III. American Colonial Period (1898-1941)
- The Treaty of Paris (1898) ended the Spanish occupation
- As early as 1900 President Mckinley’s instructions made English an official
language of the country.
- In 1901, American teachers (Thomasites) arrived on the army transport Thomas.
- In 1905, The Philippines Free Press was founded.
- Filipino writers went into all forms of literature like news reporting, poetry, stories,
plays, essays and novels.
- Novel and short story became very popular, although poetry was inevitable.
- Zarzuela was used as protest material during the early portion of American regime.
Characteristics of Literature during This Period
3 groups of writers contributed to Philippine Literature during this period.
A. Literature in Spanish
1. Fernando Ma. Guerrero - pseudonyms were ‘Fulvis Gil’ and ‘Gil Rosas’ and he
wrote Crisalidas (Chrysalis) - collection of his verses which was published in 1914.
2. Cecilio Apostol - wrote poems dedicated to Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini and all other
heroes but his poem dedicated to Rizal is considered the best poem in praise of
the hero of Bagumbayan.
3. Jesus Balmori - pen name was Batikuling. He was elected Poet Laureate in
Spanish besting Manuel Bernabe. His stories are on fallen women, decadent living,
the corruption of man, and hypocrisy in society.
2. Claro M. Recto - president of the First Constitutional Convention in 1935. He wrote
verses which were later compiled in Bajo los Cocoteros
B. Filipino Literature:
3 Kinds of Tagalog Poets
a. Poets of the Heart (Makata ng Puso)
1. Lope K. Santos - Father of the National Language Grammar. He was also called
the ‘Apo’ of the Tagalog writers.
 Banaag at Sikat - his masterpiece
2. Inigo Ed. Regalado
3. Jose Corazon de Jesus - known as Huseng Batute and was called the Poet of
Love in his time
 Ang Isang Punong kahoy - an elegy, believed to be his masterpiece
4. Amado V. Hernandez
5. Mar Antonio
b. Poets of Life (Makata ng Buhay)
1. Lope K. Santos
2. Florante Collantes
3. Jose Corazon de Jesus
4. Amado V. Hernandez - known as Makata ng mga Manggagawa
 Ang Panday - his masterpiece
 Isang Dipang Langit
 Bayang Malaya
 Munting Lupa
c. Poets of the Stage
1. Aurelio Tolentino
2. Patricio Mariano
3. Severino Reyes - Lola Basyang
Drama - The theater in the Philippines was very much alive at the end of the 19th century.
Comedias and zarzuelas were performed almost every week.
Tagalog Drama
1. Severino Reyes - Father of the Tagalog drama & author of the immortal Walang
Sugat
 Walang Sugat - is a story of 2 lovers who are cousins, Tenyong and Julia.
2. Aurelio Tolentino - dramatist in whom the Kapampangans take pride.
 Luhang Tagalog - masterpiece
 Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas - resulted in his incarceration.
3. Hermogenes Ilagan
Dalagang Bukid
4. Patricio Mariano
 Ninay
 Anak ng Dagat - his masterpiece
5. Julian Cruz Balmaceda
 Bunganga ng Pating
6. Juan Abad
 Tanikalang Ginto
Other Forms of Literature
1. Pedro Bukaneg - Father of Ilocano literature.
2. Claro Caluya - Prince of Ilokano Poets
3. Leon Pichay - known as the best Bukanegero
Pampango Literature
1. Juan Crisostomo Soto - Father of Kapampangan Literature. The word Crisotan
(meaning Balagtasan) in Tagalog is taken from his name.
2. Aurelio Tolentino
Visayan Literature
1. Eriberto Gumban - Father of Visayan Literature
2. Magdalena Jalandoni - novelist
 Ang Maga Tunuk San Isa Ca Bulaclac
C. Philippine Literature in English
a. Period of Re-orientation (1898-1910)
b. Period of Imitation (1910-1925)
c. Period of Self-Discovery (1925-1941)
a. Period of Re-orientation - American occupation in the Philippines started on
August 13, 1898. English came to be used as medium of instruction in the public
schools.
 Sursum Corda - written by Justo Juliano was the first work to be published in
English
 My Mother and Air Castles by Jan F. Salazar - published in 1909.
b. Period of Imitation - the UP College Folio published the literary compositions of
the first Filipino writers in English by 1919.
 Dead Stars - a short story by Paz Marquez Benitez - first successful short story
in English written by a Filipino
 A Child of Sorrow - novel by Zoilo Galang
c. Period of Self-Discovery and Growth - by these time, Filipino writers had
acquired the mastery of English writing. Essays during this period improved with
the years in quality and quantity, in content, subject and style. Essayists like Carlos
P. Romulo became even more eminent editorial writers.
 Jose Garcia Villa - undisputed Filipino supremo of the ‘artsakists’.
D. The Bodabil and the Movies
Bodabil (corruption of Vaudeville) - a variety show composed by of songs, dances, and
skits. It was introduced by Luis Borromeo when he came home from Las Vegas in 1921.
The zarzuela and the drama disappeared from the stage when the first Filipino movies
were made, although the latter were actually film versions of the stage plays.
Famous Works
1. Walang Sugat (1902) – Severino Reyes
2. Tanikalang Guinto (1902) – Juan Abad
3. Nena at Neneng (1903) – Valeriano Hernandez Pena, “Father of the Tagalog Novel”
4. Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (1903) – Aurelio Tolentino
5. Banaag at Sikat (1904) – Lope K. Santos (Ama ng Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa)
6. Philippine Free Press (1905)
7. Pinaglahuan (1907) – Faustino Aguilar
8. Dalagang Bukid (1919) – Hermogenes Ilagan’s most famous sarswela
9. Anak ng Dagat (1922) – Patricio Mariano
10. Azucena (1925) – Marcelo de Garcia Concepcion
11. Dead Stars – Paz Marquez Benitez
12. Kenkoy (1928) – came out from Liwayway (1922)
13. Bayan Ko (1928) – Jose Corazon de Jesus
14. Bodabil (vaudeville) – stage show
15. Without Seeing the Dawn (1947) – Stevan Javellana