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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

QUARTER 3 MODULE|2nd SEM|SY: 2021-2022

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Lesson 3: Cannonical Authors and works of Philippine National Artists in Literature

At the end of this course, the learners will able to:

 identify 21st century literary works and Philippine National Artists in Literature;
 write a critical analysis of a literary work
 adapt a literary work.

Do you know these people in the photos? They are Jose Garcia Villa, Bienvenido
Lumbera, and Edith Tiempo.They are some of the Philippine Narional Artists in
Literature who used their talents to create some of the most renowned and beautiful
works of literature in our country.

National Artist or Pambansang Alagad ng Sining is a distinction given to a Filipino

who excellently contributed to the enrichment of national art. These fields of art vary
from music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, film, broadcast arts, to architecture
and allied arts. This distinction is given by virtue of the President Proclamation No.
1001 on April 2, 1972 and honored through a ceremony administered by the National
Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), the grants giving agency that seeks to
preserve, develop, and promote Philippine arts and culture and the Cultural Center of
the Philippines (CCP), a government-owned corporation that has been established with
the goal to develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.

There are currently 15 National Artists for Literature in the Philippines: Francisco
Arcellana, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, Alejandro Roces, Edith L.
Tiempo, Virgilio S. Almario, Amado V. Hernandez, Carlos P. Romulo, Rolando S.
Tinio, Bienvenido Lumbera, Cirilio F. Bautista, Lazaro Francisco, Jose Garcia Villa,
and Levi Celerio.

Philippine National Artists in Literature: Poetry

JOSE GARCIA VILLA (AUGUST 5, 1908 - FEBRUARY 7, 1997)
 Today, Villa is known and remembered as the man who transformed Philippine
poetry. This is because he challenged the literary conventions and crafted styles
and subjects that became the subjects of study and imitation, such as the reversed
consonance rhyme scheme and the comma poems. These two made use of
punctuation marks in an innovative and poetic way.

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  Reversed consonance rhyme scheme – In this rhyme scheme, the last sounded
consonants of the last syllable are reversed to form the corresponding rhyme.
Examples: » near and run » light and tell

 Comma poems – These are poems in which a comma is placed after every word.

Villa’s canonical works include:

 “God Said, ‘I Made a Man’” In this poem, God and man are the speakers.
The second stanza explains that we were taken from God’s image, from clay; we
were molded to become beautiful creatures. However, as time goes by, conflicts
between God and man occur. The fourth stanza of the poem tells us that man
is opposing or questioning God. He wants to know something about God.

 “The Way My Ideas Think Me” This poem depicts a man’s relationship with
God. It shows how the man thinks of God, how he challenges the notion of
God by living life on the edge and pushing God away but then quickly reaching
for him again. The last stanza depicts how God guides and helps the man, and
the man acknowledges this by calling God “brother.”

 “Lyric 17” Often referred to by its first line, “First, a poem must be magical,”
this poem is a perfect example of how imagery is presented using a metaphor.
This piece presents how a lyrical poem must be written.

 “And If the Heart Can Not Love” This poem is about a persona talking about
the possibilities if he or she cannot love. If the heart cannot love, it becomes
insensitive and apathetic to the small beautiful things that surround him or her.
It also manifests the saying that it is better to have loved and lost rather than not
having loved at all.

 “Be Beautiful, Noble, Like an Antique Ant” This is a poem in which Villa
shows that with imagination, simple and creative ideas about nature and humans
can be expressed in a refreshing way. He used the antique ant and stated its
characteristics in order to convey how he thinks human beings should be.

BIENVENIDO LUMBERA APRIL 11, 1932 - PRESENT

 Bienvenido Lumbera, as a poet, introduced Bagay poetry, a landmark aesthetic

tendency that has helped change the vernacular poetic tradition.
 In 1953, Manual Viray arranged his poem “Frigid Moon” to appear in the Sunday
Magazine of the Manila Chronicle. It was his first published book.
 He has long been a socially engaged writer and academic, and an ardent advocate
of Filipino as national and literary language.
 He created famous musical plays such as the Tales of the Manuvu, Rama Hari,
and Hibik at Himagsik nina Victoria Laktaw.

