PHIL LIT

Philippine Literature

1. Salawikain (Proverbs)

• Practical advice passed down through generations 

• Expresses truth based on common sense or experience, often metaphorical

Ex: 

• “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” JR

• “Yang ataog aw madugdug, di da mamauli.”

• (An egg, once broken, will never be the same again.)

• Mandaya proverb about virginity 

• “In lasa iban uba, di hikatapuk.”

• (Love and cough cannot be hidden.)

• Tausug proverb that suggests certain things, like secret affairs, are difficult to conceal.

2. Bugtong (Riddles)

• Statements that contain superficial words, but they function figuratively and as metaphors

• In question form

Ex:

• “Balong malalim, puno ng patalim” (bibig)

• “Maliit pa si nene, marunong nang manahi” (gagamba)

• “Bumili ako ng alipin, mataas pa sa akin” (sumbrero)

3. Folksongs

• Folk lyrics express Filipino ancestors’ hopes, aspirations, and lifestyles

Forms (general):

• Uyayi/Oyayi/Hele - lullaby

• Dalit/Imno - Song to the God of Visayans

• Kumintang/Tagumpay - War Song

• Diana - Wedding Song

• Soliraning - Song of the Laborer pede ren boat

• Talindaw - Boatman’s song

• Kundiman - melancholic love song

Ex (Specific):

• Dung-aw (Ilocano) - death chant performed at wakes

• Ili-ili (Ilongo) - lullaby

• Panawagon and Balitao (Ilongo) - love songs 

• Panawagon - plea or a cry for help, often directed at spirits, deities, or even a loved one

• Balitao - debate/exchange between a man and a woman, often on love and courtship

• Bayok (Mandaya) - communication medium in Davao Oriental to settle disputes, declare marriage intentions, share significant events, and express joy for good fortune.

• Ambahan (Mangyan) - seven-syllable per-line (heptasyllabic) poem about human relationships, social entertainment, and a tool for teaching the young. 

• Soliranin (Tagalog) - work song about sailing

4. Mitolohiya (Myth)

• Explain the creation of the universe, natural phenomena, or humanity

• Involve supernatural elements beyond logic

• Ex:

• Malakas and Maganda (Tagalog) – a magical bird called Manaul pecked the bamboo to release Malakas and Maganda, who became the first inhabitants of the islands. 

• Bathala (Tagalog) – supreme god in Tagalog mythology and is the creator of the universe, the earth, the sky, and all living things

• Kabunian (Ifugao) – describes how the god Kabunian created three races of humans from clay in an attempt to have companions (In this creation narrative, Kabunyan crafted the first human beings, whom the Igorot people refer to as “Limmim” or “Kadaklan.” These first humans were given the gift of knowledge and the responsibility to care for the Earth and its creatures. According to folklore, Kabunyan lent down his ladder at Mount Kalawitan so that his son could roam the land. Thus, the mountain was named after the word “kalawit” or hook) ( He is also known as Adikaila or Egma-on-an)

5. Alamat (Legends)

• Genre of folklore more rooted in the real world and often feature explanations for landmarks, historical events, or cultural practices

• Blur the lines between fact and fiction

• Ex:

• Alamat ng Pinya (Tagalog)

• A tale about a girl named Pina, who was turned into a pineapple as punishment for being lazy and disobedient to her mother.

• Alamat ng Bulkang Mayon (Bicol) 

• Daragang Magayon, a beautiful maiden, was saved by the brave Panganoron after she fell into a river. They fell in love and planned to marry, but a suitor, Pagtuga, kidnapped her father to force her into marriage. After a battle, Panganoron killed Pagtuga, but both he and Magayon were fatally wounded. They were buried together, and their grave became the Mayon Volcano.

• Alamat ng Bulkang Taal (Tagalog)

• Princess Taalita, daughter of Datu Balinda, lost a cherished ring in Lake Bunbon. Datu Mulawin, a noble from Nasugbo, dived into the lake to retrieve it, succeeding after a long search. Their union was celebrated, but their happiness was short-lived. One evening, while boating, Princess Taalita reached for a lotus flower, fell into the lake, and drowned. Datu Mulawin, attempting to save her, also perished. Their bodies were found, and a mound appeared in the lake, which became Taal Volcano.

6. Epics

• lengthy narrative poems that recount the adventures and misadventures of heroes and supernatural beings. 

• Biag ni Lam-Ang

• first Philippine folk epic to be recorded in written form

• epic from the Ilocos region that tells the story of the heroic exploits of the mythical hero Lam-Ang. 

• Ibalon

• originates from the Bicol region and describes the world’s creation, the arrival of the first settlers, and the exploits of heroic figures who fought against supernatural beings and established the foundations of Bicolano culture.

• Hudhud and Alim

• epic chants from the Ifugao people

• Hudhud tells the story of Aliguyan, a powerful hero, and Bugan, alongside the creation of the world and the rise of their civilization. 

• Alim focuses on their god Makanungan, other deities, and their concept of heaven.

• Darangen

•  epic of the Maranao people of Mindanao

• stories are told in 17 parts, with 72,000 lines that chronicles the origins of the Maranao sultanate, the exploits of legendary heroes, and the struggles between warring kingdoms

7. Tanaga

• a quatrain with seven syllables each with the same rhyme at the end of each line

• Ex:

• Tahak ng tingin, tulak

• Ng sulyap, yakap, lapat

• Ng titig ng balikat,

• Hatak pa, kindat, hakat

Baybayin is a pre-Spanish Philippine writing system. It is a member of the Brahmic family and is recorded as being in use in the 16th century. It continued to be used during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines up until the late 19th Century.

