-this pertains to the central ideas which conveys truths and
values according to the authors’ purpose and perspective on the humans
experienced.
–this are images and objects used in the story to stand for
something other than himself.

-it is literary type written in verses that make up a stanza.

-it consists of a language with a strong musical quality in which words
are highly charged with meaning.
-it contains measures, rhyming, or sound pattern and tone.

1. SENSE- it is revealed through words, images and symbols.

A. DICTION- this refers to the choice of words by the author to connect
with its readers.
B. IMAGES AND SENSE IMPRESSIONS- these refers to the sensory details
used to create sensory images which appeal to readers senses.

2. SOUND- it refers to the creative use of words by the poets to imitate

sounds.
A. RHYTHM- this is the order alternation of strong and weak elements in
the flow of sound and silence.
B. METER- this refers to the duration, stress or number of syllables per line.
C. RHYME SCHEME- this is the formal arrangement of rhymes in stanza of
the whole poem.
 3. STRUCTURE – it refers to the arrangement of words and lines to fit
together and the organization of the parts from the whole.
A. WORD ORDER- this is the natural arrangement of words in each verses.
B. PUNCTUATION- this is the use of punctuation marks to clearly indicate
emotions.
C. SHAPE- this refers to the poet’s choice of contextual and visual design,
omission of spaces, capitalization, and lower and upper cases.
D. TONE- it refers to the poet’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject,
toward the reader or toward himself.
E. VOICE- it refers to the speaking persons in poetry where specific
characters are not included as the speaker.

1. LYRIC POETRY- this s a kind of poetry which expresses emotions,

mood and reflection of the musical language of the poet.
 ODE- this is a majestic type of lyric poetry with expression of
enthusiasm and dignity to someone loved.
 ELEGY- this is a lyric poem with the subject matter of death.
 SONG- this is a short poem which is primarily intended to be sung.

2. NARRATIVE POETRY- this is a long descriptive poem that

narrates a story in a sequential order about life and events that may be real
or imaginary.
 EPIC- this is a long narrative poem that tells stories about life, quests
and adventures of a supernatural hero.
 BALLAD- this is a form of narrative poetry that is considered to be
simplest and shortest from.
 1. Jose Garcia Villa- Footnote to Youth (1973)
2. Amado H. Hernandez- Mga Ibong Mandaragit (1973)
3. Nick Joaquin- May Day Eve (1976)
4. Carlos P. Romulo- I am a Filipino (1982)
5. N.V.M Gonzales- The Bread of Salt (1990)
6. Francisco Arcellana- The Mats (1990)
7. Edith L. Tiempo- A Blade of Fern (1999)
8. F. Sionil Jose- Ermita (2001)
9. Alejando R. Roces- My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken
10. Virgilio S. Almario- Ibong Adarna (2003)
11. Bienvenido Lumbrera- Sulyap at Suri sa Nagbabagong Lipunan (2006)
12. Lazaro Francisco- Maganda pa ang Daigdig (2009)
13. Cirilio Bautista- The Archipelago (2014)

I. Title of the Story I. Title of the Song

II. Author of the Story II. Composer/ Singer
III. Characters and Characterization III. Lyrics of the Song
A. Protagonist IV. Paraphrase the Lyrics
B. Antagonist V. Discussion
IV. Settings Guide Questions:
A. Time 1. What is the theme of the story?
B. Place Explain.
C. Condition 2. What emotions did you feel
V. Conflict during and after listening to the
VI. Point of View song?
VII. Vocabulary 3. Why did you choose the song?
VIII. Plot 4. What is the message of the song?
IX. Theme 5. Describe the persona or voice in
X. Lesson of the Story the song.
XI. Reflection VI. Reflection

-this refers to any imaginative fact and idea of life. The characters and
settings are purely works of the author’s mind and may or may not happen
in real life. However, themes, and conflicts raised in some stories are similar
in real life context. These make the readers view and put themselves into
the shoe of the characters.
 -it is a type of fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often
humorously and light-heartedly. The genre became popular in the late 1990s. It
sometimes include romantic elements but is not generally considered a direct
subcategory of the romance novel, because the heroine’s relationship with her
family and friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships.

-it is a style of fictional literature of extreme brevity. There is no widely accepted

definition of the length of the category. Some self- described markets for flash fiction
impose caps as low as three hundred words, while others consider stories as long as
a thousand words to be flash fiction.

