Spanish

COLONIAL
PERIOD
(1565-1872)

Mary Ann P. Aletin

Instructor
Historical Background

It is an accepted belief
that the Spanish colonization of During these times, many
the Philippines started in 1565 changes occurred in the lives
during the time of Miguel of the Filipinos. They
Lopez de Legazpi, the first embraced the Catholic
Spanish governor-general in the religion, changed their names,
Philippines. Literature started and were baptized.
to flourish during his time.
Spain colonized the
Philippines for more than 3
centuries. The lifestyles changed too.
They built houses made of
This gave rise to the formation stones and bricks, used
of the different classes of beautiful furnitures like the
society like the rich and the
piano and used kitchen
landlords. Some Filipinos
finished courses like utensils. Carriages, trains and
medicine, law, agriculture and boats were used as means of
teaching. Filipinos finished travel. They held fiestas to
their schooling in the honor the saints, the pope and
Philippines because there were the governors. They had
already many schools & cockfights, horse races and the
universities that had been theater as means of
established.
recreation.
SPANISH INFLUENCES ON
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

1. The first Filipino 4. European legends and

alphabet called traditions brought here
ALIBATA was replaced became assimilated in our
by the Roman Alphabet. songs, corridos, and moro-
moros.

2. The teaching of the 7. Our periodicals

CHRISTIAN during these times
DOCTRINE became the 5. Ancient literature was gained a religious tone.
basis of religious collected and translated to
practices. Tagalog and other dialects.

3. The SPANISH 6. Many grammar

LANGUAGE which books were printed in
became the literary
language during that Filipino like the
time, lent many of its Tagalog, Ilocano, and
words to our language. Visayan.

3
PROSE DURING THE The author of Urbana at Felisa was
Presbitero Modesto De Castro, an
SPANISH ERA exemplar of good social breeding in the
nineteenth century, who was a Catholic
URBANA AT FELIZA priest, a moralist, a writer and an orator.
Sina Urbana, Feliza at Honesto ay magkakapatid na Interestingly, he was true to his name for
tubo sa isang lalawigan. being “modest” (modesto in Sp.). Reyes
Nang sila’y magsilaki na, si Urbana ay nagtungo sa (1999, pp.7-8) described De Castro as:
Maynila samantalang sina Felisa at Honesto ay nanatili sa A man nurtured in a traditional society
lalawigan. Sina Urbana at Felisa ay lagging nagsusulatan at where the law was made and enforced
sa kanilang mga pagsulat ay lagi nilang pinaaalaala sa bawat by men. The institution to which they
isa ang mga ginintuang aral tulad ng pakikipagkapuwa-tao,
mga katungkulan ng tao sa Diyos, pag-iibigan, kalinisan ng belonged was certainly a male
kalooban at mga dakilang aral ng ina sa anak o ng mga anak dominated structure where women were
sa ina. Katulad ng sabi ni Pari Modesto kay Urbana na, generally perceived as followers, never
“Pakatantuin ng ina na ang kalinisan ng isang dalaga ay
as leaders. He was clearly a writer
parang bubog na kahit di nagkalamat, kahit di mabasag,
mahingahan lamang ay nadurungisan.” motivated by the demands of his faith
and instruction. (Urbana at Felisa: Ideological
Tungkol naman sa pakikipagkapuwa-tao ay binanggit ni Reproduction of Femininity in Philippine Education,
Felisa kay Urbana na, “Ang kabaitang di hamak na 1864-1938, pg. 55)
ipinakikita mo sa eskuwela na tinitipid mo ang gawi ng
kabataang kalaro sa kapuwa-bata, ang kahinhinan ng iyong
asal na di-makataan ng kagaslawa’t katalipandasang
magpahanggang ngayo’y di-malilimutan ay nagagalak ang
loob ko’t nagnasang mahuwaran ang magandang kaasalan The objective of Padre Modesto
mo.” in writing Urbana at Feliza:
Likas kay Urbana ang mabining kilos at kabaitan sa  To preach & moralize the
kapuwa, kaya’t kahit wala na siya sa lalawigan ay youth in the country about
bukambibig pa rin ng kanyang mga guro dahil sa moral behavior, actions &
magandang-asal niya at katapatan sa pakikisama sa kapuwa.
Ang magagandang gawa ay di-malilimutan kailanman. new culture.
 Sa kanilang pagsusulatan ay nabanggit din ang
tungkulin ng mga magulang sa pagtuturo ng kagandahang-
asal, mga dasal, at karunungan sa pagkilala sa Diyos. Kaya
sinabi ni Urbana, na mapalad ang mga anak na may
magulang na marunong magturo ng mga katungkulan ng
isang anak sa kanilang Diyos. Napag-usapan din nila na
kung magbinata si Honesto at magkaroon ng pagkakataong
alukin ng katungkulan sa bayan ay di niya dapat tanggapin
ang panunungkulan kung karangalan lamang ang nasa.
Ngunit kung ito’y pinagkaisahan ng bayan ay dapat na
tanggapin sapagkat kaloob ito ng Diyos. Nabanggit din nila
na karamihan sa mga nanunungkulan ay may kasakiman at
di marunong tumupad sa katungkulan at ang iniisip ay
pansariling kapakanan lamang. Kung sakaling tanggapin ni
Honesto ang panunungkulan ay dapat siyang maging
matapat at di dapat maging palalo upang di maparusahan ng
Diyos.
Ang huling tinalakay ni Urbana at Felisa ay ang
“Kahatulang Ukol sa Pagsang-ayon sa Kalooban ng Diyos.”
Sa pagkamatay ng ama nila ay pinayuhan ni Urbana si
Felisa na umayon sa kagustuhan o kalooban ng Diyos. Ang
kapalaran ng isang tao ay naitakda na at di dapat sisihin ang
sinuman bagkus ay ipanalangin ang kaluluwa nito.
THE FIRST PRINTED
BOOKS