Major works:
 “A Eulogy of Roaches” This analogous poem depicts the roaches of the
general public. It shows that people would do anything to survive.
 “Agunyas sa Hacienda Luisita” This is a poem that commemorates the
massacre of farmers in Tarlac.
 “Ang Ating Bagong Panatang Makabayan” It sardonically condemns
corruption and was pledged by protestors in 2008.
 “Paggunita sa Pamamaslang” This is a poem about the massacre executed
by the Ampatuan family in 2009.

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  “Ka Bel” Lumbera wrote this poem for Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, urging for
his freedom in 2006. It is about Ka Bel’s life and struggles.
 “The Yaya’s Lullaby” This poem is written for all the mothers who work as
“yayas” and take care of the children of others just to support the needs of their
own kids.

EDITH TIEMPO

 Her works are usually characterized by a remarkable fusion of craftsmanship and

insight, and substance and style.
 Two of her much anthologized poems, “The Little Marmoset” or “Lament for
the Littlest Fellow” and “Bonsai” have been described as an intricate verbal
transfiguration of significant experiences.
 The language she uses is “descriptive but unburdened by scrupulous detailing.”

Major works
 “The Return” This poem is about an old soldier, reminiscing his glorious past,
his eventful adventures, and reminding us that all experiences are preserved in
our memory, allowing us to go back in time to view the brightest moments of
our past.
 “Bonsai” This poem is about love. It talks about how a person could compact
a big thing to a small one to be able to share it or give it to others. The poem
particularly talks about the love of mothers.
 Other Works: The Tracks of Babylon and Other Poems written in 1966 and
The Charmer’s Box and Other Poems written in 1993

Philippine National Artists in Literature: Short Story

Philippine literature in English started when the Americans conquered the Philippines.
President William McKinley made English the official medium of instruction from
elementary to tertiary in April 1900. The English language was also used as the literary
expression in the country.

Filipino writers started writing stories that imitated and adhered to the style of popular
American fictionists but eventually developed a distinct form of short story despite
being under the American influence in all aspects. Filipino writers started publishing
their short stories in weekly magazines. The stories published were not only in English,
they also had versions written in different major languages in the country.

NICOMEDES “NICK” MARQUEZ JOAQUIN

Nick Joaquin tirelessly wrote about the diverse heritage of the Filipino people in his novels, essays,
plays, and poems. In most of his columns, Joaquin used the pen name Quijano de Manila. He was
conferred with the title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 1976 and was considered
as one of the most important Filipino writers, alongside Jose Rizal and Claro M. Recto.

 He has written works in every category of literature. A master of all trades,

Quijano de Manila shone in every genre he wrote in.
 Here are some of his short stories:
 “May Day Eve” - A pioneer of magical realism, the story features a mirror that
looks into the future and the past, which was a key in unraveling the narration.
“Summer Solstice” - This is a short story about a three-day ritual performed by
women during St. John’s festival set in 1850s Philippines.

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  His other famous works include “The House on Zapote Street,” A Portrait
of the Artist as Filipino, and The Woman Who Had Two Navels.

FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSÉ

Francisco Sionil José has been one of the most widely read Filipino writers in school. He has done
several novels, short stories, and nonfiction works that underscore the following subjects: class struggles
and colonial history of Filipino society. One of his best known works is The Rosales Saga. The saga
consists of five novels encompassing a hundred years of Philippine history, giving a very vivid image of
the Filipino life throughout those years.

 He focused on uncovering the Filipino identity in his stories; and dreams of a

Philippines that is free from the influences of its colonizers.
 Here are some of his works:
 “The God Stealer” , focuses on the debilitating effect of the colonial rule in
the formation of the Filipino identity.
 “Waywaya” can also be considered an allegory as it reimagines pre-Hispanic
Philippine society. In Sionil José’s language, Ilokano, “Waywaya” means
freedom.
 His other famous works include The Rosales Saga, Po-on, Gagamba, Ben
Singkol, and Ermita

ALEJANDRO REYES ROCES

Alejandro R. Roces was a short story writer and essayist. He was known for his comic short stories
such as “My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken” and “We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers.” He became a
National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 2003. In 1961 to 1965, Roces served as the
Secretary of Education, during the term of Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal.

