PHILIPPINE LITERATURE DURING AMERICAN REGIME A.

Literature in Spanish
(1898-1941) Filipino writers who were inspired to write in praise
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND of Rizal;
• Our flag was hoisted on June 12, 1898 as a symbol  Cecilio Apostol
of our independence
Wrote poems dedicated to Rizal,
• Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was elected the first
President of the Philippine Republic but this was Jacinto, Mabini, and other
short-lived. The Fil-American war resulted in the heroes.
defeat of Gen. Miguel Alvar in 1903
• The peace movements started as early as 1900.  Fernando Ma. Guerrero
Many Filipinos started writing again and the He shared with Apostol the reigning
nationalism of the people remained undaunted.
the Balagtasan in Spanish during
• Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like
news reporting, poetry, stories, plays, essays, and their times. He also dedicated a
novels. poem to Rizal in June 19, 1901.
• Their writings clearly depicted their love of country
and their longings for independence. CRISALIDAS (Kind of black,
wooly caterpillar) is the collections of
There were also plays written then but after the first and the best poems in a book of Guerrero.
second presentations, the Americans put a stop to this
because of the consistent theme of nationalism. These  Jesus Balmori (Batikuling)
are: He is well-known for his pen-name
Batikuling. He and Manuel
1. KAHAPON, NGAYON AT BUKAS ( Yesterday, Today and Bernabe participated in a debate on
Tomorrow) by Aurillo Tolentino. the topic “Remembrance and
-it depicts the supression done by the Americans Forgetfulness”. He was elected
and their plan to colonize the Philippines. Poet Laureate in Spanish besting
2. TANIKALANG GINTO ( The Golden Chain)- by Juan Abad. Manuel Bernabe.
The theme of the story is Nationalism. The story is  Manuel Bernabe
about the freedom and love.
Bernabe is a lyric poet; the
3. MALAYA by Tomas Remigio fierceness of his nationalistic spirit
Malaya is the earliest of the drama simboliko plays was unchanged in any topic he
written in prose and verse, which shows to be anti-
wrote about. In his debate with
Spanish and other records report it to be anti-
American. Balmori, he defended Olvido

4. WALANG SUGAT by Severino Reyes (Forgetfulness)

Walang Sugat was written when the zarzuela became

a "potent means" of expressing Filipino nationalism  Claro M. Recto
during the Spanish Occupation of the Philippines that He collected his poems in a book
followed three centuries of Spanish rule. entitled “Bajo Los Cocoteros” (Coconut Tree)
Other Writers in Spanish:  Pagsandaliang Libangan (Short-time Leisure)
 Dagli (Fast)
1. Adelina Guerrea  Liwayway Publications
First woman poet in the Philippines who was
Here are the autobiographies of some of the writers
good in Spanish, who also received Zobel mentioned:
Prize in her song El Nido (The Nest)
 Lope K. Santos
2. Isidro Marpori a novelist, poet and author, and grammarian
Became famous for his four books entitled covered three periods of Tagalog literature –
American, Japanese and Contemporary
“Aromas de Ensueno” (Scents of Dreams)
Period. He is known as the Father of the
3. Macario Adriatico National Language Grammar and also
Who wrote the legend of Mindoro entitled “La called the “Apo” of the Tagalog writers.
BANAAG AT SIKAT was his masterpiece.
Punta De Salto” (The Place of Origin)
4. Epifanio delos Santos  Jose Corazon de Jesus
He was a good leader and biographer during Known as Huseng Batute and also called
the whole period of Spanish Literature the Poet of Love in his time. Ang Isang
5. Pedro Aunario. He wrote the “Decalogo del Punong Kahoy (A Tree) , an elegy, is his
masterpiece.
Proteccionismo”
 Amado V. Hernandez
Hernadez was dubbed Makata ng mga
B. Philippine Literature in Filipino Mangagawa (Poet of the Laborers) in our
Literature because for the intense love for the
FLORANTE AT LAURA of Francisco Balagtas and URBANA poor workers or laborer. He contributed a lot
AT FELISA of Modesto de Castro became the inspiration of of writings to literature like:
the Tagalog writers.  Isang Dipang Langit (A Stretch Of
Heaven),
Julian Cruz Balmaceda classified the three kinds of  Bayang Malaya (A Free Nation),
Tagalog poets. They were:
 Ang Panday (The Blacksmith) And
 Munthing Lupa (A Small Plot),
1. Poets of the Hearts (Makatang Puso):
 His Masterpiece is Ang Panday .
These included Lope K. Santos, Inigo Ed.
Regalado, Carlos Gatmaitan, Pedro
 Valeriano Hernandez Pena
Gatmaitan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Cirilo H.
He was known as Tandang Anong and his
Panganiban, Deogracias del Rosario,
pen name was Kuntil Butil (Small Grain).
Ildefonso Santos, Amado V. Hernandez,
He considers NENE AT NENENG his
Nemicio Carabana, and Mar Antonio.
masterpiece.
2. Poets of life (Makata ng buhay): led by Lope
 Inigo Ed. Regalado
K. Santos, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florantino
Collantes, Patricio Mariano, Carlos Gatmaitan He was a son of popular writer during the
and Amado V. Hernandez. Spanish time known as Odalager. He
reached the peak of his success by the
3. Poets of the Stage (Makata ng Tanghalan): “sumpong” (whim) of his pen. He also
led by Aurelio Tolentino, Patrricio Mariano, became the popular story-teller, novelist and
Severino Reyes, and Tomas Remigio. newspaperman.

