Popular Culture in the Philippine Perspective

Origins and Spread of the Concept of Popular Culture

• Popular culture originates from the working class's selection of ideas with consumer value.

• It existed even before the term was coined.

• The spread of popular culture is closely tied to the Western, particularly American, perspective.

From Folk Culture to Renaissance

• Culture forms traditions and trends within human groups.

• Folk culture in ancient societies included wedding ceremonies, music, and fashion.

  • Weddings symbolized a pact between individuals under a deity.

  • Music evolved differently in the West and East.

  • Fashion evolved from aristocrats to the working class.

• William Shakespeare is noted for bridging fine art and popular art.

Globalization of Popular Culture

• Globalization occurred during the Age of Exploration.

• Examples of globalization:

  • Philippines accessed Western cultures through the Suez Canal.

  • China faced issues with opium introduced by the British.

  • Europe adopted chocolate from the Americas.

  • Johannes Gutenberg's printing press spread knowledge.

The Industrial Age

• Technology advancements made cultural aesthetics more accessible.

• Theater, music, film, and television became part of popular culture.

• Filipino cinema transitioned from high culture to mass accessibility.

Popular Culture, Society, and Technology

• Technology advancements improved living standards and popular culture consumption.

• The sewing machine enabled mass production of high-end clothes.

• Technological media for popular culture: radio, film, television, and the Internet.

• Entertainment evolved from printed media to radio, television, and films.

This note summarizes the evolution and spread of popular culture, highlighting its roots in folk culture, impact of globalization, technological advancements, and societal influences in the Philippine perspective.

Icons and Trends of Philippine Popular Culture

Pre-Colonial Philippines and their Myths

• Entertainment:

  • Warring tribes had their own kundiman, epics, poetry, legends, and mythologies.

  • Notable figures like Lam-ang, Urduja, Bathala, and aswang were prominent.

  • Traditional instruments such as kulintang and kudyapi were used.

• Lifestyle:

  • Early Filipinos used materials like abaca and nipa for clothing.

  • Bartering with traders brought silk, condiments, and porcelain.

  • Architecture included nipa stilt houses and bamboo houses.

  • Folk dances like Tinikling and Singkil were practiced.

• Sports, News, and Politics:

  • Various Filipino martial arts, wrestling, archery, and cockfighting were common.

  • Slave trade led to the existence of peasants and slaves.

  • Limited technological advancements in metal forging, pottery, and writing.

When Spain Came to Colonize

• Entertainment:

  • Introduced zarzuela, pasion, and cenaculo.

  • Literary works like Ibong Adarna and Florante at Laura became popular.

  • Western music and instruments like the guitar were integrated.

• Lifestyle:

  • Adoption of Western fashion like barong Tagalog and baro't saya.

  • Introduction of new dances like pasodoble and fandango.

  • Incorporation of different cuisines like adobo and leche flan.

• Sports, News, and Politics:

  • Introduction of fencing, gun duels, and football.

  • Significant events like the Propaganda Movement and various revolts.

  • Technological advancements in electricity, firearms, and books.

The American Dream and the Filipinos

• Entertainment:

  • Introduction of radio technology and American music.

  • Development of theater and vaudeville during the American Occupation.

  • Emergence of Filipino filmmaking with Dalagang Bukid in 1919.

• Lifestyle:

  • Filipinos embraced American lifestyle in fashion and attire.

  • Integration of American music genres like jazz and Western swing.

Overall, the evolution of Philippine popular culture was influenced by pre-colonial myths, Spanish colonization, and American occupation, leading to a blend of indigenous traditions with Western influences in entertainment, lifestyle, sports, news, politics, and technology.

Page 5:

• Food, Dance, Sports, News, and Politics:

  • Americans introduced food like frankfurters, fried chicken, pot roasts, and cheesecake.

  • Dance forms like foxtrot, square dance, conga, rhumba, ballet, and jive were adopted.

  • Filipinos embraced basketball, volleyball, and boxing.

  • Participation in Summer Olympics since 1924.

  • Tensions due to Americans seen as new conquerors.

  • Notable events and individuals during World War II and post-independence period.

• Technology:

  • Introduction of radio and film by Americans.

  • Advancements in medicine, agriculture, and food processing.

Page 6:

• Entertainment:

  • Evolution of Filipino entertainment industry post-WWII.

  • Establishment of TV networks like ABS-CBN, GMA, RPN, PTV, and IBC.

  • Prominent film companies and icons.

  • Rise of love teams and OPM.

  • Influence of Western culture in music and animations.

• Lifestyle:

  • Fashion trends in the Philippines during the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

  • Introduction of dance crazes and slang words.

• Sports and News:

  • Filipino participation in Winter Olympics since 1972.

  • Non-political events and political events shaping Filipino culture.

• Technology:

  • Introduction of gramophone, cassette radio, cathode-ray televisions, landline telephones, and mobile phones.

  • Adoption of arcade machines, personal computers, and gaming consoles like Atari and NES.

