Philippine Literature: Pre-Colonial Period PDF

**PHILIPPINE LITERATURE: PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD** - The Philippine archipelago has a rich literary tradition that predates Spanish colonization. - Pre-colonial Philippine literature was largely oral, reflecting the diverse cultures of the islands. - This presentation explores the geogr...

**PHILIPPINE LITERATURE: PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD** - The Philippine archipelago has a rich literary tradition that predates Spanish colonization. - Pre-colonial Philippine literature was largely oral, reflecting the diverse cultures of the islands. - This presentation explores the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic aspects that influenced the evolution of Philippine literature in its early stages. **Geographic Dimensions** - **The Philippine Archipelago:** - The Philippines consists of over 7,000 islands, divided into three main geographical regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. - Different regions had distinct cultures, traditions, and literary practices. **Notable Literary Practices Based on Geography:** - **Luzon:** Primarily the Tagalog-speaking region, rich in poetry (e.g., *balagtasan*, *awit*). - **Visayas:** The epic tales of the Visayan people, such as the *Hinilawod*, reflect the island's environment and traditions. - **Mindanao:** Home to many Indigenous groups, with oral traditions focusing on mythology, heroism, and nature. **LINGUISTIC DIMENSIONS** - **Diversity of Languages:** - The Philippines has over 170 languages, with major groups including Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and many others. - These languages played a significant role in shaping the literary forms of different regions. **ORAL TRADITIONS:** - Pre-colonial literature was primarily oral, with poetry, stories, and songs passed down verbally through generations. - Forms such as epic poetry, riddles, chants, and proverbs were performed in local languages. **Examples of Linguistic Contributions:** - **Tagalog:** The *Balagtasan* (debate poetry), which developed later, has roots in the oral traditions of pre-colonial Tagalog society. - **Cebuano:** Known for rich *epic poems* and folk narratives. - **Visayan Languages:** Rich in epic forms like *Hinilawod* and *Siamang Magtanghala*. **ETHNIC DIMENSIONS** - **Ethnic Diversity:** - The pre-colonial Philippines was home to numerous ethnic groups, including Austronesian peoples, Moro (Muslim) groups, and Indigenous tribes like the Ifugao, Igorot, and Aeta. - Each group had its own distinct cultural and literary traditions. - **Ethnic Contributions to Literature:** - **Tagalog:** The *Haraya* (dream visions) and *Korido* (chivalric tales) highlight themes of bravery, love, and societal values. - **Visayan:** The *Kantahan* (song traditions) and *Balitaw* (a form of folk song and dance) reflect the lively and emotional nature of Visayan culture. - **Moro Literature:** The *Darangan*, an epic of the Maranao people, combines themes of Islamic values, heroism, and local customs. **LITERARY FORMS IN THE PRE-COLONIAL ERA** - **Oral Literature:** - **Epics:** Large-scale narratives (e.g., *Hinilawod* from Panay, *Darangan* from Mindanao). - **Chants and Songs:** *Balitaw*, *Kantahan*, and *Umpa* (songs of work and life). - **Proverbs and Riddles:** Used to impart wisdom and teach moral lessons. - **Written Literature (Pre-Spanish Influence):** - **Baybayin Script:** The indigenous writing system used for poetry, religious texts, and communication. - Some early inscriptions and documents, like the *Laguna Copperplate Inscription*, hint at written records, though much of the literature remained oral. **CASE STUDY: THE EPIC HINILAWOD (VISAYAS)** **Overview:** - One of the longest epics in Philippine literature, originating from the Visayas (specifically the Panay region). - The Hinilawod follows the adventures of three brothers: Labaw Donggon, Humadapnon, and Dumalapdap.Geographic, Linguistic, and Ethnic Significance: - Set in a mythical, rural, and water-bound landscape, reflecting the Visayan environment. - Written in Kinaray-a, a language spoken in the region. - Ethnic Identity: Reflects the Visayan worldview, emphasizing bravery, family, and the supernatural. - Geographic, Linguistic, and Ethnic Significance: - Geography: Set in the lakes and riverine systems of Mindanao, highlighting the natural landscape. - Linguistic: Written in the Maranao language, featuring poetic forms like kandil and salidummay. - Ethnic Identity: Embodies Islamic values, local myths, and the concept of heroism in the Maranao tradition. - The Philippines was a key player in Southeast Asian trade networks, connecting with China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. - Cultural exchange through trade led to shared myths, stories, and influences on literature. - Examples of Influence: - Indian Influence: Hinduism and Buddhism influenced literary themes, seen in the epic traditions, and the incorporation of gods and supernatural elements. - The Philippine literary tradition in the pre-colonial era is deeply intertwined with the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic diversity of the islands. - Oral traditions, including epics, songs, and proverbs, were central to preserving and transmitting cultural identities. - These literary forms offer a unique window into the values, beliefs, and practices of early Filipino societies. **-Fiction.