Short stories that started to appear in the

columns of
THE TAGALOG DRAMA  PAROLANG GINTO (golden Lantern) and
TALAANG BUGHAW (Blue List) of Abadilla
During the advent of the American Period,
became the popular during this period.
Severino Reyes and Hermogenes Ilagan
started the movement against the moro-moro
(a play on the Spanish struggles against the
Muslims) and struggled to show the people the THE TAGALOG POETRY
values one can get from the zarzuela and the The poetry writing is as old as History, poetry still
simple plays. surfaces with its sweetness, beauty and melody.
 Severino Reyes OTHER Forms of Literature
Father of Tagalog Drama and author of the 1. Pedro Bukaneg -“Father of Ilocano Literature”.
immortal WALANG SUGAT.
2. Claro Caluya -“Prince of Ilocano Poets”. Known
as poet and novelist
 Aurelio Tolentino 3. Leon Pichay -Known as the best Bukanegero.
Also poet, novelist, short story writer, dramatist
The dramatist in whom the kapampangans
and essayist.
take pride. Included in his writings were
LUHANG TAGALOG and KAHAPON,
NGAYON AT BUKAS.
• LITERATURE OF THE KAPAMPANGANS (PAMPANGO
 HermogenesIlagan LITERATURE)
Founded the group CampanaIlagan that 1. Juan Crisostomo Soto
presented many dramas in central Luzon.
“Father of Kapampangan” The word
 Patricio Mariano CRISOTAN (meaning balagtasan).
He wrote the novel NINAY and ANAK NG 2. Aurelio Tolentino
DAGAT (Son of the Sea) his
masterpiece. He translated the KAHAPON, NGAYON AT
BUKAS which he called NAPON, NGENI
 Julian Cruz Balmaceda AT BUKAS.

He wrote the BUNGANGA NG PATING • VISAYAN LITERATURE

(Shark’s Mouth)
TOP MEN IN VISAYAN LITERATURE
1. Eriberto Gumban
THE TAGALOG SHORT STORY
“Father of Visayan Literature”. He wrote
Two Tagalog stories were published during the the Zarzuela, a moro-moro and a play in Visayan.
American Period:
2. Magdalena Jalandoni
 MGA KUWENTONG GINTO (Golden Stories)
She devoted her talent to the novel. She
published in 1936
wrote ANG MGA TUNIK SAN ISA CA BULACLAC.
 50 KUWENTONG GINTO ng BATIKANG
KUWENTISTA ( 50 Golden Stories 50 noted
Storytellers) in 1939.
The first was written by Alejandro Abedilla and
Clodualdo del Mundo that contained the 25 best
stories.
The second was written by Pedrito Reyes.
C. Philippine Literature in English The Period of Imitation (1910 – 1924)
In a way, we can say that we can trace the beginnings of the By 1919, the UP College Folio published the literary
Philippine literature in English with the comings of Americans. compositions of the first Filipino writers in English. They were
For this purpose, we can divide this period into three time the pioneers in short story writing. They were then groping their
frames, namely: way into imitating American and British models which resulted
in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style, lacking vitality and
1. The Period of Re-orientation: 1898-1910
spontaneity. Their models include Longfellow and
2. The Period of Imitation: 1910-1941
Hawthorne, Emerson and Thoreau, Wordsworth and
3. The Period of Self-discovery: 1925-1941 Tennyson, Thackeray and

(1) The Period of Orientation (1898 – 1910) Macaulay, LongFellow, Allan Poe, Irving and other American
writers of the Romantic School.
English as a literary vehicle came with the American
occupation in August 13, 1898 and as they say, a choice Writers who pioneered in English poetry included:
bestowed on us by history. By 1900, English came to be used
 Fernando Maramag (the best editorial writer of this
as a medium of instruction in the public schools. From the
period)
American forces were recruited the first teachers of English.
 Juan F. Salazar
By 1908, the primary and intermediate grades were using  Jose M. Hernandez
English. It was also about this time when UP, the forerunner in  Vicente del Fierro
the use of English in higher education, was founded.  Francisco Tonogbanua
 Maximo Kalaw
Writers of this period were period were still adjusting to the
newfound freedom after the paralyzing effect of repression of  Vidal A. Tan
thought and speech under the Spanish regime. They were  Francisco Africa
adjusting to the idea of democracy, to the new phraseology of  Victoriano Yamzon.
the English language and to the standards of English literary
style. Writers had to learn direct expression as conditioned of 1. POETRY
direct thinking. They had to learn that sentence constructions,
sounds and speech in English were not the same as in the Noteworthy names in this field include Marcelo de
vernacular. They had to discard sentimentality and floridity of Gracia Concepcion, Jose Garcia Villa, Angela Manalang
language for the more direct and precise English language. Gloria, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa Subido and Rafael
Zulueta da Costa. They turned our not only love poems but
Not much was produced during this period and what literature patriotic, religious, descriptive and reflective poems as well.
was produced was not much of literary worth. The first They wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other
attempts in English were in two periodicals of this time: types. Poetry was original, spontaneous, competently written
(a) El Renacimiento: Founded in Manila by Rafael and later, incorporated social consciousness.
Palma in 1901 2. ESSAYS
(b) Philippines Free Press: established in Manila in The noted essayists of this time were: Carlos P.
1905 by R. McCullough Dick and D. Theo Romulo, Jorge C. Bocobo, Mauro Mendez, and Vicente
Rogers. Hilario. Their essays were truly scholarly characterized by
In 1907, Justo Juliano’s SURSUM CORDA which appeared in sobriety, substance and structure. They excelled in the series
Renacimiento was the first work to be published in English. essay, especially the editorial type.

