Philippine Literature
The Pre-Spanish Period
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Our ancient literature shows our customs and
traditions in everyday life as traced in our folk
stories, old plays and short stories.
The first alphabet used by our ancestors was
similar to that of the Malayo-Polynesian alphabet
also known as Alibata.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Our ancient literature is presented in the
following forms:
●Legends
●Folk tales
●Epics
●Folk Songs
●Epigrams, riddles, chants
●Proverbs and sayings.
All records were burned by the Spanish friars for
believing that all of these are some part of
demonic ritual. And it had been easy for them
since all of our records are written in bark of
trees, dried leaves, cave walls, and bamboo
cylinders.
Our ancient literature also involves mythical
creatures like:
●Minokawa (Bagobo) - dragon-bird made
of silver
●Balbal (Tigbanua) - corpse-eating witch
●Numputol (Ifugao) - self-beheading
wherein his head breathes fire
●Buso (Bagobo) - shadow that sips
everything from a corpse except the
bones
●Tikbalang (Tagalog) - mixed centaur
●Sigbin (Waray) - combination of dog and
kangaroo that walks backwards
●Batibat (Ilocano) - huge woman that sits
on the chest if you cut her tree
●Palasekan (Ilonggo) - invisible whistling
creature who loves dirty secrets
●Santelmo - also known as St. Elmo’s Fire
●Danag (Cebuano) - helps in cultivating
taro plant but also sips blood
The Period of
Enlightenment (1872 –
1898)
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
started when the GOMBURZA (Mariano Gomez,
Jose Burgos, Jacinto Zamora) were guillotined on
February 17, 1872 at Bagumbayan.
THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT
❖To get equal treatment for the Filipinos
and the Spaniards under the law.
❖To make the Philippines a colony of
Spain.
❖To restore Filipino representation in the
Spanish Cortes.
❖To Filipinize the parishes.
❖To give the Filipinos freedom of speech,
of the press, assembly and for redress of
grievances.
Dr. Jose Rizal
(Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo y Realonda)
born on June 19, 1861 at Calamba,
Laguna
Educational Background:
❖Teodora Alonzo – mother and his first
teacher
❖studied in Ateneo Manila