** This serves as a product of the writer\'s wild imagination and creative thinking where the characters react to the conflict and various issues central to the main idea of a literary work. - Its three types are: **short story, novel, and novella.** - The main genres are: crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, western, inspirational, historical fiction and horror. **-Non-fiction**. These are stories inspired by real events where the writers aim to present, interpret, or describe experiences based on facts. - The judgments, opinions, and commentaries of the writers may be presented in the form of essays, journals, diaries, feature articles, editorials, and the like. **GENRE** refers to the forms of literature. - The general ***ones are oral and written***. - The main types are prose and poetry. -There are many other forms that have sprung through the years. Specifically, it is defined in the curriculum guide as something that "may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The distinctions between genres and categories are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups. -The most general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy, and creative nonfiction. -They can all be in the form of prose or poetry. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre, but as a mixture of genres. -Finally, they are defined by the general cultural movement of the historical period in which they were composed. Genre should not be confused with age categories, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young-adult, or children\'s. They also must not be confused with format, such as graphic novel or picture book." - **LITERARY ELEMENTS** refer "to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole text. -They are not "used," per se, by authors; they represent the elements of storytelling which are common to all literary and narrative forms. -For example, every story has a theme, a setting, a conflict, and has a particular point-of-view, etc. -In order to be discussed legitimately as part of a textual analysis, literary elements must be specifically identified for that particular text." (Glossary, Curriculum Guide). -The common elements of a story are ***setting, character, conflict, theme, point of view, and plot.*** **-Plot** also has its own elements such as ***exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution or denouement*** /ˌdeɪˈnuːmɒ̃/. -In poetry, there are **four essential elements**: **form, imagery, rhythm, and sound**. **- Poetry** comes in different forms such as whether it is **free verse, couplet, limerick, etc.** **-Imagery** on the other hand is the reason why we see pictures in words and it adds color in any types of literature especially in poetry. **-Rhythms** and sounds are somehow similar. In fact, rhythm falls under the broad category sound. While sound deals with the common use of rhymes and other literary devices such as repetition (repeating of words, phrases, or lines), alliteration (repeating same consonant sounds), assonance (repeating same vowel sounds), and onomatopoeia (the use of the actual sound to represent someone or something), rhythm is more concerned with the flow of the beat such as whether it is fast or slow. -In general, both **sounds and rhythms are the key ingredients that give poetry a musical effect** -**The term** \"Traditions\" refers to the specific traits of literary works that define a generation or period in history. A literary tradition "is a collection of works that have an underlying interconnectedness and coherence that makes them more than simply a group of works sharing geography or group. Irish poetry and drama, for example, extend over several centuries, involving writers with a range of voices and preoccupations; and yet it is often thought that they are distinctively \"Irish.\" This means that you can have someone who doesn\'t come from Ireland, perhaps doesn\'t even have Irish ancestors, but they can write in the Irish Literary Tradition because they will draw on the same references, structure, mythology, focal points for cultural meanings and historical moments." Historically speaking**, Philippine literature** can be divided into three most important periods: **pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial.