Lesson 1:

TRADITIONS AND LOCATIONS: THE FILIPINO POEM

1. Dalawang balahibuhin masarap pagdaitin.

2. Isang bayabas pito ang butas.
3. Limang puno nang niyog; isa'y matayog.
4. Isang balong malalim, punong-puno ng patalim.
5. Naligo ang kapitan, hindi nabasa ang tiyan.
6. Nang hatakin ko ang baging, nagkagulo ang mga matsing.

Poetry – writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in

language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning,
sound, and rhythm

A Brief History of Philippine Literature in English

I. Pre-Colonial Period

- Consisted of early Filipino literature passed down orally; oral pieces have
a communal authorship – it was difficult to trace the original author of the piece since oral
literature did not focus on ownership or copyright, rather on the act of storytelling itself;

- Literature in this period is based on tradition, reflecting daily life activities such as
housework, farming, fishing, hunting, and taking care of the children as well;

II. Spanish Colonial Period (Mid-16th – late 19th century)

- The Spanish culture, as reflected in the works of this literature period, showed a clash
with the pre-colonial Filipino literature in the beginning. However, due to the length of stay of
the colonizers, the Spanish culture was eventually imbued in the Filipino literature of the
period;

- Religion became an important theme that had influenced the early Filipino writings which
had the presence of paganism – “Christian Folk-Tale”;

A. LEGENDS

A form of prose the common theme of which is about the origin of a thing, place,
location or name. The events are imaginary, devoid of truth and unbelievable. Old Filipino
customs are reflected in these legends. Its aim is to entertain

B. FOLK TALES
 Made up of stories about life, adventure, love, horror and humor where one can derive
lessons about life. These are useful to us because they help us appreciate our environment,
evaluate our personalities and improve our perspectives in life.

C. FOLK SONGS

One of the oldest forms of Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period.
These songs mirrored the early forms of culture.

Many of these have 12 syllables

D. EPIC AGE

These were long, episodic, chanted poems which told a story, normally about a
legendary hero and his adventures, often contending with, and also being aided by,
supernatural creatures and spirits.

OTHER FORMS OF PRE-SPANISH POETRY

1. Epigrams (Salawikain)

These have been customarily used and served as laws or rules on good behavior by
our ancestors. To others, these are like allegories or parables that impart lessons for the young.

2. Riddles (Bugtong) or Palaisipan

These are made up of one or more measured lines with rhyme and may consist of
four to 12 syllables.

3. Chant (Bulong)

Used in witch craft or enchantment.

4. Maxims

Some are rhyming couplets with verses 5,6 or 8 syllables, each line having the same
number of syllables.

5. Sayings (Kasabihan)

Often used in teasing or to comment on a person’s actuations.

6. Supersticious Beliefs

Sayings with hidden meaning and consequences.

 Lesson 2:

PHILIPPINE LITERATURE WRITING IN THE REGION

HOW A MEMORY BECOMES A LITERARY WORK?

Literary is something that is related to literature or, as Merriam Dictionary defines it, “written
works that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance”

Writers have used context to create various forms of written works such as poetry, fiction,
drama and essays.

Context is what is around us, which influences us just as we influence it.

Style already contains uniqueness as a part of its nature. It means that the writer would have to
use skills with writing and language to produce a unique effect in the reader.

Tone is the attitude being conveyed by the language used by the writer, thus is an essential part
of creating a distinctive style.

The Functions of Literature

Dulce and Utile

Dulce – to entertain; to give pleasure and enjoyment

Utile – to instruct

4Rs of Literature

Recreation

Literature is a means of reassembling reality. We want to see what we cannot see in

reality.

Recognition

Literature helps us recognize the people and their contribution.

Redemption

Literature is a means of modification of behavior.

Revelation

Literature is a means of recording history. It reveals the past, the present, and the
future.

FACTS ABOUT LITERATURE

i. Literature is imaginative

ii. Literature expresses thoughts and feelings

iii. Literature deals with life experiences

iv. Literature uses words in a powerful, effective and yet captivating manner

v. Literature promotes recreation and revelation of hidden facts.

