Philippine literature is the literature associated with the Philippines and includes the

legends of prehistory, and the colonial legacy of the Philippines. Pre-Hispanic Philippine
literature were actually epics passed on from generation to generation originally through
oral tradition. However, wealthy families, especially in Mindanao were able to keep
transcribed copies of these epics as family heirloom. One such epic was the Darangen,
epic of theMaranaos of Lake Lanao. Most of the epics were known during the Spanish
era.
Most of the notable literature of the Philippines was written during the Spanish period
and the first half of the 20th century in the Spanish language. Philippine literature is
written in Spanish, English, or any indigenous Philippine languages.

Classical literature in Spanish during the 19th

Century
On December 1, 1846, the first daily newspaper, La Esperanza, was published in the
country. Other early newspapers were La Estrella (1847), Diario de Manila (1848)
and Boletin Oficial de Filipinas (1852). The first provincial newspaper was El Eco de
Vigan (1884), which was issued in Ilocos. In Cebu City, El Boleaetín de Cebú(The
Bulletin of Cebu) was published in 1890.
On 1863, the Spanish government introduced a system of free public education that
increased the population's ability to read Spanish and thereby furthered the rise of an
educated class called the Ilustrado (meaning, well-informed). Spanish became the social
language of urban places and the true lingua franca of the archipelago. A good number of
Spanish newspapers were published until the end of the 1940s, the most influential of
them being El Renacimiento, printed in Manila by members of the Guerrero de Ermita
family.
Some members of the ilustrado group, while in Spain, decided to start a Spanish
publication with the aim of promoting the autonomy and independence projects.
Members of this group included Pedro Alejandro Paterno, who wrote the
novel Nínay (first novel written by a Filipino)[citation needed] and the Philippine
national hero, José Rizal, who wrote excellent poetry and his two famous novels in
Spanish: Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not), and El Filibusterismo.
Especially potent was La Solidaridad, more fondly called La Sol by the members of the
propaganda movement, founded in 15 February 1885.[citation needed] With the help of
this paper, Filipino national heroes like José Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo
H. del Pilar were able to voice out their sentiments.

Poetry and metrical romances

  Tanaga or haiku - Are short poems consisting of four lines with seven syllables
each that rhyme at the end of each line.
 Ladino Poems – Were natives of first Tagalog versifiers who saw print: highly
literate in both Spanish and the vernacular.
 Corridos – Were widely read during the Spanish period that filled the populace's
need for entertainment as well as edifying reading matter in their leisure moments.
 Awit – like corridos, these were also widely read during the Spanish period as
entertaining, edifying, reading manner in their leisure time. It is also a fabrication
of the writers imagination although the characters and the setting may
be European. The structure is rendered dodecasyllabic quatrains.

Prose
The prose works of the Spanish Period consisted mostly of didactic pieces and
translations of religious writings in foreign languages.
Dramas
Religious

 Moriones – Refers to the helmets of participants dressed as Roman soldiers, their

identities hidden behind colorful, sometimes grotesque, wooden masks. Found
only on the island of Marinduque, it is down during Holy Week, culminating in
a Passion play that adds the scene of Saint Longinus' conversion and martyrdom.
 Panunuluyan– the Tagalog version of the Mexican Las Posadas, and literally
means "seeking passage". Held during Christmastime but especially onChristmas
Eve, it depicts Joseph and Mary' search for room at the inn in Bethlehem. The
actors playing the Holy Couple chant their pleas for lodging in slow, mournful
tones, while the innkeepers and householders would drive them away with
haughty verses sang in dance-like metre.
 Pangangaluwa – A practice formerly widespread during All Saints' Day which
literally means for the soul[s], it is analogous to the now-defunct English custom
of Souling.
 Salubong – A ritual performed in the early morning of Easter Sunday a few hours
after the Easter Vigil and before the Easter Mass, dramatising the meeting
between the resurrected Jesus and his mother. In its basic form, the rite begins
with two separate processions—one consists of males accompanying a statue of
the Risen Christ, the other of women with a statue of the Virgin Mary veiled in
black. Both processions meet at the churchyard, town plaza, or some other
suitable area, where a girl, dressed as an angel, stands from a scaffold or descends
on a rope and sings the Regina Caeli. The angel then removes the black veil to the
sound of pealing bells and firecrackers, ending the penance and mourning of Lent.
  Senákulo – Essentially a Passion play, which depicts the passion and death
of Jesus Christ. It is customarily performed during Holy Week, and bears
similarities to Mystery plays popular in medieval Europe.
 Santacruzan – Performed during the month of May, which reenacts Saint
Helena's Finding of the True Cross and serves as an expression of devotion to the
Virgin Mary. The young women of a town, parish, or village dress in formal
gowns and bear attributes related to religious themes, such as titles of Mary, with
the last (often most beautiful) lady "Reyna Elena" representing the empress, and
holding a crucifix, representing the True Cross. Its May observance is due to the
pre-1962 date for the feast of Roodmas.

Secular

 Comedia – It is about a courtly love between, a prince and a princess of different

religions, and highlights concepts of colonial attitudes to Christian-Muslim
relations.
 Duplo – A forerunner of the balagtasan. The performances consist of two teams;
One composed of young women called Dupleras or Belyakas; and the other, of
young men called Dupleros or Belyakos.
 Karagatan – comes from the legendary practice of testing the mettle of young
men vying for a maiden's hand. The maiden's ring would be dropped into sea and
whoever retrieves it would have the girl's hand in marriage.