-it is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically
science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird fiction supernatural fiction, super hero fiction,
utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction and
alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion and visual arts.

-this is a lengthy narrative story separated into series of chapters. It possesses

complexity of plot and has the capacity to introduce numerous characters in
different parts of the story. It also contains more elaborate settings.

-this is a short narrative story which focuses on a single plot and characterized by its
 -used by the author to express extreme emotion and vivid feelings.

-this is a comparison of two unlike objects with the use of words “such as,” “like,”
“as like as,” “resemble,” and “similar to.”

-it addresses inanimate objects as real object

-the use of words to imitate sounds.

-the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the
opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

-the use of contradictory of words that appear on the sentence.

-it refers to a word or phrases substituted for another to which is definitely and
associated with the idea referred to.

-it is an expression that gives human qualities to objects, animas, and ideas.

-this is a direct comparison of two unlike objects without using words, “such as,”
“like,” “as like as,” “resemble,” and “similar to.”

-it is the use of part to represent the whole.

-these are the statements used to exaggerate events and ideas.

-it is the substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.
 -concise statement/ containing truth.

-this refers to the insertion of apparently irrelevant object early in a

selection to which the purpose is revealed later.

- literary device that creates open ending in the story by leaving the
conflict unresolved.

-it creates a sudden revelation or insight usually with a symbolic role in the
narrative.

-it is a general term for altering sequences of events in the story taking
characters back in the beginning of the story for instance.

-it is also called prolepsis. It is an interjected scene that temporarily jumps the
narrative forward.

-it pertains to hinting at events to occur later.

-it involves using two themes, characters, phrases, words, situations

together for comparison, context or rhetoric.

-it is posing a question without expecting something in reply to create

persuasive effects to readers.
 Drama is a story written which is intended to be performed and
presented on stage. It is an art of imitating human characters and
actions. The actors impersonate the characters in particular incident or
event in the story. Early drama was usually written in poetic form, while the
modern and contemporary drama is usually written in prose.

-this is a type of drama in which the main character is struggling against

dynamic forces. It shows downfall and destruction of the hero or noble who is
caught up in a sequence of events such as death and difficult circumstances
which inevitably results in disaster.

-this is a type of drama intended to capture the interest and entertain the audience
through injecting wit, humor and delicate ideas. The characters always find solutions to
conflicts and obstacles they encounter.

-this is a type of drama which does not adhere strictly to the structure of
tragedy. It blends both aspect of tragedy and comedy. The story suggests a
happy ending despite of the unfortunate events which happened in the plot.

- This is a type of drama with exaggerated characters and swift

movements. Its plot consist of humorous events and ridiculous situations.

-this is a type of drama which shows events that follow each other rapidly but seems
to be governed by chance, it possesses a sensational dramatic piece which appeals
strongly to the senses.
 -it refers to series and arrangement of events in a drama. It consists of five
parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement.

-they ae the actors who create the entire shape of the actions in the drama
through creating opportunities and conflicts in the story.

-it is the time, place and condition where story takes place. It also refers to the
physical arrangement of the stage to vivify stage directions.

-it pertains to the lines delivered by the actors and used to advance the action and
narrate the story.
A. ASIDE- this is a short speech delivered by the actor to the audience in
which the other characters do not hear.
B. SOLILOQUY- this is a short speech delivered by the actor by uttering his
inner thoughts to the audience in order to reveal personal feelings.

-it refers to the physical movements of the character on stage.

-it is used to add color and dramatic effect in the play.

-it is the central idea or message that explains what the play is all about.
 -it refers to anything beyond the specific words of a literary work that
may be relevant in understanding its meaning.

-it is also called AUTHORICAL CONTEXT. IT places a particular literary work within
the context of the author’s life. Consider the circumstances under which the
literary work was written. While exploring biographical context, useful sources
include biographies of the author, autobiographies, or memories by the author or
by the people who knew him or her and other critical works which give close
attention to the author’s life.

-this is a discourse that surrounds a language unit and helps determine

its interpretation.