Main Ideas from Page 7

Early PC Games and Entertainment Boom

• Mention of famous and long-lasting hits like Prince of Persia, SimCity, and Lode Runner.

• Globalization led to rapid movement of entertainment, quoting Andy Warhol about everyone being world-famous for fifteen minutes.

• Television technology advancements in the 90s, known as the "Japan" decade due to popular anime.

• Popular anime examples like Samurai X, Dragon Ball series, Pokémon, Sailor Moon, and more.

• Booming pop music scene in the 90s with artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and boybands like Backstreet Boys.

• Educational shows in the 90s including Sesame Street, Batibot, and DepEd-commissioned shows.

• Noon-time variety shows like Eat Bulaga and Magandang Tanghali, Bayan (MTB) were popular.

• Introduction of Latino teledramas like MariMar, Maria la del Barrio, and Maria Mercedes.

Digital Age and Hallyu Wave

• Decades 2000, 2010, and 2020 collectively known as the "Digital Age" due to the evolution of the Internet.

• South Korea's "Hallyu Wave" marked by extensive marketing efforts for shows and music.

• Notable Korean shows and films like Jewel in the Palace, Princess Hours, Crash Landing on You, and Goblin.

• Evolution of movies with elaborate productions leading to franchises like Marvel Cinematic Universe and Transformers series.

• Rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube making local shows and films marketable globally.

• Music artists like Morissette Amon, Katrina Velarde, and KZ Tandingan gaining international audiences through YouTube.

• Filipino manga Trese and local authors like Bob Ong and Marcelo Santos III gaining international appeal.

Page 8: Current Generation Trends

• Literature:

  • Notable works by Ong and Santos.

  • Popular love teams in the Philippines during this period.

• Lifestyle:

  • Shift to a flexible lifestyle due to globalization.

  • Increased travel facilitated by private cab services.

  • Transition from office work to small businesses.

  • Growing use of social media for various purposes.

  • Rising appreciation for cultural foods beyond American and Chinese cuisines.

  • Increasing popularity of Korean mukbang and vegan cuisine.

• Sports:

  • Evolution of computer games into competitive eSports.

  • Popular games like DotA, LoL, Mobile Legends, CS: GO, etc.

  • Rise of Battle Royale games like PUBG, Fortnite, and RoS.

  • Growth of eSports categories including fighting games.

Page 8: News and Events

• Challenging Moments:

  • Impactful events like the "I LOVE YOU" virus and various murder cases.

  • Notable victories in beauty pageants by Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, and Megan Young.

  • Memorable moments like Charlene Gonzales' "High tide or low tide?" question in Miss Universe.

• Prominent News:

  • 2010 Manila Hostage crisis as one of the most harrowing events in local airwaves.

  • Other significant events like the Dacer-Corbito Double Murder Case and gender discrimination case of Gretchen Diez.

Page 9: Major Events in the Philippines

• Incidents:

  • Filipino tour crew tragedy by Rolando Mendoza resulting in 8 deaths.

  • Super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 causing thousands of deaths.

  • COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 leading to lockdowns and community quarantine levels.

• Political Upheavals:

  • Impeachment and overthrow of Joseph Estrada.

  • Hello Garci scandal, NBN-ZTE deal, and PDAF scam.

  • Notable figures like Virgilio Garcillano, Janet Lim Napoles, Benhur Luy, and Leandro Mendoza.

  • Laglag-Bala controversy, War on Drugs, SOGIE bill, PhilSA establishment, and charter change issue.

• Technology Evolution:

  • Philippines known as the "Text Capital of the World" due to cellular phones.

  • Rise of social media as a successor to instant messaging.

  • Popular platforms like Friendster, Imeem, Multiply, Yahoo! Messenger, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, Tumblr, Spotify, and Wattpad.

  • Platforms for online businesses like Patreon and OnlyFans.

  • Video content creation on YouTube, Twitch, and SoundCloud.

  • Evolution of televisions from cathode-ray tubes to LCD screens.

  • Gaming evolution from handheld devices like the Brick Game to modern consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo.

Additional Notes:

• Cultural Impact:

  • Filipinos deeply intertwined with technology, leading to significant changes in communication and entertainment.

• Media Consumption:

  • Shift from traditional media to online platforms for content creation and consumption.

• Gaming Trends:

  • Transition from handheld devices to advanced gaming consoles, reflecting changes in technology preferences over time.

Main Ideas from Page 10:

Popular Gaming Devices:

• Millennials owned devices like PocketStation, Tamagotchi, Digivice, and Nintendo Game Boy.

  • PocketStation was a handheld device for PS1.

  • Tamagotchi and Digivice were small game devices for caring for virtual pets.

  • Nintendo Game Boy came in different versions like Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance.

• Generation Z owned devices like Game Boy SP, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Evolution of Internet in the Philippines:

• Internet in the Philippines was once a luxury with pre-paid access through ISPs like ISP Bonanza.

• Global advocacy for Internet neutrality made it a necessity, leading to post-paid Internet services.

• WiFi became a staple feature for ISPs, enabling connectivity for laptops and mobile devices like smartphones (iOS or Android).