Modern literature (20th and 21st century)[edit]

The greatest portion of Spanish literature was written during the American period, most
often as an expression of pro-Hispanic nationalism, by those who had been educated in
Spanish or had lived in the Spanish-speaking society of the big cities, and whose
principles entered in conflict with the American cultural trends.[citation needed] Such
period of Spanish literary production—i.e., between the independence of Spain in 1898
and well ahead into the decade of the 1940s—is known as Edad de Oro del Castellano en
Filipinas. Some prominent writers of this era were Wenceslao Retana and Claro Mayo
Recto, both in drama and essay; Antonio M. Abad and Guillermo Gomez Wyndham, in
the narrative; Fernando María Guerrero and Manuel Bernabé, both in poetry. The
predominant literary style was the so-called "Modernismo", a mixture of elements from
the French Parnassien and Symboliste schools, as promoted by some Latin American and
Peninsular Spanish writers (e.g. the Nicaraguan Rubén Darío, the Mexican Amado
Nervo, the Spaniard Francisco Villaespesa, and the Peruvian José Santos Chocano as
major models).
Cebuano literature
Cebuano literature refers to the literary works written in Cebuano, a language widely
spoken in the southern Philippines. The term is most often extended to cover the oral
literary forms in both indigenous and colonial Philippines.
While the majority of Cebuano writers are from the Visayas and Mindanao region, the
most recognized Filipino literary outlet for them, including the Bisaya Magasin, is based
in Makati City in Metro Manila, while there is also a lively Cebuano community of
writers in the language which is based outside the country. The term Cebuano literature,
therefore, encompasses not only those Visayas and Mindanao-based writers writing in
Cebuano, but all written output in Cebuano, wherever its source.

History
Cebuano literature, as much as most literature of the Philippines, started with fables and
legends of the early people in the Philippines and colonial period, right down to
the Mexican (Viceroyalty of New Spain) and Spanish influences. Although existence of a
pre-Hispanic writing system in Luzon is attested, there is proof that baybayin was
widespread in the Visayas. Most of the literature produced during that period was oral.
They were documented by the Spanish Jesuit Fr. Ignatio Francisco Alzinal. During the
Spanish colonial period, the religious theme was predominant. Novenas and gozos, most
notably the Bato Balani for theSanto Niño.
The first written Cebuano literature is Maming, by Vicente Sotto, The Father of Cebuano
Literature. The story was published in the first issue (July 16, 1900) of his Ang Suga.
Two years later Sotto wrote, directed, and produced the first Cebuano play, Elena.It was
first performed at the Teatro Junquera (in what is now Cebu City) on May 18, 1902. The
play established Sotto's reputation as a writer. The dedication of the play by the
playwright reads, "To My Motherland, that you may have remembrance of the glorious
Revolution that redeemed you from enslavement. I dedicate this humble play to you."
Vicente Sotto attacked the decadent forms of linambay in his newspaper Ang Suga. He
was challenged by a friend to write his own play as he was always attacking the linambay
form. Sotto wrote the Cebuano "Ang Paghigugma sa Yutang Nataohan" (Love of the
Native Land) as a response. The play was successful; Sotto organized the Compania de
Aficionados Filipinos. Within the year, two more plays were written by Sotto: "Elena",
which deals of a girl's love for an insurrecto; and "Aurora", which deals with a scandal
involving the priests and nuns of the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion. Realism in
Cebuano theater was stretched too much however; even Sotto himself was a victim of the
movement he started, when prior to his running for mayor in 1907, a play entitled "Ang
Taban" (1906, by Teodulfo V. Ylaya) was released. The play dealt with a kidnap
allegation involving Sotto.
During the American period, Ang Suga became the medium for publication of Cebuano
writers. A community of writers slowly grow, to include the names of Florentino Rallos,
Filomeno Veloso, Marcial Velez, Timoteo Castro, Segundo Cinco, Vicente Ranudo,
Dionisio Jakosalem, Selestino Rodríguez, Filomeno Roble, Juan Villagonzalo, Leoncio
Avila and Filemon Sotto. (Most of these people were recognized for their achievements
by the generation right after them, as evidenced by the use of their names for major
streets in Cebu City, but their role in the furtherance of Cebuano culture is lost to
subsequent generations.) Juan Villagonzalo was the first to write a Cebuano novel.
Four typical novels on the love theme written by popular writers during the American
period would represent the pre-war writers' subconscious but collective efforts in creating
a common core of meanings and values in the face of new American culture. These
are Felicitas by Uldarico Alviola in 1912, Mahinuklugong Paglubong Kang Alicia ("The
Sad Burial of Alicia") by Vicente Garces in 1924, Apdo sa Kagul-anan ("Bitterness of
Sorrow") by Angel Enemecio in 1928-29, andAng Tinagoan ("The Secret") by Vicente
Rama in 1933-34. While Felicitas and Paglubong assert the value of marital fidelity
and Apdo that of feminine chastity,Tinagoan challenges the emergent value that
tolerates divorce. Such novels were seen as fictionalized renditions of their writers' stand
or traditions and practices which were subjected to debate in the school stage and within
the pages of periodicals.
The pre-war period in the Philippines is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of
Vernacular Literature, with the 1930s marking a boundary between two kinds of popular
writing: the predominantly propagandistic and the more commercialized escapist
literature that proliferated since the Commonwealth period. In the year 1930, Bisaya
Magasin started publishing in Cebuano.
In 1936 Cebuano writers started publishing anthologies; readers engaged in amateur
literary criticism; and complaints of plagiarism livened up the weekly news. Periodicals
that featured creative writing mushroomed, although most of these were short-lived.
The generally considered first feminist Cebuano novel, Lourdes by Gardeopatra G.
Quijano was serialized in the period May 26 to September 23, 1939 in Bag-ong
Kusog (literary "New Force"), the most popular pre-war periodical. It has been predicted
by no less than the late novelist and Philippine National Artist for Literature N. V. M.
González that Philippine literature in English will die, leaving the regional literature
(Ilokano, Waray, etc.). In the case of Cebuano literature, this has been the case.
Some of the prominent writers and poets in the Visayas and Mindanao who used to write
in English have shifted to Cebuano. Among them are Davao-basedMacario Tiu, Don Pag-
usara, and Satur Apoyon, and Cebu-based Ernesto Lariosa (a Focus Philippines Poetry
Awardee in 1975) and Rene Amper (a two-timePalanca awardee for English poetry. These
giants of Cebuano literature are now regularly contributing to Bisaya Magasin; their shift
to Cebuano writing has influenced young Cebu and Mindanao-based writers in English to
follow suit (among them are Michael Obenieta, Gerard Pareja, Adonis Durado, Januar
Yap,Jeneen Garcia, Marvi Gil, Delora Sales, Cora Almerino and Raul Moldez).
In 1991, Cebuano poet Ernesto Lariosa received a grant from the Cultural Center of the
Philippines. He used the grant to introduce the 4-s in Cebuano poetry:social
sense, sound and story. The language he used was slack, devoid of strong metaphors. He
used the language of the home and of the streets. Writer-scholar Dr. Erlinda Alburo,
director of the Cebuano Studies Center of the University of San Carlos noted in a forum
sponsored by the university's theater guild in 2003 that the young writers (those given
above) have given a new voice to Cebuano fiction. They have introduced modern writing
styles, experimented with the Cebuano language and explored themes which have never
been elaborated before by their predecessors.
There are now emerging number of publications featuring fiction and poetry in Cebuano.
The ownership of the de facto literary journal, Bisaya Magasin, was transferred from the
Chinese-owned Liwayway Publishing, Inc. to Napoleon Rama's Manila Bulletin
Publishing in 2003, ushering a change in layout, acceptance policies and an increase in
contributors' fees.
Aside from the reinvigoration of Bisaya Magasin, Cebu-based publishing houses have
also started tabloids in the language (Banat News of Freeman Publications and SunStar
SuperBalita of SunStar Publications). These tabloids have bigger circulation than their
English counterparts. The U.P. National Writers Workshop every October and the Iligan
National Writers Workshop every summer have reserved slots for Cebuano writers. In
every edition of these workshops, there are Cebuano works that are being dissected or
discussed by the panelists.
In 1998, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature opened the Cebuano
literature category.