** All literary works produced before the Spanish colonization such as chants, proverbs, songs, and folk narratives are considered under pre-colonial period which are mostly of oral traditions. This is not because early Filipinos did not have system of writing yet but due to the unavailability of printing materials. Life was simple and so is literature during this period. If we have phones and other forms of technology to entertain us, our ancestors had literature for recreation who were noted for being music lover as more than 10 types of songs in various Philippine languages were discovered. Our forefathers also valued words of wisdom for teaching values as evidenced by numerous proverbs or salawikain. **-**Story telling was used to explain phenomenon and to teach lessons as well. Having bugtong or riddles was also a favorite past time and listening to narratives of bravery, magic, and heroism in epics was a box office hit. The focus of literature suddenly changed upon the arrival of Spaniards. An emphasis on morality and religion was common in literary forms such **as Corrido, Pasyon, and Cenaculo**. The production of printed materials started but it was mostly of religious purposes and themes. It was made in an attempt to instill traditional Spanish ways and cultures among the native Filipinos. Despite this indoctrination, native tradition still survived and flourished especially for areas where the colonial power was less popular. Literacy paved the way to develop sense of nationalism among Filipinos during the latter part of Spanish colonization. Filipinos started to write about oppression, corruption, and other social ills such as in the works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal entitled Noli Me Tangere and its sequel **El Filibusterismo**. The literary production during the American Period was inspired by the developments **in education and culture.** Knowledge and information became accessible to all Filipinos because of the free public education. During the apprenticeship period, the Filipino writers imitated English and American models. All forms of literature were explored by Filipino writers. During this period, short stories were the most prevalent literary form. With the new knowledge of English language, many writers started to gain recognition both locally and internationally like Jose Garcia Villa who earned the International title, "Poet of the Century\" as an example. Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when we were conquered by Japan between 1941-1945 since freedom of expression was uncommon back then. Filipino writers in the Philippines were forbidden to write anything against the government and only those who were in exile had the privilege to do so. As a result of banning the English language, short stories written in the vernaculars flourished in the country. The three most influential foreign invaders to the types of literature produced during colonial periods are **Spanish, American, and Japanese wherein the common themes and subject mostly tackle about oppression, religion, freedom, or anything that reflects the experiences of Filipino people under the colonizers.** The influences brought to us by colonial periods are said to have been extended up to the postcolonial periods especially in social and cultural dimensions. Post-colonial is the period after the rebirth of freedom in the Philippines up to the present. One of the most unforgotten and controversial periods during this era is having Martial Law during the Marcos regime. All of the periods mentioned are essential towards understanding the types of literature being produced in the Philippines. **PHILIPPINE LITERATURE DURING PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD** The beginning period of Philippine literary history can be considered as the longest as evidenced by the artifacts of different periods recovered ranging from 50,000 years ago to 14th century A.D. in the Tabon Cave of Palawan. The said exploration was headed by a team from the National Museum where they found the oldest known human skeletal and fossil in the Philippines. The discovery later on led to the realization of our very own indigenous cultures before the presence of the Spanish colonizers through the analysis of collected oral literature preserved by our Filipino ancestors. Literature during this period may be classified into three groups: folk speech, folk songs, and folk narratives such as riddles, proverbs, myths, legends, fables, and hero tales. Epics are of great proportions among oral literature in all regions. Spiritual traditions and regular trading with our Asian neighbors such as India, China, and other countries from Southeast Asia had been part of our Filipino ancestors\' daily lives during the pre-colonial period. As a result, early Filipinos were exposed to various religions and cultures that shaped their values, beliefs, and traditions. Indigenous animism was predominant at the time, but Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism were also embraced. Other than being one of the largest Christian countries today, our country is also considered as predominantly Islamic since it was introduced in the 14th century as a foreign religion. Although, there was no formal education, early Filipinos already had their own government system. Daily