-it is when literary works respond in some way to the society in which they
were written and most often that response takes the form of criticism. Socio-
cultural context is about how a particular literary works depicts a society.
These include works of history or sociology.
 Arabia is the homeland of Islam
 Islamic religion played a major role in the development of early Arabic Literature.
 Qu’ ran served as the biblical scripture of their country’s religion was regarded as the
finest piece of literary work written in their own language.
 The Arab World, having contact with Greek, Jewish, and Hindu civilizations, flowered
magnificently in science, art and literature.
 Arabian Literature is realistic in character. It produced one of the most famous
collections of tales in the world which is One Thousand and One nights or more
popularly known as The Arabian Nights.
 The Book of the Prayer of the Hours was the first Arabic book which was published in
Fano, Italy on 1514.
 Maqama is an Arabic Literature genre in which entertaining anecdotes, often about
rogues, mountebanks, and beggars, written in an elegant, rhymed prose (saj), are
presented in a dramatic or narrative context most suitable for the display of the
author’s eloquence, wit and, erudition.

Chinese Literature is comprised of four sections namely:

1. Masters of Literature
2. Popular Literary Classics
3. Textbook of Literature and Papers
4. Journals of Literature
 Chinese literary writers based their writing according to their culture, philosophy
and history. They consider literature as an important show window to exhibit their
country’s civilization and charm.
 CONFUCIUS or KUNG FU TZU- he was the founder of Chinese Literature, his
philosophical thinking influenced greatly the literature of China.
CONFUCIUS LEFT THE CHINESE WITH FIVE BOOKS NAMELY:
1. The Book of Changes (Yi King) - used for divination.
2. The Book of Ceremonies (Li King) – a work based on etiquette.
3. The Book of Historical Documents (Shu King) – formulation of the political ideas
and fundamentals of good government.
4. The Book of Poetry (Shi King) – selection of 305 best poems stressing the
cherishing of thoughts and sentiments of forebears.
5. The Book of Spring and Autumn (Ch’un Ch’iu) – it has philosophical content
and noteworthy of Confucius native province of Lu from 722 to 484 B.C.
 MENCIUS or MANG TZE – He was a follower of Confucius. He gathered the
discourses and sayings of Confucius as recorded by the disciples and organized
them into books; the best known of his work was “The Book of Analects.”
  Egypt is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Many of its literature were lost.
 Majority of the Egyptian Literature are about royal romances, ghost stories,
fables, and ancient version of the story Cinderella.
 The Egyptians are considered as the first master of short story.
 They love poetry as well, they became the first poets to express their beliefs in
immortality in their works.
 The attachments between brothers and sisters in upper class, who often
married each other, was celebrated in their literature.
 Religious writing was most important literature for the Egyptians.

They consider god and goddesses of different elements of nature:

 RA- the son of god, greatest god.
 OSIRIS- god of Nile and of the underworld.
 ISIS- queen and goddess of earth and vegetation.
 PHARAOH- god of earth and highest priest.

 PYRAMID TEXTS- these are inscriptions printed or engraved on monuments

written on papyrus, buried in the tomb or beneath the ruins temples. These
consist of hymns and spells for the benefit of the dead kings.
 Religion is the most dominant theme in Egyptian literature and only priest can
write literature.
 The Book of the Dead- is the most important early literature in Egypt which the
story talks about a funeral ritual. It contains a collection of prayers consisting of
one hundred and sixty six chapters revealing the adventure of man after
death.
 “The Tale of the Two Brothers” and “Selna and the Magic Book” are the earliest
short stories developed in Ancient Egypt around 3000 years B.C.

 Indian literature is one of the oldest and richest literature around the world.
 The first Indian literary work was a collection of Sanskrit hymns that was orally transmitted.
 VEDAS- first Indian literature which is written in Sanskrit.
 PANCHATANTRA- literally means “five books”, it is the oldest known collection of Indian
fable and the source of fables.
 MAHABHARATA (The Great Descendants of Bharata) and RAMAYANA (Life of Rama) both
these epics have become the chief source of modern legend and mythology.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN LITERATURE
1. There is intimate alliance and the perfect fusion between poetry and religion.
2. Poetry and music re indissolubly inter- woven with each other.
3. Indian Literature is soaked in the element of love.
 Israel known to be the Jewish Republic of Asia. It is part of the historic land called
Palestine, which was believed to be the Holy Land where the Jewish and
Christian faith begins.
 It lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Egypt on the
west, Syria and Jordan on the east, and Lebanon on the north.
 According to the Hebrew Bible the name “Israel” was given to the Patriarch
Jacob (“preserve with God”) after he successfully wrestled with an angel of God.
 Jacob’s twelve sons became the ancestors of the Israelites, also known as the
Twelve Tribes of Israel or Children. Jacob and his sons had lived in Canaan but
were forced by famine to go into Egypt for four generations until Moses, a great-
great grandson of Jacob, led the Israelites back into Canaan in the “Exodus”
 Tanakh- most important literary work (Jewish Bible)
 Mishna- compiled around 200 CE, id the primary rabbinic codification of laws as
derived from the Torah.
 Talmud- collection of treatises which are chiefly dedicated to the laws and
legends of the Jews it used precise terminology and strict logic and regarded as
an extensive commentary on the Bible.
 Bible- collection of 66 books but for the Catholics, it is 72 books. Its date ranges
from 750 BC to AD 100. It is the most widely read book in the world.