Ilocano literature
Ilocano literature or Iloko literature pertains to the literary works of writers of Ilocano
ancestry regardless of the language used - be it Ilocano, English, Spanishor other foreign
and Philippine languages. In Ilocano language, the terms "Iloko" and "Ilocano" are
different. Generally, "Iloko" is the language while "Ilocano" refers to the people or the
ethnicity of the people who speak the Iloko language.

Ilocano literature in the Philippines is one of several regional Philippine literatures. It is

one of the most active tributaries to the general Philippine literature, next to Tagalog
(Filipino) and Philippine Literature in English.

History of Iloko literature

Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from Taiwan. Families and
clans arrived by viray or bilog, meaning "boat". The term Ilokano originates from i-,
"from", and looc, "cove or bay", thus "people of the bay." Ilokanos also refer to
themselves as Samtoy, a contraction from the Ilokano phrase sao mi ditoy, "our language
here". Ilocanos are descendants of Austronesian-speaking people from southern China via
Taiwan.
Precolonial times to the 19th century
Pre-colonial Iloko literature were composed of folk songs, riddles, proverbs, lamentations
called dung-aw, and epic stories in written or oral form. Ancient Ilokano poets expressed
themselves in folk and war songs as well as the dallot, an improvised, versified and at
times impromptu long poem delivered in a sing-song manner.
During the Spanish regime, Iloko poetry was generally patterned after Spanish models. In
fact, the earliest known written Iloko poems were the romances translated from Spanish
by Francisco Lopez, an Augustinian friar who, in 1621, published his own Iloko
translation of the Doctrina Cristiana by Cardinal Bellarmine, the first book to be printed
in Iloko.
A study of Iloko poetry could be found in the Gramatica Ilokana, published in 1895,
based on Lopez's Arte de la Lengua Iloca, earlier published in 1627, but was probably
written before 1606.

Some Iloko writers credit Pedro Bucaneg, who collaborated with Lopez in the translation
of the Doctrina into Iloko, for having been the first known Ilokano poet, and as the
"Father of Ilokano Poetry and Literature." Bucaneg, blind since childhood, authored the
popular epic known as Biag ni Lam-ang ("Life of Lam-ang") written in the 17th century.
The earliest written form of the epic poem was given by Fr. Gerardo Blanco to Isabelo de
los Reyes, who published it in El Ilocanofrom December 1889 to February 1890, with
Spanish translation in prose, and also reprinted it in his El Folklore Filipino, under the
title Vida de Lam-ang.
Ilocano literature developed in many ways. During the 18th century, the missionaries
used religious as well as secular literatures among other means to advance their mission
of converting the Ilokanos to Christianity. The century also saw the publication of
religious works like Fr. Jacinto Rivera's Sumario de las Indulgencias in 1719 and
the Pasion, a translation of St. Vincent Ferrer's sermons into Iloko by Fr. Antonio Mejia
in 1845.
The 19th century likewise saw the appearance of Leona Florentino, who has since been
considered by some as the "National Poetess of the Philippines". Her poems which have
survived, however, appear to the modern reader as being too syrupy for comfort, too
sentimental to the point of mawkishness, and utterly devoid of form.

Fr. Justo Claudio Fojas, an Ilokano secular priest who wrote novenas, prayerbooks,
catechism, metrical romances, dramas, biographies, a Spanish grammar and an Iloko-
Spanish dictionary, was Leona Florentino's contemporary.
Isabelo de los Reyes, Leona's son, himself wrote poems, stories, folklore, studies, and
seemingly interminable religious as well as political articles. The achievement of both
Claudio Fojas and de los Reyes is possibly more significant than the critical reader of
Iloko literature today is ready to admit.
The comedia, otherwise known as the moro-moro, and the zarzuela were presented for
the first time in the Ilocos in the 19th century. The comedia, a highly picturesque
presentation of the wars between Christians and Muslims, and the zarzuela, an equally
picturesque depiction of what is at once melodrama, comic-opera, and the skit
interminably preoccupied with the eternal theme of boy-meets-girl-who-always-live-
happily-ever-after-seemingly-impossible-odds are still as popular today as they were
when first staged in the Ilocos.
The comedia was scripted from the corridos like Principe Don Juan, Ari Esteban ken
Reyna Hipolita, Doce Paris, Bernardo Carpio, Jaime del Prado. Marcelino Mena
Crisologo helped popularize the zarzuela based on the culture and tradition of the
Ilokanos particularly those in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. So did Pascual Agcaoili y Guerrero
(1880–1958) of Ilocos Norte who wrote and staged "Daguiti Agpaspasukmon Basi," and
Isaias R. Lazo (1887–1983) of San Vicente, Ilocos Sur who wrote comedia and zarzuela.
The year 1892 saw the printing for the first time of the first Iloko novel, written by Fr.
Rufino Redondo, an Augustinian friar, titled "Matilde de Sinapangan."Another Iloko
novel which was written before the end of the 19th century by one Don Quintin Alcid
was "Ayat, Kaanonto Ngata?" ("Love, When Shall it Be?").
Video compact discs of some popular Ilocano folk songs. After, the Tagalogs,
the Ilocanos has the best preserved repertoire of folk songs in the Philippines.