experiences and religious rites and ceremonies mostly reflect the type of literature produced at that time. Experts state the possibility of having our ancestors' own system of writing during the pre-colonial period but unfortunately only few survived in terms of written form leading to the prevalence of oral literature. This explains why no notable authors were recorded. **PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD** (before the arrival of Spaniards) Certain events in the Philippines during pre-colonial period started to be recorded in the year 1521. Our rich past was reflected in \"folk speeches, folk songs, folk narratives and indigenous rituals and mimetic dances that affirm our ties with our Southeast Asian neighbors\" (Godinez-Ortega, n.d.). In terms of government, Filipinos were ruled by chieftains of different barangay. The Malacañang Palace considered this as more on \"alliance networking rather than territorial\" (malacanang.gov.ph). There was no formal education. Learning was merely through imitation and practice. In general, the following were commonly practiced: ✔ Early Filipinos heavily believed on spirits and supernatural entities (animism). ✔ Social ranking and classes were practiced. ✔ Economic and political dimensions involved trading, marriage, feasting, and alliance. **DIMENSIONS OF PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE** ✔ Philippine literature during the pre-colonial era is mostly based on oral traditions passed down from generation to generation. ✔ The language used pertains to daily life. ✔ Common forms of oral literature are riddles, proverbs, and songs to express a thought or emotion. ✔ Epic was considered as the most exciting poetic and narrative form of literature in which the ASEAN-sponsored study of Filipino asserted that there are more than 100 epics discovered where majority came from Palawan (as cited by Quindoza-Santiago, n.d.). ✔ Majority of proverbs, epigrams, and proverbs collected by researchers come from Tagalog, Cebuano, and Ilocano dialects. ✔ The ancient pre-Spanish form of writing called Baybayin which was often cited in the work of Pedro Chirino during the 1500s, was later on approved as the National Writing System of the Philippines through House Bill No. 1022. ✔ The experiences of the people during pre-colonial period such as food hunting, work at home, caring for the children, and creatures or objects of nature served as the common subject in oral literature. ✔ Anyone who knew the language and the convention and forms could be a poet, singer, or storyteller. ✔ All important events such as rites and ceremonies reflect religious observance where people commonly recite, sing, or utter a chant. **TYPES OF PRE-COLONIAL LITERATURE** ✔ Folk Tales. These are stories which can be characterized as anonymous, timeless, and placeless tales circulated orally among a group of people. ✔ Legends. These are a form of prose which deal with the origin of a thing, location or name. ✔ Myths. Unlike legends where the characters have realistic human qualities, the characters here usually have supernatural powers where the main purpose is to provide explanation about the existence of something or someone. ✔ Epics. These pertain to a type of a long narrative poem mainly focusing on the heroic achievements and deeds of the main character. ✔ Folk Songs. These can be considered as the oldest forms of Philippine literature that mirror the culture which expresses hopes, aspirations, lifestyles, and emotions of early Filipinos. Some examples are kundiman, kumintang, oyayi or hele and some drinking songs. ✔ Other Forms. Some examples are: - ***proverbs*** (salawikain), ***riddles*** (bugtong***), chant*** (bulong), ***maxims or those with rhyming couplets of 5, 6, or 8 syllables***, ***sayings*** (kasabihan), ***and idiom*** (sawikain). - **Tanaga** is another favorite poem consisting of four rhyming lines of 7 syllables each. ✔ Appreciating Words of Wisdom One timeless piece of literature that has been part of Filipino culture and tradition is a proverb or salawikain in our own language. ✔ Proverbs are brief expressions that serve as a norm which are commonly uttered by elders based on their everyday experiences to encourage positive behaviors among young people. ✔ One of the widely recognized collectors of comprehensive proverbs in our country is Damiana L. Eugenio who is considered as the \"Mother of Philippine Folklore\". ✔ She classified proverbs into six categories: \(1) proverbs expressing a general attitude towards life and the laws that govern life; \(2) ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices; \(3) proverbs expressing a system of values; \(4) proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human nature; \(5) humorous proverbs and \(6) miscellaneous proverbs. ✔An emphasis on Christian doctrine was manifested through various types of texts which replaced stories about heroes and animated creatures to Biblical characters and saints as evidenced by novenas, prayer books, and other printed