BAÑARES, Eros Husse V.

June 11, 2018

STEM – 23 Mr. Benedict C. Totanes
Platoon # 4

1.) Write a short background of the period.

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred during 1941 – 1945, it was when the
Imperial of Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War II. The
invasion of the Japanese started on 8th of December 1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. The literature of the Philippines was intervened when the Japanese came. They
implemented that no English literature should be published. Because of that, many Filipinos were
forced to write in Filipino, and it became an advantageous effect. Almost all newspapers in English
were stopped by the Japanese, except for the Tribune and the Philippine Review. Even the famous
Weekly Liwayway, a magazine managed by Don Ramon Roces back in 1992, was placed under
strict surveillance and was then managed by a Japanese named Ishiwara. During this period,
common themes of poems were about nationalism, country, love, life in the barrios, faith, religion
and the arts. Because of the Japanese, three new types of poems emerged, they were; Haiku, an
allegorical short poem of free verse divided into three lines having a total of seventeen syllables
whereas each line have a five seven five syllable respectively. The second type was Tanaga, like
a haiku it is short, but it had rhyme at the end of each line and it had meaning. It consists of four
lines with seven syllables each. The last one was, Karaniwang Anyo. Filipino drama during this
period was at a brink because most of the films were American films, due to the prohibition of the
Japanese regarding any writings in English, many of the plays were reproductions of English plays
to Tagalog. Filipino short stories widened while Philippine literature in English came to a halt.
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained its freedom from the Japanese conquerors.
Filipinos rejoiced and many newspapers reopened such as the Free Press, Morning Sun, Daily
News and Manila Times. Many journalists wrote about the militant times but as time passed by
and peace was restored, less pressing problems in the society became their topics. Writers who had
gone abroad returned to the Philippines to publish their works because they were free to write in
English. Because of this freedom from the Japanese, Philippine Literature gained the public’s
interest and it had more significance.

2.) Why is the title such?

 Advent of National Identity
The title is Advent of National Identity because, during the Japanese Period, the use of
English in Philippine literatures was banned. Because of this, many writers in English turned to
writing in Filipino. Many wrote plays, poems, short stories and the themes were often about life in
the provinces. The ban of English in Philippine literatures awoken the national identity of many
Filipinos, because writers were using Filipino in writing their texts. It helped them realize that the
use of English was a hindrance in our nationality because it is not our own language. The
prohibition to use English made them realize that they should write more in Filipino. Because of
this, a new type of poem rose and that was Tanaga. Dramas also became influenced more by our
culture and because of that, translators Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Alberto Concio and Narciso
Pimentel founded the organization of Filipino players named Dramatic Philippines.
 Rebirth of Freedom
The title is Rebirth of Freedom because, the Americans returned in 1945 after the Japanese
surrendered. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained freedom and the Filipino flag waved
joyously. Because of this, many writers were free to use English once more in writing and it proved
that there were more readers in English rather than in any other vernaculars such as Tagalog,
Ilocano or Hiligaynon. Filipinos being free were able to express themselves more with confidence,
some journalists wrote in militant attitude but as time passed by when normality was restored,
writings turned to the less pressing problems of the economy. Because of the freedom, Filipino
writers who had gone abroad came back to the Philippines to publish their works. Poems also had
an improvement and acquired rhyme and substantial meaning because they can express themselves
BAÑARES, Eros Husse V. June 11, 2018
STEM – 23 Mr. Benedict C. Totanes
Platoon # 4

more now that they are able to produce poems both in Filipino and in English. Philippine literature
in Tagalog was also revived but it focused on the brutality of the Japanese, the poverty of life under
the Japanese Government and the brave guerrilla exploits. Novels became common but were still
read by the people.

3.) What literary writings / themes were prominent during this time?
Poems were the prominent literary writings during this time. The Japanese introduced a
new type of poem which was the haiku, a poem of free verse that the Japanese liked. It was made
up of 17 syllables, where the first line had 5 syllables, the second, 7 syllables, and the third, 5
syllables. Common themes of poems during the Japanese period were nationalism, country, love,
life in the barrios, faith, religion and the arts. Short stories were also prominent during this period,
many wrote short stories and among them are Brigido Batungbakal, Macario Pineda and Serafin
Guinigundo. Philippine literature in English were journalistic in nature and had the spirit of
nationalism.
When the Americans returned, Filipinos were able to express themselves more confidently.
During this time, prominent themes of poems were the usual love of nature, and of social and
political problems. When the Philippine literature was revived its themes in writings dealt with
Japanese brutalities, the poverty experienced by the Filipino people under the Japanese
government and the brave guerrilla exploits.