Arturo Centeno of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, also wrote three novels titled "Apay a Di
Mangasawa?" ("Why Doesn't He Get Married?"), "Dispensara" and "Padi a Puraw
Wenno Naamo a Kibin" ("A White Priest or a Good Guide").
20th century literature
The 20th century was comparatively more intense in literary activity. Some of the
literature in this period are "Biag ti Maysa a Lakay, Wenno Nakaam-ames a Bales" ("Life
of an Old Man, or a Dreadful Revenge") by Mariano Gaerlan (1909); "Uray Narigat no
Paguimbagan" ("Improvement Despite Obstacles") by Facundo Madriaga
(1911); "Mining Wenno Ayat ti Cararua" ("Mining or Spiritual Love") by Marcelino Peña
Crisologo (1914); "Nasam-it ken Narucbos nga Sabong dagiti Dardarepdep ti
Agbaniaga" ("Sweet and Fresh Flower of a Traveller's Dreams") by Marcos E. Millon
(1921); "Sabsabong ken Lulua" ("Flowers and Tears") by R. Respicio (1930); "Apay a
Pinatayda ni Naw Simon?" ("Why Did They Kill Don Simon?") first known detective
novel in Iloko by Leon C. Pichay (1935); "Puso ti Ina" ("A Mother's Heart") by Leon C.
Pichay (1936).
When the Bannawag magazine, a sister publication of Liwayway, Bisaya and Hiligaynon,
hit the streets on Nov. 3, 1934, Iloko literature reached a headland. Many Ilokanos started
to write literary pieces.
The early Bannawag short stories showed sustained growth. The short stories written in
the 1920s were poor imitations of equally poor American fiction. Early short story writers
had practically no literary background in their attempts.
The growth of the short story was not apparent until Bannawag resumed publication in
1947. Most of the stories published dealt with themes of war; guerrilla
activities, Japanese atrocities, murder, pillage and death. By the latter part of the decade,
writers of different ages emerged, and from their ranks came stories that were less
verbose, tighter,and with more credible characterization than those written previously.
While many articles have been written by Ilokanos and non-Ilokanos about the Ilocos
Region, few scholarly studies have been conducted. Among these scholars were Leopoldo
Y. Yabes of the University of the Philippines, who made a brief survey of Iloko
literature in 1934. His findings showed that Iloko literature began with Pedro Bucaneg.
In 1940, Thomas B. Alcid of the University of Santo Tomas made a study on the Iloko
prose fiction and discussed the Iloko short story and the Iloko novel and their possibilities
in Philippine literature. His study showed that the short stories and novels at that time
were still young and needed more improvement.
In 1954, Mercedes F. Guerrero of the Manuel L. Quezon Educational Institution (now
MLQU) made a masteral thesis titled "Critical Analysis of the Outstanding Iloco Short
Stories Published in the Bannawag from 1948 to 1952." Her findings showed that the
Iloko stories offer a mine of information about the ideals and customs of the Filipino
people. In the display of emotions and feelings, the Iloko author has been free or
spontaneous in dealing with the life he portrayed. Most often he has been compassionate
with his characters. He has treated a wide variety of subjects that there is no important
place of Filipino life that has not been depicted. There are stories on mere trifling matters
as well as their own nation-slaking subjects. These are stories about persons, about
animals, about places and about events.
Guerrero also found out that the Ilokano author served his society by: 1.) Preserving the
ideals, customs and traditions of the people. 2.) Bringing out the social consciousness of
the era—its mood, conflicts, struggles, and rehabilitation. 3.) Awakening man's
sensibilities to the joys, sorrows, loves, hatreds and jealousies of the people. 4.) Casting
away sectional sentiments and prejudices and bringing about fuller understanding of the
different ethnic groups.
A related literature published by Dr. Marcelino A. Foronda, Jr. in 1967, titled "Dallang:
An Introduction to Philippine Literature in Iloko," discussed the traits and characteristics
of the Ilokanos. Of their literature, he stated: "...The Ilokano language is so highly
developed as to have produced the greatest number of printed works in any Philippine
language, next to Tagalog.
Bannawag has played and still plays a major role in the development of Iloko literature.
At present, it publishes poems (daniw), short stories (sarita), novels (nobela), essays
(salaysay), comics, biographies, folktales and many others including what some call
avant garde literary output. It is the only magazine where Ilokano writers hope to publish
most of their writings.
During the magazine's infancy years in the 1930s, most of its contents were translations
from the Liwayway magazine save a novel by Hermogenes F. Belen titled "Nadaraan a
Linnaaw" (Blood-stained Dew) which was serialized in 1947. Other writers at that time
included Benjamin M. Pascual, David D. Campañano,Godofredo S. Reyes, Benito de
Castro, Jose P. Acance, Benjamin Gray, Marcelino A. Foronda,Jr.
In the 1960s, poems, short stories and novels published by the Bannawag became better
—in craftsmanship, development of plots and themes, among others. Writers by then,
most of whom were college students and professionals, had a bigger library of literary
books.
To help in the development of the Iloko short story, Bannawag launched a writing contest
in 1961. The judges were Prof. Santiago Alcantara of the National University, Prof. Angel
C. Anden of the Manuel L. Quezon University, and Dr. Marcelino A. Foronda, Jr. of
the De La Salle University-Manila. This contest lasted until 1970. One of the judges said
the quality of Iloko short stories was competitive with those written in English. Before
the martial-law era, most of the poems, stories and novels dwelt on political unrest and
protests, like rallies and demonstrations by students, professionals and workers against
the government.(From an essay by Jose A. Bragado. Bragado is one of the foremost
writers in contemporary Ilokano literature. He is a former literary editor of Bannawag
magazine and past president of GUMIL, an international association of Ilokano
writers.)