materials. This makes literature during the Early Spanish Period didactic or intended for teaching morality and conduct for good behavior. Other than books, plays and dramas emerged for recreational purposes. These were mostly poetic in nature and were intended for public performances. ✔When few privileged Filipino men from middle class families were given access to education, they also became fluent in Spanish language which paved the way to production of literary texts by our own natives. Eventually, this led to reforms in the government through underground newspapers and revolts. Threatened by the presence of other colonizers, the transition between Spanish Period and American Period was not smooth due to resistance among Emilio Aguinaldo who was the appointed president at that time and our fellow countrymen. As compared to Spanish regime, American colonizers used democratic approach as manifested by allowing a Filipino to lead the country through elections where Manuel Quezon won over Aguinaldo. ✔Public education was then emphasized during this period where the English language was introduced and embraced by many Filipinos resulting in various literary works in English which were mostly imitative at first. Some notable Filipino writers later on adapted and developed their own theme, styles, and conventions making their works recognizable both nationally and internationally. Watching foreign films replaced the popularity of theatrical shows and novels. ✔The cruelty of the Japanese occupation was evidenced by strong resistance among the majority of Filipino people. The attempt to erase Western influences was shown when they tried to ban the use of English language during their reign. An emphasis on Christian doctrine was manifested through various types of texts which replaced stories about heroes and animated creatures to Biblical characters and saints as evidenced by novenas, prayer books, and other printed materials. ✔This makes literature during the Early Spanish Period didactic or intended for teaching morality and conduct for good behavior. Other than books, plays and dramas emerged for recreational purposes. These were mostly poetic in nature and were intended for public performances. When few privileged Filipino men from middle class families were given access to education, they also became fluent in Spanish language which paved the way to production of literary texts by our own natives. Eventually, this led to reforms in the government through underground newspapers and revolts. ✔Threatened by the presence of other colonizers, the transition between Spanish Period and American Period was not smooth due to resistance among Emilio Aguinaldo who was the appointed president at that time and our fellow countrymen. As compared to Spanish regime, American colonizers used democratic approach as manifested by allowing a Filipino to lead the country through elections where Manuel Quezon won over Aguinaldo. ✔Public education was then emphasized during this period where the English language was introduced and embraced by many Filipinos resulting in various literary works in English which were mostly imitative at first. Some notable Filipino writers later on adapted and developed their own theme, styles, and conventions making their works recognizable both nationally and internationally. Watching foreign films replaced the popularity of theatrical shows and novels. ✔The cruelty of the Japanese occupation was evidenced by strong resistance among the majority of Filipino people. The attempt to erase Western influences was shown when they tried to ban the use of English language during their reign. ✔Freedom of the press and of expression was also suppressed. The Tagalog language was favored by the Japanese which made Tagalog stories and dramas flourish at the time. Love for music was evident through exposure to opera and classical music. Life struggles, nationalism, and patriotism were the common themes and subjects but were secretly published. Only those Filipinos who were living abroad could freely write and express their opinions. **I. SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD (1565-1898)** ✔ This can be divided into two major periods: Early Spanish Period (1565-1863) and Later Part or Revolutionary Period (1864-1896). ✔ Early Spanish Period can be categorized as either religious or secular **Dimensions of Philippine Literature** ✔ The type of literature produced during this period used Spanish, Tagalog, and the vernacular form of languages. ✔ Spanish was introduced as the medium of communication and later shifted to Tagalog when a sense of nationalism arose during the revolutionary period. ✔ The introduction of the printing equipment called xylographic press by the Dominicans resulted in publication of various religious materials and earliest books. ✔ Poetically inclined writers led by Tagalog versifiers called Ladinos (natives who were also fluent in Spanish) such as Fernándo Bágongbantâ and Tomas Pinpin tackled mostly morality and religion. ✔ Folk songs