 Japan is known to be one of the progressive countries in the world.

 Japanese literature adopted its writing system in China in which early literature
writings were influenced by the Chinese culture and literature.
 DRAMA is the favorite form of amusement in Japan.
3 TYPES OF JAPANESE DRAMA
 Noh Play
 Kabuki
 Jouri or Puppet Play
TWO FORMS OF POETRY
 Haiku- it uses the syllabic unit pattern of 5-7-5 in which words are kept
simple and deals with themes about nature.
 Tanka- it has five syllabic units consisting of 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. It consists of
one image or idea about nature.
 Murasaki Shikibu- he is the author of “Tale of Genji” he is the eminent literary
writer during the Heian period.
 Chikamatzu Monzaemon- is considered as Japan’s Shakespeare.
 Jippensha Ikku- wrote “Jokaidochu Hizakurige” a mixture of travelogue and
comedy. He was regarded as Japan’s Mark Twain.
  Arabic Western cultures both influenced Lebanese Literature, which mostly
deals with history and philosophy.
 Divisions within the Christian and Muslim faiths were considerable, but most
observers accepted the Christian- Muslim dichotomy as the most salient in
Lebanese society.
 KHALIL GIBRAN was a Lebanese American artist, writer, philosopher and the
third most popular poet in history after Shakespeare and Laozi. Born in an
underprivileged and deprived family, Khalil rose to the level of world
renowned author and artist despite the adverse circumstances he often
landed into. As an artist, he has also created some of the most fascinating
drawing during his lifetime. His bestselling book “The Prophet,” a collection
of 26 splendid poems, has been translated into over 20 foreign languages.
His style, a combination of beauty and spiritually, became known as
GIBRANISM.

-It is the literary period before the coming of the Spaniards.

-Filipinos had a set of alphabet called SYLLABARY or ALIBATA which was of
Sanskrit or Arabic provenance.

THE FIRST FILIPINO ALPHABET

 -early forms of poetry during the pre-colonial era were meant to be recited in a
manner of songs and chants.
A. PROVERBS/ SALAWIKAIN
-these are truths and wise sayings express in a language that is popularly known.
Example:
1. Bago mo sabihin at gawin, makapitong iisipin.
2. Kung di-ukol, di- bubukol.
B. TANAGA
-A poem in a quatrain containing seven syllables each line with a monorine.
Example:
KAIBIGAN
Emelita Perez Baes
Palay siyang matino
Nang humimgi’y yumuko;
Nguni’t mulig tumayo,
Nagkabunga ng ginto.
C. FOLK SONG
-This is a form of lyrical expression created by people according to their region.
Example:
SITSIRITSIT
ATIN KU PUNG SINGSING
MANANG BIDAY
D. RIDDLES/ BUGTONG
-This is a game in a form of mystifying question and a mind puzzle intended to be
solved.
Example: 1. Dalawa kong kahon, buksan walang ugong.
2. Isang balong malalim, punong puno ng patalim.

-Prose narratives were created in order to give explanation about a certain natural
phenomena. These are stories of mythological creatures, legends and humans with
supernatural power transmitted orally and preserved as part of the region’s history.

A. EPIC- this is a long narrative poem about the quest of a hero with unusual power.
B. MYTH- this is a story of god and goddesses told using traditional languages explaining
mysteries, beliefs and cultural practices.
C. FABLES- these are the stories intended to teach human values with animals as major
characters attributing human qualities.
D. LEGENDS- these are stories explaining origins handed down from the past and passed
through different generations.
 -Aside from Christianity, Spaniards also contributed greatly in Philippine Literature.
-ALIBATA was replaced by ROMAN ALPHABET.