DOCTRINA CRISTIANA
The first book to be printed in the
Philippines (1593) written by Fr. Juan
de Placencia (Tagalog) & Fr. Domingo
Nieva (Spanish). It has 87 pages but
costs $5,000.00
It contained the following:
- Pater Noster (Our Father) NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL
ROSARIO (OUR LADY OF THE BARLAAN AT JOSAPHAT
- Ave Maria (Hail Mary) ROSARY)
- Regina Coeli (Hail Holy Queen) Was the second book printed in the
 A biblical story
Philippines written by Fr. Blancas  the third book printed in the
- Ten Commandments of God de San Jose in 1602. It was printed Philippines and was
- Commandments of the Catholic at UST Press with the help of Juan translated into Tagalog by Fr.
Church de Vera, a Chinese mestizo. It
contains: Antonio de Borja from the
- The Seven Mortal Sins original Greek written by San
• Biographies of the Saints
- How to Confess Juan Damaseño.
• Novenas  it is the first Tagalog novel
- Catechism
• Questions and Answers about published in the Philippines
Roman Catholicism with 556 pages.
 Fr. Agustin Mejia translated it
into the Ilokano version.
Urbana and Feliza PASSION
 “Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang  is a book about the life &
Binibini na si Urbana at Feliza sufferings of Jesus Christ.
na Nagtuturo ng Mabuting
Caugalian”  read during Holy Week with
four versions written in
 published in 1885 Tagalog and each version
 a book written by Fr. Modesto were all written according to
de Castro, dubbed as the “The the names of the writers
Father of Classic Tagalog namely:
Prose” - version de Pilapil
 It is a correspondence story - version de Belen
between two sisters that has
influenced greatly the - version de la Merced; and
behavior of people in society. - version de Guia
It outlines how the good
manners and right conduct of  most popular was the de
individuals in their dealings Pilapil version
with other people.
OTHER PROSE/lITERARY
COMPOSITIONS
1. Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (Arts and Rules
of the Tagalog Language)
5. Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya (Vocabulary of the
 is a book written by Fr. Blancas de San Jose
translated in Tagalog by Tomas Pinpin known as the Visayan Language)
Tagalog man-of-letters in the year 1610.  deemed as the best language book in Bisayan by
Mateo Sanchez in 1711
2. Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (Vocabulary of the
Tagalog Language) 6. Arte de la Lengua Iloka (Art of Ilokano Language)
 first Tagalog dictionary written by Fr. Pedro de San
Buenaventura in 1613  written by Fr. Francisco Lopez, it was the first
3. Compendio de la Lengua Tagala (A Dictionary of Ilokano grammar book
the Tagalog Language) was written by Fr. Gaspar de 7. Arte de la Lengua Bicolana (Art of the Bicol
San Agustin in 1703. Language)
4. Vocabulario de la Lengua Pampango (Vocabulary  first book written by Fr. Marcos Lisboa (1754) in
of the Kapampangan Language)
Bicol language
 the first book in Kapampangan written by Fr. Diego
Bergano in 1732.
 Folk songs became widespread in the Philippines. They
THE FOLK SONGS truly manifest the artistic feelings of the Filipinos. They
show the Filipinos’ innate appreciation for love and beauty.