Iloko Literature: Today and Tomorrow

Ilokano writers have also published their works in foreign countries. One of the most
popular authors of Ilocano ancestry abroad was the late Carlos Bulosan,
aCalifornia immigrant born to Ilokano parents in Pangasinan. And currently, the most
internationally translated Filipino author is an Ilokano from Rosales, Pangasinan—
Francisco Sionil Jose, popularly known as F. Sionil Jose. He is famous for his Rosales
saga, a five-novel work about an Ilokano clan, virtually documenting Philippine history
from Spanish time to the years of the Marcos administration. The novels, translated in
about 22 languages, are circulated and read around the world.
Back home, many Iloko writers have won major prizes in the annual Palanca Awards, the
most prestigious and most anticipated of all literary contests in the Philippines. These
famous winners' names include Reynaldo A. Duque, Ricarte Agnes, Aurelio S. Agcaoili,
Lorenzo G. Tabin, Jaime M. Agpalo Jr., Prescillano N. Bermudez, William V. Alvarado,
Maria Fres-Felix, Clarito G. de Francia, Arnold Pascual Jose, Eden Aquino Alviar,
Severino Pablo, Ariel S. Tabag, Daniel L. Nesperos, Roy V. Aragon, Danilo Antalan, Joel
B. Manuel, Bernardo D. Tabbada, Noli S. Dumlao and others.

Children's books
Ti Bantay A Nagayat Iti Maysa A Billit is a fully illustrated, colored children's picture
book. The original story is The Mountain That Loved A Bird by Alice McLerran.
Originally published in the United States with illustrations by Eric Carle, the story has
been translated to Iloko by Herminio S. Beltran, Jr. and illustrated with new art
by Beaulah Pedregosa Taguiwalo drawn from the landscapes of the Philippines.
The publisher is Mother Tongue Publishing Inc., a new publishing company based in
Manila, Philippines formed in November 2006 by Mario and Beaulah Taguiwalo. Their
mission is to publish books in as many languages as possible. They are inspired by the
words of science fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin: “Literature takes shape and life in the
body, in the wombs of the mother tongue.” They also agree with neuro-scientist Elkhonon
Goldberg who refers to mother tongues as “an extremely adaptive and powerful device
for modeling not only what is, but also what will be, what could be, and what we want
and do not want to be.”[citation needed]

The GUMIL - Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano

On October 19, 1968, GUMIL Filipinas (Ilokano Writers Association of the Philippines)
was organized in Baguio City. Arturo M. Padua, then mayor of Sison, Pangasinan, was
elected president. The officers took their oath of office before President Ferdinand E.
Marcos.
GUMIL Filipinas or Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas, Inc., was
incorporated and registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission on
January 8, 1977.
GUMIL Filipinas' main objectives are:


  To provide a forum in which Ilokano writers can undertake common and
cooperative efforts to improve their craft of writing literary, historical,
research and other works;
 To enrich Ilokano literature and cultural heritage as phases of the national
identity by encouraging the members to concentrate on writing extensively
and intensively about the social, economic, cultural and other aspects of
growth and development among the Ilokanos through literature, history,
research, or the like;
 To publish books of poetry, short stories, essays, novels, historical
accounts, research and critical studies, and other writings; and
 To assist each member in pursuing his/her writing career and in fulfilling
his life as a member of Philippines society.

(Excerpted from an essay by Jose A. Bragado)

Pangasinan literature
The Pangasinan language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of
the Austronesian languages family. Pangasinan is spoken primarily in the province
of Pangasinan in the Philippines, located on the west central area of the island
of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf.

History[edit]
The earliest known written records in the Pangasinan language were written in the ancient
Pangasinan script, a writing system related to the Tagalog Baybayinscript and
the Javanese Kavi script. The Pangasinan script, like the other writing systems used in
ancient Southeast Asia were probably influenced by theBrahmi script of ancient India and
originated from the Sumerian cuneiform script that was used in the ancient land
of Sumer in Mesopotamia where the earliest known written records were found.
The Latin alphabet was introduced after the Spanish conquest of Pangasinan in 1571.
During the Spanish colonial period, the use of the Latin alphabetbecame more
widespread. Most of the existing literary works in the Pangasinan language are written in
the Latin alphabet.

Philippine folk literature

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Philippine mythology
 Creation gods
 Bathala ﾧ
Other gods
 Bakunawa ﾧ
 Kan-Laon ﾧ

 Mangindusa ﾧ
Mythical beings
 Aswang ﾧ
 Diwata ﾧ
 Duwende ﾧ
 Juan Tamad ﾧ
 Mambabarang ﾧ
 Manananggal ﾧ
 Mangkukulam ﾧ
 Mariang Makiling ﾧ

 Nuno sa punso ﾧ
Mythical animals
Mythical heroes
 Ama-ron ﾧ

 Bernardo Carpio ﾧ
Mythical objects
 Agimat ﾧ
Related topics
 Paganism ﾧ
 Religion in the
Philippines ﾧ

 Tagbanwa
mythology ﾧ
  V
 T

 E

Philippine folk literature refers to the traditional oral literature of the Filipino people.
Thus, the scope of the field covers the ancient folk literature of the Philippines' various
ethnic groups, as well as various pieces of folklore that have evolved since the
Philippines became a single ethno-political unit.
While the difference between Philippine folk literature and Philippine mythology is
a fine one, this article distinguishes folk literature as the source from which
Philippine mythology derives
== Philippine folk literature in oral and print formats ==
While the oral, and thus changeable, aspect of folk literature is an important defining
characteristic, much of this oral tradition has been written into a print format. To point out
that folklore in a written form can still be considered folklore, Utely points out that
folklore "may appear in print, but must not freeze into print."[1] It should be pointed out
that all the examples of folk literature cited in this article are taken from print, rather than
oral sources.

Contents
[hide]
 1 Categories of Philippine folk literature
 2 As an example of Southeast Asian folklore
 3 Continued evolution
 4 References

Categories of Philippine folk literature[edit]

Eugenio classifies Philippine Folk Literature into three major groups: Folk narratives,
folk speech, and folk songs. [2]
Folk narratives can either be in prose - the alamat (myth), the legend, and the kuwentong
bayan (folktale) - or in verse, as in the case of the folk narrative.
Folk speech includes the bugtong (riddle) and the salawikain (proverbs).
Folk songs can be sub-classified into those that tell a story (folk ballads), which are rare
in Philippine folk literature, and those that do not, which form the bulk of the Philippines'
rich heritage of folk songs.