THE ROMAN ALPHABET

-Literary works during this period follow a universal theme of religion and other social
issues.
-The natives were called INDIOS during this time.
-DOCTRINA CHRISTIANA was the first book published in the Philippines.
-LADINOS refers to native literary writers.

FILIPINO WRITERS DURING THE SPANISH- COLONIAL PERIOD

WRITER LITERATURE
Graciano Lopez- Jaena Fray Botod
Marcelo H. Del Pilar Founded “Diariong Tagalog”
Master of Tagalog Language
Vicente Garcia Dasalan at Toksohan
Andres Bonifacio Pag- ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa
Francisco Baltazar Florante at Laura
Jose Rizal Noli Me Tangere
El Filibusterismo
-Philippine public school system was the major contribution of the Americans in the
country.
-Thomasites were American soldiers who went to the Philippines to become
teachers.
-Another great influence of Americans on the cultural life of the Filipinos was the
adaptation of the American language in the national language.
-This period also introduced the English Alphabet.

THE ENGLISH ALPHABET

FILIPINOS WRITERS DURING AMERICAN- COLONIAL PERIOD

WRITER LITERATURE
Aurelio Tolentino Kahapon, Bukas Ngayon
Juan Matapang Hindi Ako Patay
Juan Abad Tanikalang Ginto
Severino Reyes Walang Sugat
Manuel Arguilla How My Brother Leon Brought Home A
Wife
Jose Garcia Villa Footnote to Youth
Faustino Aguilar Pinaglahuan
Lope K. Santos Banaag at Sikat
-Filipino writers began writing about post- war social problems of the country.
-MALAYA, ILANG- ILANG, SINAG-TALA, LIWAYWAY, and BULAKLAK were the literary
magazines that appeared during the era.
-Short stories became the favorite literary type of prose among Filipino writers.
-The post- American independence inspired Filipino writers to follow the footsteps of
some American famous writers.
-The prestigious award- giving body for literature CARLOS PALANCA, SR. MEMORIAL
FOR LITERATURE was founded.

MODERN FILIPINO ALPHABET

FILIPINOS WRITERS DURING CONTEMPORARY PERIOD

WRITER LITERATURE
Alejandro G. Abadilla Mga Piling Katha at Parnasong Tagalog
Genoveva Edroza- Matute Ako’y Isang Tinig
Amado V. Hernandez Dipang Langit
 I have fallen in love
with the same woman three times;
In a day spanning 19 years
of tearful joys and joyful tears.

I loved her first when she was young,

enchanting and vibrant, eternally new.
She was brilliant, fragrant,
and cool as the morning dew.

I fell in love with her the second time;

when first she bore her child and mine
always by my side, the source of my Prison Poem of Ninoy
strength, August 11, 1973
helping to turn the tide.

But there were candles to burn

the world was my concern;
while our home was her domain.
and the people were mine
while the children were hers to maintain;

So it was in those eighteen years and a

day.
’till I was detained; forced in prison to
stay.

Suddenly she’s our sole support;

source of comfort,
our wellspring of Hope.
on her shoulders felt the burden of Life.

I fell in love again,

with the same woman the third time.
Looming from the battle,
her courage will never fade

Amidst the hardships she has remained,

undaunted and unafraid.
she is calm and composed,
she is God’s lovely maid.
I am a Filipino–inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future. As such I must prove
equal to a two-fold task–the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task of
performing my obligation to the future.

I sprung from a hardy race, child many generations removed of ancient Malayan pioneers.
Across the centuries the memory comes rushing back to me: of brown-skinned men putting out
to sea in ships that were as frail as their hearts were stout. Over the sea I see them come, borne
upon the billowing wave and the whistling wind, carried upon the mighty swell of hope–hope
in the free abundance of new land that was to be their home and their children’s forever.

This is the land they sought and found. Every inch of shore that their eyes first set upon, every hill
and mountain that beckoned to them with a green-and-purple invitation, every mile of rolling
plain that their view encompassed, every river and lake that promised a plentiful living and the
fruitfulness of commerce, is a hallowed spot to me.