Major works
 Roces incorporated in his writing humor and fleshed out characters. What made
him different was his ability to recreate Filipino culture as a vivid world setting
for his stories or a stage if you will for his characters. The stories of Roces revolve
around the cockpit, which he regarded as the center of Filipino culture. It also
serves as a bridge to people of other cultures, who also knew cockfighting as a
sport. In his stories, Roces wanted to save the hearts and minds of Filipinos
against three types of oppression: colonial mentality, censorship, and literary
prejudice.
 Here are some of his works:
a. “My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken” - This is a short story about two
brothers who argued all morning about whether the chicken was a rooster
or a hen.
b. “We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers” - This is a funny short story set during
World War II about a Filipino farmer and an American soldier.

Philippine National Artists in Literature: Novel

The novel, as a literary genre, was a European influence to Philippine literature after
the country was colonized by the Spaniards. However, Philippine novels portray our
society’s unique realities and struggles. The style may be the same as that of Western
novelists, but it definitely has a Filipino touch in it.

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AMADO V. HERNANDEZ

One of the succeeding writers of Rizal who made efforts to fight against the Filipinos’
oppressors through the power of pen.

Major works
a. Mga Ibong Mandaragit (Birds of Prey) It is the first sociopolitical novel that
tackled the agrarian problems of the 1950s. It also dared to serve as a sequel to Dr.
Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. It begins with the fulfillment of the prophecy of Fr.
Florentino, which he uttered when Simon died. He took the jewels from Simon
and threw them into the sea. In this novel, the jewels were retrieved by Mando
Plaridel.
b. Luha Ng Buwaya (Crocodile’s Tears) This novel was based on the experiences
of Amado V. Hernandez while in prison. It was inspired by the sociopolitical
problems in the Philippines from 1930 to 1950. Crocodiles are a Filipino
symbolism for the corrupt officials that the poor farmers and labor leaders are
fighting against. This novel, like Noli Me Tangere, shows the violation of celibacy
of priests, friars’ forgery of deeds, and the unadmirable figures of the priests.

FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSÉ

Major Works
 His five-novel masterpiece, The Rosales Saga, are The Pretenders, Tree, My
Brother, My Executioner, Mass, and Po-on. He simultaneously narrated the
lives of generations of the Samson clan alongside the social struggles of the
nation. Each of the novels is set in his hometown, Rosales, Pangasinan. This
novel shows issues on national identity and exploitation among Filipinos.

a. Po-on (Dusk) This is the first installment of The Rosales Saga. Po-on means
“the beginning” or in Ilokano, “tree trunk.” It is also about Spanish tyranny
and American colonization after the Spaniards left.
b. Tree It is a story of oppression and compassion revolving around a boy
growing up in a small Ilocano town where he is surrounded by people below
his social class.
c. My Brother, My Executioner It is about the half-brothers Luis and Victor.
Luis grew up in privilege with his father Don Vicente while Victor lived in
poverty with his mother. The conflict in the novel lies in the opposing beliefs
of the half-brothers.
d. The Pretenders This novel best presents the modern-day Philippines,
specifically the industrialized Manila and the common Filipino’s struggle to
survive within its system. It is also Jose’s most translated novel.
e. Mass This novel pictured the Philippines before and after martial law,
particularly the main character’s participation in revolutionary and liberation
movements. It is the final novel in The Rosales Saga.

LAZARO FRANCISCO
He was dubbed as the “Master of the Tagalog Novel.” He used our native language to
authentically express the Filipino sentiments over the same sociopolitical problems
relevant over the decades.

Major works
 His essay “Tatsulok” became the basis of his major social novels.
 Ilaw sa Hilaga earned him acclaim as it was considered the best novel ever
written in the first decade of the Third Philippine Republic.