As an example of Southeast Asian folklore[edit]

Since it comes from a Southeast Asian nation, Philippine folk literature can be counted as
a representative of Southeast Asian folklore. This is not a simple categorization, however,
for two important reasons. [3]
First, Southeast Asia as a distinct cultural region was not recognized until the political
environment after the Second World War.
Second, even as the idea of a Southeast Asia was being conceived, the inclusion of the
Philippines in the region was consistently in debate because of its very different cultural
makeup.
Setting those two objections aside, Philippine Folk Literature would be considered a
subset of the folklore of peninsular Southeast Asia, which includes the folklore
of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. This would be distinct from the folk literature of
continental Southeast Asia, which includes Vietnam, Thailand,Myanmar, Cambodia, and
others. The distinction roots from the geographical influence on the cultures arising from
these countries.
Like all of Southeast Asia, however, whether peninsular or continental, Philippine Folk
Literature shows strong cultural influences from India.
A major difference however, arises from the colonial influences in the development of
Southeast Asian folk literature. The Philippines' 300 years of Spanish rule makes it
unique, enough to earn the title of "a piece of Latin America in Southeast Asia."

Continued evolution[edit]
While folklore is often associated with ancient times, new pieces of Philippine folk
Literature have arisen in modern times. Quite aside from urban legends, modern legends
attributing superhuman powers to powerful and charistmatic leaders such as former
presidents Ramon Magsaysay and Ferdinand Marcoshave been documented and accepted
as full-fledged examples of Philippine folk Literature. [4]

Philippine mythology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical

creatures and entities. Many Filipinos, even though heavily Christianized, still believe in
these tales. The prevalence of belief in the figures of Filipino mythology is strong in
the provinces.
Because the country has many islands and is inhabited by different ethnic groups,
Philippine mythology and superstitions are very diverse. However, certain similarities
exist among these groups, such as the belief in Heaven
(kaluwalhatian, kalangitan, kamurawayan), Hell (impiyerno, kasamaan), and the human
soul (kaluluwa).

Contents
[hide]
 1 Philippine folk literature
 2 Philippine pantheon
 3 Creation myths

 3.1 The Story of Bathala

 3.2 Visayan version
 3.3 The legend of Maria Makiling
 3.4 The legend of Minggan

 4 Mythological creatures, demons and monsters

 5 References

 5.1 Specific
 5.2 General

 6 External links

Philippine folk literature[edit]

Main article: Philippine folk literature
Philippine mythology is derived from Philippine folk literature, which is the traditional
oral literature of the Filipino people. This refers to a wide range of material due to the
ethnic mix of the Philippines. Each unique ethnic group has its own stories and myths to
tell.
While the oral and thus changeable aspect of folk literature is an important defining
characteristic, much of this oral tradition had been written into a print format. To point
out that folklore in a written form can still be considered folklore, Utely pointed out that
folklore "may appear in print, but must not freeze into print."[1] It should be pointed out
that all the examples of folk literature cited in this article are taken from print, rather than
oral sources.
University of the Philippines professor, Damiana Eugenio, classified Philippines Folk
Literature into three major groups: folk narratives, folk speech, and folk songs.[2] Folk
narratives can either be in prose: the myth, the alamat (legend), and the kuwentong
bayan (folktale), or in verse, as in the case of the folk epic. Folk speech includes
the bugtong (riddle) and the salawikain (proverbs). Folk songs that can be sub-classified
into those that tell a story (folk ballads) are a relative rarity in Philippine folk literature.
These form the bulk of the Philippines' rich heritage of folk songs.

Philippine pantheon[edit]
Main article: Deities of Philippine mythology
The stories of ancient Philippine mythology include deities, creation stories, mythical
creatures, and beliefs. Ancient Philippine mythology varies among the many indigenous
tribes of the Philippines. Some groups during the pre-Spanish conquest era believed in a
single Supreme Being who created the world and everything in it, while others chose to
worship a multitude of tree and forest deities (diwatas). Diwatas came from
the Sanskrit word devata which means "deity", one of the several
significant Hindu influences in the Pre-Hispanic religion of the ancient Filipinos. Below
are some of the gods and goddesses of the ancient Philippines:
Ancient Tagalog Deities:

 Bathala- the chief deity of the Tagalogs.

 Lakampati (Lacapati/Lacanpate) - the major fertility deity of the ancient

Tagalogs. Farmers with their children brought offerings for her/him at the fields
and invoke her/him to protect them from famine. Some sources also said that
foods and words are offered to her/him by her/his devotees asking for "water" for
their fields and "fish" when they set sail in the sea for fishing. Lakampati was a
hermaphrodite deity. S/he is identified to the ancient Zambal goddess Ikapati
although s/he also has a characteristics similar to other Zambal deities such as
Anitong Tawo, Dumangan, Damulag, Kalasokus, and Kalaskas. S/he is the mother
of Anagolay and wife of Mapulon. In some myths, s/he is listed as the wife of
Bathala himself, before the world was created.

 Pati - According to Ferdinand Blumentritt the Igorots call the rain Pati and look
upon him as a merciful divinity to whom they directed their prayers. According to
Dr. D. Sinibaldo Mas, the anito of the rain is called Pati by the Ifugaos.

 Lakambakod (Lachan Bacor) – a phallic god who was the protector of the
growing crops and healer of diseases. His name literally means “great/noble
fence”, from Lakan (a title of nobility) + bakod (fence) according to Diksyunaryo-
Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles by J.V. Panganiban. Some sources claim him to be a
protector of houses. One of his identifiers is his penis, which was said to be as
long as a rice stalk.

 Idiyanale (Idianale) – the goddess of labor and good deeds. Natives used to call
for her guidance in order to make their works successful. She married the
agricultural god Dimangan and had two offspring.
 Amansinaya (Aman Sinaya) – the patron goddess of fishermen, she was
appealed when the fishing net were cast. She is identified as one of the primordial
deities of creation, existing alongside Bathala and Amihan during the creation of
land.