By the strength of their hearts and hands, by every right of law, human and divine, this land
and all the appurtenances thereof–the black and fertile soil, the seas and lakes and rivers
teeming with fish, the forests with their inexhaustible wealth in wild life and timber, the
mountains with their bowels swollen with minerals–the whole of this rich and happy land has
been, for centuries without number, the land of my fathers. This land I received in trust from
them and in trust will pass it to my children, and so on until the world is no more.

I am a Filipino. In my blood runs the immortal seed of heroes–seed that flowered down the
centuries in deeds of courage and defiance. In my veins yet pulses the same hot blood that
sent Lapulapu to battle against the first invader of this land, that nerved Lakandula in the
combat against the alien foe, that drove Diego Silang and Dagohoy into rebellion against the
foreign oppressor.

That seed is immortal. It is the self-same seed that flowered in the heart of Jose Rizal that
morning in Bagumbayan when a volley of shots put an end to all that was mortal of him and
made his spirit deathless forever, the same that flowered in the hearts of Bonifacio in
Balintawak, of Gergorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass, of Antonio Luna at Calumpit; that bloomed in
flowers of frustration in the sad heart of Emilio Aguinaldo at Palanan, and yet burst fourth
royally again in the proud heart of Manuel L. Quezon when he stood at last on the threshold of
ancient Malacañan Palace, in the symbolic act of possession and racial vindication.

The seed I bear within me is an immortal seed. It is the mark of my manhood, the symbol of
dignity as a human being. Like the seeds that were once buried in the tomb of Tutankhamen
many thousand years ago, it shall grow and flower and bear fruit again. It is the insignia of my
race, and my generation is but a stage in the unending search of my people for freedom and
happiness.
I am a Filipino, child of the marriage of the East and the West. The East, with its languor and
mysticism, its passivity and endurance, was my mother, and my sire was the West that came
thundering across the seas with the Cross and Sword and the Machine. I am of the East, an eager
participant in its spirit, and in its struggles for liberation from the imperialist yoke. But I also know
that the East must awake from its centuried sleep, shake off the lethargy that has bound his limbs,
and start moving where destiny awaits.

For I, too, am of the West, and the vigorous peoples of the West have destroyed forever the
peace and quiet that once were ours. I can no longer live, a being apart from those whose world
now trembles to the roar of bomb and cannon-shot. I cannot say of a matter of universal life-and-
death, of freedom and slavery for all mankind, that it concerns me not. For no man and no nation
is an island, but a part of the main, there is no longer any East and West–only individuals and
nations making those momentous choices which are the hinges upon which history resolves.

At the vanguard of progress in this part of the world I stand–a forlorn figure in the eyes of some,
but not one defeated and lost. For, through the thick, interlacing branches of habit and custom
above me, I have seen the light of the sun, and I know that it is good. I have seen the light of
justice and equality and freedom, my heart has been lifted by the vision of democracy, and I
shall not rest until my land and my people shall have been blessed by these, beyond the power of
any man or nation to subvert or destroy.

I am a Filipino, and this is my inheritance. What pledge shall I give that I may prove worthy of my
inheritance? I shall give the pledge that has come ringing down the corridors of the centuries,
and it shall be compounded of the joyous cries of my Malayan forebears when first they saw the
contours of this land loom before their eyes, of the battle cries that have resounded in every field
of combat from Mactan to Tirad Pass, of the voices of my people when they sing:

Land of the morning,

Child of the sun returning–

Ne’er shall invaders

Trample thy sacred shore.

Out of the lush green of these seven thousand isles, out of the heartstrings of sixteen million people
all vibrating to one song, I shall weave the mighty fabric of my pledge. Out of the songs of the
farmers at sunrise when they go to labor in the fields, out of the sweat of the hard-bitten pioneers
in Mal-lig and Koronadal, out of the silent endurance of stevedores at the piers and the ominous
grumbling of peasants in Pampanga, out of the first cries of babies newly born and the lullabies
that mothers sing, out of the crashing of gears and the whine of turbines in the factories, out of
the crunch of plough-shares upturning the earth, out of the limitless patience of teachers in the
classrooms and doctors in the clinics, out of the tramp of soldiers marching, I shall make the
pattern of my pledge:

“I am a Filipino born to freedom, and I shall not rest until freedom shall have been added unto my
inheritance—for myself and my children and my children’s children—forever.”