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  Here are his other literary works:
a. Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig This is a novel about the festering problem of
tenancy. It calls for more equitable distribution of land.
b. Sugat ng Alaala This novel is about romance and war. It portrayed the
realities of war during the World War II as well as the nationalism of the
Filipinos. The novel won the 1982 Gintong Aklat Award for Literature.
c. Daluyong The title means “wave” or a “tidal wave.” This novel tackled the
“waves of forces” that prevents changes and hopes from being realized. It
serves as a sequel to his novel Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig.

Some Remarkable Works of Philippine National Artists in Literature

Excerpt from the poem A Eulogy of Roaches by Bienvenido Lumbera

In this country they are

the citizens who last.
They need no police
to promulgate their peace
because they tolerate
each other's smell or greed.

They settle where they wish

and have no rent to pay.
Eviction is a word
quite meaningless to them
who do not have to own
their dingy crack of wall.

Their annals may be short,

but when the simple poor
have starved to simple death,
roaches still circulate
in cupboards of the rich,
the strong, the wise, the dead.

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Summary of Nick Joaquin’s May Day Eve
This short story is about Badoy and Agueda, and how their view of each other ruined
their marriage since it began in 1987. Their tragic love story began on a May night
when they first met. They were two opposing characters: Agueda is a nonconformist,
a woman very much ahead of her time, while Badoy is a stereotypical man trying to
prove his machismo, a person who is used to getting his way. Despite their
unpleasant first meeting, Badoy fell hard for Agueda.The real tragedy in the story is
when he forgets how much he loves his wife, Agueda, as the years passed. An excerpt
from the story reveals the tragedy in this manner, “But alas, the heart forgets; the
heart is distracted, and May-time passes; summer ends; the storms break over the
hot-ripe orchards and the heart grows old; while the hours, the days, the months
and the years pile up and pile up till the mind becomes too crowded, too confused:
dust gathers in it; cobwebs multiply; the walls darken and fall into ruin and decay;
the memory perishes” (par. 81). - When his grandson asked him about a witch, he
described his wife, and when Agueda told their daughter about the devil, she
described her husband. This revealed how they viewed each other after their many
years of marriage. The story reveals that their marriage was born of a raging passion
and gives the message that love and marriage do not thrive on passion alone.

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 Write T if the statement is True. Write F if false.

_____ 1. National Artist or Pambansang Alagad ng Sining is a distinction given to a

Filipino who excellently contributed to the enrichment of national art.
_____ 2. The National Artist Award is given by virtue of President Ferdinand Marcos's
Proclamation No. 1004 on April 2, 1972.
_____ 3. NCCA stands for Nationwide Commission for Culture and Arts.
_____ 4. Cultural Center of the Philippines or CCP is a government-owned corporation
that has been established with the goal to develop and promote arts and
culture in the Philippines.
_____5. Roces published stories highlighting the vices of the Filipinos.
Answer: 1.T 2.F 3.F 4.T 5.T

“National Artists of the Philippines.” NCCA. Accessed December 2021.

http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
philippi nes/

Philippines News Agency. 2018. Read works of national artist Francisco – KWF.
Accessed December 2021 http://www.manilatimes.net/read-works-national-artist-
francisco-kwf/382379/

Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. 2012. “Joaquin, Nick.” Accessed December

2021. http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/276.

Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. 2012. “Jose, Francisco Sionil.” Accessed

December 2021.
http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/239.

Tablan, F. 2011. Kaisipang Sosyalismo sa mga Akda ni Amado V. Hernandez. Accessed

December 2021. https://www.kritike.org/journal/issue_9/tablan_june2011.pdf

Tabora, Brylle B. 2017. “Remembering the great–and self-effacing–Nick Joaquin.”

December 2021. http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/262588/remembering-great-self-
effacing-nick-joaquin/.

Yabes, Leopoldo Y. 2017. “F(rancisco) Sionil Jose Biography.” Accessed December

2021http://biography.jrank.org/pages/4741/Sionil-Jose-F-rancisco.html.

2017. “Literature in English.” Accessed December

2021http://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph:81/CC01/NLP00VM052mcd/v4/v6.pdf.