 Amanikable (Ama ni Cable/Ama ni Coable) – the patron god of hunters.

Sometimes identified as the god of the sea, known for his ill and frightful temper.

 Diyan Masalanta (Dian Masalanta) – The goddess of love, fecundity and

childbirth. Daughter of Anagolay and Dumakulem.

 Apolaki (Apolaqui) – the ancient Pangasinenses worshipped him as their

supreme deity addressed as Ama-Gaoley or Anagaoley(Supreme Father) whom
they invoke for various matters such as war, trade and travel. They offered oils,
incenses, and other aromatic herbs to his idol/images, slaves and pigs was also
sacrificed in his honor. He was Identified to Suku a deity of ancient
Kapampangans which associated him to the sun. Based on historical records, there
is no hard evidence that he was also worshiped by the ancient Tagalogs, he is
often not listed (just like Mayari) to the pantheon of anitos that ancient Tagalogs
worshiped. In some informal and modern folktale version based on Pampangan
Mythology his sister was Mayari a Zambal deity and their father was Bathala
which is a Tagalog deity, this probably caused the misconception. Some sources
list him as the son of Bathala and brother of Hanan, Mayari and Tala, but other
sources list him as the son of Anagolay and Dumakulem, brother of Diyan
Masalanta.

 Mayari/Malyari (Mallari) – She/He was worshipped by the Negritos of

Zambales as their chief deity in which the “bayoc” (high priest) was the only one
allowed to make offerings and sacrifices to him/her. Mayari seems to be the only
one represented by an actual idol among the Zambal pantheon, a wooden head
with a straw body and arms, constructed and clothed by the bayoc for the
occasion. Based on historical records, there is no hard evidence that she/he was
also worshiped by the ancient Tagalogs, so as Anitong Tawo and Dumangan. In
Pampangan mythology he/she was a sibling of Suku, he/she was also associated to
the moon based on that mythology, in some informal and modern folktale version
based on the said myth his/her brother was Apolaki a Pangasinense deity and their
father was Bathala which is a Tagalog deity, this probably caused the
misconception. The ancient Tagalogs do venerate the moon, however there is no
recorded evidence that they deified it as Mayari. She was considered the most
beautiful of all the gods.

 Lakambini (Lacambui) – An obscure deity often called by the Spaniards as

“abogado de la garganta” (the throat advocate). It is also known as the pure
maiden.
  Mangkukutod (Mancucutor) – the patron god of a particular class of ancient
Tagalogs, but the traditions were very obscure.

 Anitong Tawo (Aniton Tavo) – the god of the wind and of rain of the ancient
Zambal. The name literally means “man god or demigod”. He received the most
important sacrifices among the deities invoked for good crops.

 Kabunian - One of the gods to some tribes (Ibaloi, Kalanguya, Kankana-ey) in

the cordillera mountain range, specially in Benguet Province. Benguet Kankana-
eys - Many years ago, some old folks believed that he resides in Mt. Kabunian (in
Bakun, Benguet) while Ibaloi and Kalanguya believers say he resides in Mt. Pulag
(straddling the boundaries of Benguet and Ifugao) together with the spirits of their
ancestors and anitos.

 Ginoong Ganay (Unmarried Lady) - according to Luciano P.R. Santiago (To

Love and to Suffer) the goddess who was believed to inhabit the "calumpang tree"
was the advocate of single women. Her presence in the tree was heralded by the
fact that its pretty flowers drove away their insect suitors by releasing a rank
scent.