“Filipino Identity”

Pre-colonial inhabitants of our islands showcase a rich past through their folk speeches,
folk songs, folk narratives and indigenous rituals and mimetic dances that affirm our ties with
our Southeast Asian neighbours.

BUGTONG

The most seminal of these folk speeches is the riddle

a. Tigmo in Cebu

b. Paktakon in Ilongo

c. Patototdon in Bicol

The folk song, a form of folk lyric which expresses the hopes and aspirations, the people’s
lifestyles as well as their loves. These are often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive as in
the children’s songs.

Example:

• Ida-ida (Maguindanao)

• Tulang Pambata (Tagalog)

• Cansiones para abbing (Ibanag).

• Ili-ili (Ilongo)

• Panawagon and Balitao (Ilongo)

 • Harana or Serenade (Cebuano)

• Bayok (Maranao)

ELEMENTS OF POETRY USED BY LOCAL WRITERS IN THEIR POEMS

a. Senses

b. Imagery

These are used by the writers to describe their impressions of their topic or object of writing.

The writer uses carefully chosen and phrased words to create an imagery that the reader can
see through his or her own senses.

The kind of sense impressions in poetry are categorized in mainly the following:

• Visual imagery (sight)

• Olfactory imagery (smell)

• Gustatory imagery (taste)

• Tactile imagery (touch)

• Auditory imagery (hear)

c. Diction

The denotative and connotative meaning of the words in a sentence, phrase, paragraph,
or poem.

d. Rhyme scheme

The way the author arranges words, meters, lines, and stanzas to create a coherent
sound when the poem is read out loud.

e. Idea of a Speaker

The speaker in the poem is the voice that talks to the reader.
f. Structure

The arrangement of words and lines, either together or apart.

Also refers to the way the interdependent parts of it are organized to form a whole
poem.

g. Word Order

The natural or unnatural arrangement of words in a poem.

A poet may use a word grammatically or not – often called as poetic license – and may
invent words, too.
 Lesson 3:

PHILIPPINE REALITIES

POVERTY

a: a state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material
possessions

 According to the data from National Statistical Coordination Board, more than one-
quarter of the population fell below the poverty line.
 Philippines committed itself to halving extreme poverty from a level of 33.1% in 1991 to
16.6% by 2015.

Poverty Threshold

– also known as poverty line, is the minimum income required to meet basic food needs
and other non-food requirements such as clothing, housing, transportation, health, and
education expenses.

Food Threshold

– is the minimum income required to meet basic food needs and satisfy the nutritional
requirements set by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) to ensure that one
remains economically and socially productive.

Poverty Related Statistics:

a. Rapid Population Growth

b. Unemployment

c. Education and Literacy

d. Hunger

e. Electricity and Access to Resources

Rapid Population Growth

In 1985, the absolute number of people living in poverty was 26.5 million. This increased
to 30.4 million in 2000 and from 2006 to 2009, increased by almost 970,000 Filipinos from 22.2
million to 23.1 million.
Unemployment

The official rate of unemployment for 2017 in the Philippines was approximately 5.6
percent.

2012 - 6.98% 2015 - 6.28%

2013 - 7.08% 2016 - 5.5%

2014 - 6.8% 2017 – 6%

Education and Literacy

From 3-24yrs. olds who attended school during the year 2010-2011, only 4% of those
under the poverty line were in college.

Hunger

14.5% of families belonging to the lowest 30% had experienced hunger in the three
months preceding the survey, while only 2.8% of families belonging to the highest 70% had
experienced hunger in the three months preceding the survey.

Electricity and Access to Resources

70.2% of families belonging to the lowest 30% have electricity in their homes, compared
with the 94.5% of the families belonging to the highest 70%. It is also noticeable that 27.2% of
families belonging to the lowest 30% have either public tap, an unprotected well, or an
undeveloped spring for their main sources of water supply.