still existed. ✔ Drama, as another type of literary genre, as well as metrical tales based on European origin (such as awit and corrido) flourished. ✔ Diaryong Tagalog (1882), a Spanish-Tagalog newspaper, published bulk of Filipino writings. The publication signaled the open campaign for reforms. ✔ In 1889, the La Solidaridad, an underground newspaper, became the mouthpiece of the Reform Movement. **Emergence of Other Types of Literature during Spanish Colonial Period** ✔ Books. In 1593, the book written by Fr. Juan de Placencia and Fr. Domingo Nieva entitled \"Doctrina Cristiana\" (The Christian Doctrine) was first printed. Among the other notable books printed are \"Nuestra Señora del Rosario\" by Fr. Blancas de San Jose, \"Barláan at Jósaphát\" (first published in 1708) translated from Greek to Tagalog by Fr. Antonio de Borja, and \"Urbana at Felisa\" by Modesto de Castro who is considered as the Father of Classic Prose in Tagalog. ✔ Folk Songs. These were songs modified based on the folkways of Filipinos during this period. ✔ Recreational Plays. These were mostly poetic in nature and intended to be performed during the Spanish era. Cenaculo, Carillo, Zarzuela, Moro-Moro, Balagtasan, Duplo, and Karagatan are among the examples. ✔ Novels. These are fictitious prose usually lengthy and complex in nature. Pedro Paterno\'s work entitled \"Ninay\" is the first novel published by a Filipino author. This was originally written in Spanish language and translated into English and Tagalog in 1907 and 1908. ✔ Newspapers. There has been a debate on whether newspapers should be categorized as literature or not. However, according to Britannica, some high level journalism like articles written in a newspaper such as columns and feature articles can be considered as literature for as long as they achieve a certain level of satisfaction under aesthetic, chronological, and psychological characterization. Bulk of Filipino writings produced were mostly published in Diaryong Tagalog. The underground newspaper La Solidaridad is considered as the mouthpiece of the Reform Movement. **Some Notable Writers** ✔ Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862) was hailed as the \"Master of Traditional Tagalog Poetry\". His well-known literary work, Florante at Laura (1838--1861), is regarded as the most famous metrical romance of the country. ✔ Pedro Paterno (1857--1911) was the first Filipino who wrote poetry collection in Spanish entitled Sampaguitas y poesias varias (1880). His novel in Spanish Ninay (1885) was considered to be the first Filipino novel. ✔ Jose Rizal (1861--1896), a prominent ilustrado and the country's national hero, is famous for the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. These novels portray the corruption and abuse of the Spanish officials and the clergy. ✔ Andres Bonifacio (1863--1897), the founder of the Katipunan, wrote the poem "Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa" which appeared in the official newspaper of the Katipunan called Kalayaan in March 1896. ✔ Leona Florentino (1849--1884), known as the "Mother of Philippine Women's Literature," was a poet in both Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems were preserved and exhibited in Europe and were included in the Encyclopedia Internationaldes Oeuvres des Femme in 1889 **II. AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1910-1945)** ✔ American colonial period is divided into two periods: the period of apprenticeship (1910-1930) and the period of emergence (1920-1930). ✔ The surrender of first Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901 signified the end of the military struggle for independence. ✔ Aguinaldo promised allegiance to America but still continued to be very vocal of achieving independence for the Philippines. ✔ In 1935, Aguinaldo was soundly defeated by Manuel L. Quezon as the first President of the Commonwealth. **Dimensions of Philippine Literature** ✔ During the transition period many Filipino writers still preferred to write in Spanish since English was still a foreign language to them. ✔ Filipino writers were into all forms of literature during the period of apprenticeship but most of their works were critiqued as an imitation of English and American models. ✔ Short stories became the most prevalent literary form during the latter part of American colonial period. ✔ The existence of American literary works and periodicals as well as the coming of American teachers encouraged many aspiring Filipino writers to use the English language. ✔ A new type of literature began when American system of education and English language were introduced. ✔ At the beginning, most of the literary works written in English were considered imitative in nature, but then later on evolved to a new variety of subjects, styles, and conventions of writing. ✔ Common theme in plays was all about nationalism. **Other Type of Literature Existed during American Colonial Period** ✔ Short Stories. These are stories that can typically be read in one sitting