Creation myths[edit]
There are many different creation myths in Philippine mythology, originating from
various ethnic groups.
The Story of Bathala[edit]
In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the universe.
Bathala was the caretaker of the earth, Ulilang Kaluluwa (lit. Orphaned Spirit), a huge
serpent who lived in the clouds, and Galang Kaluluwa (lit. Wandering spirit), the winged
god who loves to travel. These three gods did not know each other.
Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from doing so.
Ulilang Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit places and the earth
was his favorite. One day the two gods met. Ulilang Kaluluwa, seeing another god
rivalling him, was not pleased. He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would be
the ruler of the universe. After three days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was slain by
Bathala. Instead of giving him a proper burial, Bathala burned the snake's remains. A few
years later the third god, Galang Kaluluwa, wandered into Bathala's home. He welcomed
the winged god with much kindness and even invited him to live in his kingdom. They
became true friends and were very happy for many years.
Galang Kaluluwa became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury him on
the spot where Ulilang Kaluluwa’s body was burned. Bathala did exactly as he was told.
Out of the grave of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round nut, which is the
coconut tree. Bathala took the nut and husked it. He noticed that the inner skin was hard.
The nut itself reminded him of Galang Kaluluwa’s head. It had two eyes, a nose, and a
round mouth. Its leaves looked so much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the
trunk was hard and ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake Ulilang Kaluluwa.
Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him on earth. He
created the vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman. Bathala built a house for
them out of the trunk and leaves of the coconut' trees. For food, they drank the coconut
juice and ate its delicious white meat. Its leaves, they discovered, were great for making
mats, hats, and brooms. Its fiber could be used for rope and many other things.
Visayan version[edit]
This is an ancient Visayan account of creation:
Thousands of years ago, there was no land, sun, moon, or stars, and the world was
only a great sea of water, above which stretched the sky. The water was the kingdom
of the god Maguayan, and the sky was ruled by the great god, Kaptan.
Maguayan had a daughter called Lidagat, the sea, and Kaptan had a son known as
Lihangin, the wind. The gods agreed to the marriage of their children, so the sea
became the bride of the wind.
A daughter and three sons were born to them. The sons were called Likalibutan,
Liadlao, and Libulan, and the daughter received the name of Lisuga.
Likalibutan had a body of rock and was strong and brave; Liadlao was formed of
gold and was always happy; Libulan was made of copper and was weak and timid;
and the beautiful Lisuga had a body of pure silver and was sweet and gentle. Their
parents were very fond of them, and nothing was wanting to make them happy.
After a time Lihangin died and left the control of the winds to his eldest son
Likalibutan. The faithful wife Lidagat soon followed her husband, and the children,
now grown up, were left without father or mother. However, their grandfathers,
Kaptan and Maguayan, took care of them and guarded them from all evil.
After some time, Likalibutan, proud of his power over the winds, resolved to gain
more power, and asked his brothers to join him in an attack on Kaptan in the sky
above. They refused at first, but when Likalibutan became angry with them, the
amiable Liadlao, not wishing to offend his brother, agreed to help. Then together they
induced the timid Libulan to join in the plan.
When all was ready, the three brothers rushed at the sky, but they could not beat down
the gates of steel that guarded the entrance. Likalibutan let loose the strongest winds
and blew the bars in every direction. The brothers rushed into the opening, but were
met by the angry god Kaptan. So terrible did he look that they turned and ran in
terror, but Kaptan, furious at the destruction of his gates, sent three bolts of lightning
after them.
The first struck the copper Libulan and melted him into a ball. The second struck the
golden Liadlao and he too was melted. The third bolt struck Likalibutan and his rocky
body broke into many pieces and fell into the sea. So huge was he that parts of his
body stuck out above the water and became what is known as land.
In the meantime the gentle Lisuga had missed her brothers and started to look for
them. She went toward the sky, but as she approached the broken gates, Kaptan, blind
with anger, struck her too with lightning, and her silver body broke into thousands of
pieces.
Kaptan then came down from the sky and tore the sea apart, calling on Maguayan to
come to him and accusing him of ordering the attack on the sky. Soon Maguayan
 appeared and answered that he knew nothing of the plot as he had been asleep deep
in the sea. After some time, he succeeded in calming the angry Kaptan. Together they
wept at the loss of their grandchildren, especially the gentle and beautiful Lisuga, but
even with their powers, they could not restore the dead back to life. However, they
gave to each body a beautiful light that will shine forever.
And so it was the golden Liadlao who became the sun and the copper Libulan, the
moon, while Lisuga's pieces of silver were turned into the stars of heaven. To wicked
Likalibutan, the gods gave no light, but resolved to make his body support a new race
of people. So Kaptan gave Maguayan a seed and he planted it on one of the islands.
Soon a bamboo tree grew up, and from the hollow of one of its branches, a man and a
woman came out. The man's name was Sikalak and the woman was called Sikabay.
They were the parents of the human race. Their first child was a son whom they called
Libo; afterwards they had a daughter who was known as Saman.
Pandaguan, the youngest son, was very clever and invented a trap to catch fish. The
very first thing he caught was a huge shark. When he brought it to land, it looked so
great and fierce that he thought it was surely a god, and he at once ordered his people
to worship it. Soon all gathered around and began to sing and pray to the shark.
Suddenly the sky and sea opened, and the gods came out and ordered Pandaguan to
throw the shark back into the sea and to worship none, but them.
All were afraid except Pandaguan. He grew very bold and answered that the shark
was as big as the gods, and that since he had been able to overpower it he would also
be able to conquer the gods. Then Kaptan, hearing this, struck Pandaguan with a
small lightning bolt, for he did not wish to kill him but merely to teach him a lesson.
Then he and Maguayan decided to punish these people by scattering them over the
earth, so they carried some to one land and some to another. Many children were
afterwards born, and thus the earth became inhabited in all parts.
Pandaguan did not die. After lying on the ground for thirty days he regained his
strength, but his body was blackened from the lightning, and his descendants became
the dark-skinned tribe, the Negritos.
As punishment, his eldest son, Aryon, was taken north where the cold took away his
senses. While Libo and Saman were carried south, where the hot sun scorched their
bodies. A son of Saman and a daughter of Sikalak were carried east, where the land
at first was so lacking in food that they were compelled to eat clay.
The legend of Maria Makiling[edit]
Main article: Maria Makiling
Maria Makiling is a diwata (fairy or forest nymph) who takes care of the ecologically rich
Mount Makiling,[3] a dormant volcano in Laguna, Philippines. She is considered the
protector of the mountain and the forests that surround it. She is also considered one of
the most widely known diwata in Philippine Mythology. While many legends and
superstitions exist about her, many share the common theme of a beautiful woman who
falls in love with a man.
The legend of Minggan[edit]
Main articles: Minggan and Mariang Sinukuan
Minggan is a giant lived alone in Sierra Madre Mountain ranges and was in love
with Mariang Sinukuan, the mountain spirit goddess. From time to time, Minggan would
climb the mountains and offer her gigantic fruits and vegetables such as potatoes the size
of boulders, which he transported in a huge wheel barrow. One day, Mariang Sinukuan
told Minggan that he could only win her heart if he passed a test. "I want you to stop the
river from flowing, I want you to build a pond in the mountains so I can be with all the
living things that lived under water." The task could only be done if Minggan could carry
enormous boulders of rocks from the surrounding mountains and throw them to the great
river. The goddess added a condition. The task should be completed before daybreak.
Minggan turned when he heard the rooster. He saw Mariang Sinukuan and realized that
he had failed the test.
Elito Circa (a famous filipino folk artist) had heard of this legend. His father and
grandfather used to tell him that the giant`s footprints could still be found in Palayupay in
Pantabangan. He heard from his folks how in some parts of the mountain, Minggan`s
wheel barrow had left marks in the trunks of trees.

Mythological creatures, demons and

monsters[edit]
Main article: Philippine mythical creatures
The Aswang [4] is a generic term for all types of ghouls (an eater of the dead), vampires,
and werewolf and other malevolent creatures described from hereon. The (Agta) is a
black tree spirit or man. The Dila (The Tongue), is a spirit that passes through the
bamboo flooring of provincial houses, then licks the victims to death.[citation needed].
Other mythical creatures include fairies (Diwata), dryads (Engkanto), dwarves
(Duwende), tree-residing trolls (Kapre), self-segmenting vampire and the most
stereotyped 'Aswang' (Manananggal), witches or warlocks
(Mangkukulam/Manggagamot), spirit-summoners (Mambabarang), goblins (Nuno sa
Punso), ghosts (Multo), fireballs (Santelmo), mermaids (Serena), mermen (Siyokoy),
demon-horses (Tikbalang), evil spirits (Hantu Demon), demon-infants (Tiyanak), and the
(Wakwak) or night birds belonging to a witch or vampire or the witch or vampire itself in
the form of a night bird.