Leron-Leron Sinta
(Tagalog) Atin Cu Pung Singsing
(Kapangpangan)
Leron, leron sinta, buko ng papaya
Dala-dala’y buslo, sisidlan ng sinta Dandansoy Atin cu pung singsing
Pagdating sa dulo’y nabali ang sanga Metong yang timpucan
(Bisaya)
Kapos kapalaran, humanap ng iba. Amana que iti
Cang indung ibatan
Ako’y ibigin mo, lalaking matapang Dandansoy, bayan ta ikaw
Sangcan queng sininup
Ang sundang ko’y pito, ang baril ko’y Pag-uli ako sa payaw Quing metong acaban
siyam Ugaling kon ikaw hidlawon Mewala ya iti
Ang lalakarin ko’y sampu ng dinulang An payaw imo lang lantawon. Ecu camalayan
Isang pinggang pansit, ang aking kalaban.
Dandasoy, kon imo apason Quing sucal ning lub cu
Bisan tubig di magbalon Susucdul quing banua
Mengurus cung gamat
Ugaling kon ikaw uhawon
Babo ning lamesa
Sa dalan magbobon-bobon. Ninumang manaquit
Queng singsing cung mana
Calulung pusu cu
Manginu ya que ya.
RECREATIONAL
PLAYS

Tibag LAGAYLAY
 means “to excavate”  a special occasion for
the Pilarenos of
 It reminds us about the Sorsogon during
search of St. Helena for Maytime to get together
the cross on which Jesus
died  the participating ladies
are chosen and
sometimes, mothers
volunteer their girls in
order to fulfill a vow
made during an illness
or for a favor received
 praise, respect and
offering of love to the
Blessed Cross by St.
Helen on the mound she
had dug in.
CENACULO
 is a dramatic
Panunuluyan
performance to
commemorate the  presented before 12:00
passion and death of on Christmas eve
Jesus Christ.
 a dramatic presentation
It has two kinds: of the search of the
Virgin Mary and St.
1. Cantada, is a Joseph for an inn in to
performance where deliver the baby Jesus.
the lines are
sung/chanted in
verse like the
Pasyon.
2. Hablada, is a
performance where
the lines are spoken
in deliberate manner
in dignified theme.
 CARILLO (shadow
SALUBONG play)
 a dramatic entertain-
 is an Easter play that
ment performed in
dramatizes the moonless nights during
meeting of the Risen town fiestas or on dark
Christ and His nights after harvest.
mother, Mama Mary
 This shadow play is
made by projecting
cardboard figures before
a lamp against a white
sheet
ZARZUELA
 considered as the
“father of the drama”
 a musical comedy or SAINETE
melodrama in three acts  is a short musical and
w/c dealt with man’s exaggerated comedies
passions and emotions performed for the
like love, hate, revenge, benefit of the people
cruelty, some social or from the lower social
political problem classes. It was popular
 originally performed by during the 18th century.
travelling dramatic
troupes organized by
royal mandate of
governor Narciso
Claveria to stimulate
dramatic performances.
 PANAMBITAN
 is a chant of free verse
MORO-MORO by a bereaved person
 it is a cloak-and-dagger beside the corpse of the
play depicting the wars dead. It is called Taghoy
between the Christians or Panaghoy in other
& the Muslims with tha places and the Ilokanos
Christians always on the call it “Dung-aw”.
winning side
 The first Moro-moro
was written by Fr.
Jeronimo Perez & was
staged in Manila in
1637, to commemorate
Governor Consueras’
victory over the
Muslims of Mindanao.
 Since then, it has
become a favorite play
of the people especially
during the celebration of
fiestas.
References:
Sanchez, Custodiosa
A. et al. Introduction to the Humanities. Manila: Rex Book Store. 2012
Santiago, Erlinda M. et al. Panitikang Filipino: Kasaysayan at Pang-unlad
Pangkolehiyo. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store. 2010
https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pssr/article/viewFile/4048/3675

15