In 1909, Jan F. Salazar’s MY MOTHER and AIR CASTLES The next group of writers introduced the informal
were also published in this paper. essay, criticism and the journalistic column. They spiced their
work with humor, wit and satire. These group included Ignacio
Manlapaz, Godefredo Rivera, Frederico Mangahas, Francisco
B. Icasiano, Salvador P. Lopez, Jose Lansang and Amando G.
Dayrit.
a.Political, Social Reflective essays: In the field of short stories, DEAD STARS by Paz
Through their newspaper columns the following became very Marquez Benitez written in the early 1920’s stand out as a
popular: Federico Mangahas, Salvador P. Lopez, Pura S. model of perfection in character delineation, local color, plot
Castrence, Vicente Albano Pacis, Ariston Estrada and Jose A. and message. Other short stories published during this time
Lansang. were but poor imitations of their foreign models.
b. Critical essays were espoused by Salvador P. Lopez, I.V.  The UP College Folio was later replaced by
Mallari, Ignacio Manlapaz, Jose Garcia Villa, Arturo B. Rotor, the Philippine Collegian
and Leopoldo Y. Yabes. An example of this is Maximo V.
Soliven’s THEY CALLED IT BROTHERHOOD.  Newspapers and periodicals also saw print
during this time like
c. Personal or Familiar essays were written by F.B. Icasiano
(Mang Kiko), Alfredo E. Litiatco, Solomon V. Arnaldo, Amando o the Bulletin
G. Dayrit and Consuelo Gar (Catuca). o the Philippines Herald (1920),
o the Philippine Review
3. SHORT STORIES o the Independent,
o Here are few of the writers during this period: o Rising Philippines and Citizens, and
1910: Bernardo P. Garcia’s poem GEORGE WASHINGTON o the Philippine Education Magazine 1924
was publisher in El Renacimiento.
1917: Eulogio B. Rodriquez, a research writer in the UP
Collage of Liberal Arts won the Vilamor Prize in the 4. BIOGRAPHY 1925-1941 In 1935
provincial history competition. He was an authority on
I.P. Caballero and Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion
literary and cultural development in the Philippines.
wrote about QUEZON. In 1938, THE GREAT MALAYAN won a
1919: Paz Marquez Benitez was editor of the Women’s prize in the national contest sponsored by the Commonwealth
of the Philippines. This was written by Carlos Quirino, the most
1924: Journal, the first literary magazine in English famous biographer of the period. He also wrote Quezon, the
published in the Philippines. Man of Destiny
1920: Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion gained recognition In 1940, I.V. Mallari’s The Birth of Discontent revealed
for Filipino poetry abroad with his publication of thr poem the sensitive touch of a writer who in simple language was 5.
AZUCENA, in the US. HISTORY
1920: Procopio L. Solium wrote NEVER MIND AND 5. HISTORY
OTHERS POEMS.
Not much about history has been written by Filipino
1921: Lorenzo E. Paredes wrote the first poetry anthology writers. In 1937, with regard to literary history, we can cite
REMINISCENSES. Teofilo del Castillo’s The Brief History of the Philippine
1921: Zoilo M. Galang published his first volume of essays Islands. able to reveal his profound thoughts and feelings.
entitled LIFE AND SUCCESS. 6. PUBLICATIONS
1924: EliseoQuirino and Vicente Hilario wrote the essays The Philippine Free Press provided the first incentives
THINKING FOR OURSELVES. to Filipino writers in English by offering prizes to worthwhile
1924: Rodolfo Dato published FILIPINO POETRY, the first contributions. Other publications followed suit.
anthology of poems. 7. THE DRAMA (1925-1941)
1924: Carlos P. Romulo pubished a collection of plays Drama during this period did not reach the heights
DAUGHTERS FOR SALE AND OTHER PLAYS. attained by the novel or the short story. The UP provided the
1925: Zoilo M. Galang published the first anthology of incentives when they introduced playwriting as a course and
short stories in TALES OF THE PHILIPPINES. established the UP Little Theater