revolving around one subject and may range between 1,000 up to 20,000 words. The first short story written in English is entitled \"Dead Stars\" by Paz Marquez Benitez. Some Notable Writers ✔ Juan C. Laya. He won first prize for his novel \"His Native Soil\" in the First Commonwealth Literary Awards in 1940. ✔ Zoilo M. Galang. His work entitled \"A Child of Sorrow\" in 1921 is considered as the first Filipino novel in English. **III. JAPANESE COLONIAL PERIOD (1942-1945)** ✔ Japan invaded the Philippines on December 8, 1941 which was strongly opposed by the Guerillas. ✔ Captured soldiers and American deportees were forced to have \"Death March\" to a prison camp where they walked for 100 kilometers from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga. An estimated 10,000 prisoners died here. ✔ Aguinaldo cooperated with the Japanese to end Filipino and American opposition. ✔ Japanese colonizers failed to gain the trust of Filipinos. ✔ The resurgence of World War II forced former President Manuel L. Quezon and Vice-President Sergio Os meña Sr. to immediately leave the Philippines and sought residence in the United States as the Commonwealth government was suddenly in exile. ✔ There was a great tension between the two major groups: HUKBALAHAP (unified guerilla army against Japanese invasion) and KALIBAPI (political party approved by the Japanese). ✔ Jose P. Laurel was appointed as the President of the Philippines under the Japanese-sponsored Republic. ✔ In 1942, Mc Arthur escaped but promised to return which he did in 1944. The US victory in the battle of Leyte gulf signaled the beginning of Philippine liberation from the Japanese. **Dimensions of Philippine Literature** ✔ All forms of writings were censored during this time because there was no freedom of speech and of the press. ✔ Only those who were living in the United States such as Carlos P. Romulo and Manuel L. Quezon could write freely. ✔ The use of English language was stopped in almost all publications and only Tagalog and the vernaculars were permitted. ✔ Few literary works were printed and mostly considered as pessimistic and bitter according to the author Victoria Abelardo. ✔ Another type of poetry that emerged is the Haiku consisting of three lines with 5-7-5 syllables or 17 syllabic poetry in all. ✔ Tagalog short stories flourished and some of the best works were compiled by the Liwayway magazine editors in Ang Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino ng 1943. Some notable stories were "Lupang Tinubuan" by Narciso G. Reyes, "Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa" by Liwayway Arceo, "Nayon at Dagatdagatan" by N. V.M. Gonzalez, and "Suyuan sa Tubigan" by Macario Pineda. ✔ Opera and classical music gained popularity. ✔ Among the other types of literature emerged were essay (e.g. \"Literature and Society\" by Salvador P. Lopez) and autobiography (e.g. \"The Good Fight\" by Manuel Quezon). **Some Notable Writers** ✔ Carlos P. Romulo. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his notable works such as \"I Saw the Fall of the Philippines\", \"I See the Philippines Rise\", \"Mother America\", and \"My Brother Americans\". ✔ Narciso Reyes. He won first prize with his short story \"Lupang Tinubuan\". **Education Is Freedom** Education has been the key instrument towards achieving independence among our fellow countrymen since then. During Spanish time, Jose Rizal and other heroes like Antonio Luna, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, Jose Palma, and many more privileged educated men of middle class families used what they learned to write nationalistic texts that motivated the revolutionists in their fight for freedom. Moreover, there was a great emphasis on education during the American period. Everybody was given an equal chance to be educated which further improved the literacy level in the country resulting to the production of literature that expressed the desires and aspirations of Filipinos to gain full authority of our beloved country. By gaining fluency in another foreign language, which is English, many of the Filipino literary works gained both national and international recognition. These texts written in English unfold the real and current condition of our country to the rest of the world. Lastly, despite not having freedom of the press and expression during the Japanese period, those Filipinos living abroad such as Carlos P. Romulo and Manuel Quezon continued to write about the current state of the Philippines. The power of education has been used to inspire changes in our nation but what is truly the mark of an educated person? Now that everybody is provided with an equal access to education, can we say that we are all truly educated? In the essay written by Francisco Benitez during the early 1900s entitled \"What Is an Educated Filipino\", he emphasized that education should be useful not only to the individual but also to the State as well. Look for the copy of the text online or at the local library and accomplish the tasks that follow.