4.) Who and what are the contributions of the prominent authors during this time?
Poems were the prominent literary writing during the Japanese period, many authors wrote
haikus which was the liked type of poem by the Japanese. Gonzalo K. Flores wrote haikus such as
“Tutubi” and “Anyaya”. Another prominent author of poems during that time was Ildefonso
Santos, he wrote the tanaga’s “Palay” and “Kabibi”.
When the Japanese prohibited the use of English, dramas in this time plummeted and
because of that, many plays were just the reproductions of English plays turned into Filipino. Three
translators named Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Alberto Concio and Narciso Pimentel founded the
organization of Filipino players named Dramatic Philippines. A few play writers here wrote
prominent works such as Jose Ma. Hernandez who wrote “Panday Pira”, Francisco Soc Rodrigo
who wrote “Pula, sa Puti”, Clodualdo del Mundo who wrote “Bulaga” and Julian Cruz Balmaceda
who wrote “Sino ba Kayo”, “ Dahil sa Anak” and “Higante ng Patay”.
On the other hand short stories during the Japanese period widened and many people wrote
it. Prominent writers during this time were selected by a group of judges and they were Narciso
Reyes who got first prize for his work, “Lupang Tinubuan”, Liwayway Arceo who got second
prize for his “Uhaw ang tigang na lupa” and NVM Gonzales who got third prize for his work
“Lunsod Nayon at Dagat-Dagatan”
Meanwhile Philippine Literature in English have many prominent authors. Some of them
are, Carlos P. Romulo who won the Pulitzer Prize for his bestsellers “I saw the fall of the
Philippines”, “I see the Philippines rise” and “Mother America and my brothers Americans”. Some
authors were also given an award which was the Commonwealth Literary award, and they were;
Rafael Zulueta de Costa for his work “Like the Molave”, Manuel E. Arguilla who wrote “How My
Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”, Salvador P. Lopez for his work “Literature and Society”
and Juan Laya who wrote “ His Native Soil”.
The rebirth of freedom period also had prominent writers such as Leon Ma. Guerrero who
wrote “Twilight in Tokyo”, “Passion” and “Death of the USSAFE”, S.P. Lopez who wrote “For
BAÑARES, Eros Husse V. June 11, 2018
STEM – 23 Mr. Benedict C. Totanes
Platoon # 4

Freedom and Democracy”, Hernando Abaya who wrote “Betrayal in the Philippines” and NVM
Gonzales who wrote “Seven Hills Away”.
Poems in this period were produced by exceptional authors such as Manuel Viray who
wrote “Heart of the Islands”, Nick Joaquin who wrote “Prose and Poems” and Conrado V.
Pedroche who wrote “Speak Not, Speak Also”.
Novels were longer in this period, and because of that many authors rose such as, Steven
Javellana who wrote “Without Seeing the Dawn” that tells the grim experience of war during the
Japanese occupation. Kerima Polotan won the Stonehill Award for the Filipino novel in English
in 1961, her work was “The Hand of the Enemy”. Luis V. Teodoro Jr. also won an award in 1968.
He won the Philippine Free Press Short Story award and his work was “The Adversary”. His story
“The Trail of Professor Riego” also won an award, it was the second prize in the Palanca Memorial
Awards for Literature. And in 1970, his short story “The Distant City” won the Graphic short story
award.
The New Filipino Literature was revived and many authors wrote about the brutality of the
Japanese. Many books were published this time among which were; “Mga Piling Sanaysay (1952)”
by Alejandro Abadilla and “Pitong Dula (1968)” by Dionisio Salazar.

5.) Reflection: How did the period influence the culture and the society?
The Japanese period brought Filipinos an advantageous effect. Through prohibiting the use
of English, Filipinos back then were able to go back to using Filipino in writing. Because of that,
it helped us to grow our own culture through expressing ourselves in our own language. New types
of poems were introduced like the haiku and tanaga that was later added to our culture. Because
of the havoc that they have brought upon our country, I think that this period helped our society to
be politically aware. The Japanese period also helped us Filipinos to learn how to rely on one
another in states of calamity. Because of that we had nurtured a new culture and that is to help
each other in times of needs.
Meanwhile, the Rebirth of Freedom period influenced us in our culture and society by
learning to convey ourselves more. The post-war made us not to be afraid of expressing ourselves
to others like what we do today such as ranting in social media. This helped our society to be
mindful of what is happening to our surroundings and I think that the experience that we got from
the Japanese made us more of a fighter in this period, it is like we were painted with a culture to
fight for our rights and freedom.