• comes from the Tagalog root word baybay, which means to spell.

• Baybayin has 14 syllabic consonant characters, 15 if the da and ra consonants are separated, and three vowel characters: a, e-i, and o-u.

Origins

Baybayin was noted by the Spanish priest Pedro Chirino in 1604 and Antonio de Morga in 1609 to be known by most, and was generally used for personal writings, poetry, etc.

There are theories about the origins of Baybayin:

1. Kawi

• originated in Java, and was used across much of Maritime Southeast Asia

Evidences:

• Laguna Copperplate Inscription 

• a legal document from 900 AD that is the oldest known written document in the Philippines

• Found in Pagsanjan River in Lumban, Laguna in 1987 by Ernesto Legisma

• written in the Kawi script in a variety of Old Malay containing numerous loanwords from Sanskrit and a few non-Malay vocabulary elements whose origin is ambiguous between Old Javanese and Old Tagalog.

• Butuan Ivory Seal (Selyong Garing ng Butuan) 

• dated to the 10th–13th centuries A.D. (age of contact and trade)

• discovered in Ambangan, Libertad, Butuan City in the 1970s by pot hunters

• features an inscription in ancient Javanese or Kawi script, deciphered as "But-ban" or "But-wan," referring to modern-day Butuan.

• Calatagan Pot

• The Calatagan Ritual Pot was discovered by Feliciano Bugtong, a farmer in Talisay, Calatagan, Batangas.

• It was later acquired by the National Museum in May 1961 

• The pot is inscribed with characters resembling Baybayin script, believed to date back to around 1300 AD, but the authenticity and meaning of the inscriptions remain under study.

2. Old Sumatran “Malay” scripts  

• Another hypothesis states that a script or script used to write one of the Malay languages was adopted and became Baybayin. In particular, the Pallava script from Sumatra is attested to the 7th century.  

3. Sulawesi  

• The Liboginese and/or Makassarese scripts of Sulawesi could have been introduced or borrowed and adapted into Baybayin.   

4. Old Assamese  

• Assamese is a variant of Eastern Nagari script, a precursor to Devanagari. This hypothesis states that a version of this script was introduced to the Philippines via Bengal, which evolved into Baybayin.  

5. Cham  

• an early Cham script from Champa—in what is now southern Vietnam and southeastern Cambodia—could have been introduced or borrowed and adapted into Baybayin

Baybayin vs Alibata

• The term “Alibata” was coined in 1914 by Paul Rodriguez Verzosa after the arrangement of letters of the Arabic alphabet  alif, ba, ta (alibata)

• Versoza’s reasoning for creating this word was unfounded because no evidence of the baybayin was ever found in that part of the Philippines and it has absolutely no relationship to the Arabic language.

Written languages that descended from Baybayin:

• Hanunó’o

• Buhid

• Tagbanwa

• the Kapampangan script

• the Bisaya script

• Tagabayan - Filipinos within easy reach of the power of Church and State

• Tagabukid/Tagabundok - Filipinos who kept their distance from the Spaniards

Doctrina Christiana (1593)

• by Fray Juan de Plasencia

• the first book to be printed in the Philippines, was a prayerbook written in Spanish with an accompanying Tagalog translation

• Consists of seventy-four pages of text in Spanish, Tagalog transliterated into roman letters, and Tagalog in original Baybayin script

ladinos

• Indio writers fluent in Filipino and Spanish

• published their work, mainly devotional poetry, in the first decade of the 17th century

• Francisco de San Jose 

• Authored “Arte y reglas de la lengua tagala,” the oldest extant grammar of Tagalog in 1610 in Bataan

• Arte was considered by the missionaries as the most authoritative colonial grammar of Tagalog

• the University of Santo Tomas printed a 2nd edition in 1752

• Jose Maria Dayot reprinted a 3rd edition in 1832

• Gaspar Aquino de Belen 

• considered the first major Tagalog poet during Spanish colonialism

• known for authoring Mahal Na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Natin na Tola, a Tagalog poem based on Christ’s passion published in 1704. 

• This long poem humanized a nativized Jesus, and is a milestone in the history of Philippine letters.

Komedya

• native poetic-drama inspired by secular literature from Spain in the form of medieval ballads 

• later called moro-moro because 

• often dealt with the theme of Christians triumphing over Muslims

Jose de la Cruz (1746 – 1829) 

• “Huseng Sisiw”

• the foremost exponent of the komedya during his time. 

• Tagalog poet and playwright known for his romantic poems and ability to write lyric verses and dramas spontaneously

• Mentored Francisco Balagtas

• printing presses were owned and managed by the religious orders, so religious themes dominated

• native oral literature, whether secular or mythico-religious, still continued. 

• even among the Christianized ethnic groups, the oral tradition persisted in legends, sayings, wedding songs such as the balayan and parlor theater such as the duplo

Ibong Adarna

• Unknown author but often associated with Huseng Sisiw/Jose de la Cruz

• Written in the early 19th century

Setting: Kingdom of Berbania

Major Characters:

• Ibong Adarna 

• has a very long fancy tail with shiny metallic colors.  

• lives in Mount Tabor

• knows a total of seven songs that are believed to lull anyone to sleep as well as cure any type of afflictions 

• changes its feathers into more colorful hues and shades after each song.  

• after the last song, it excretes waste, then finally, sleeps with its eyes wide open.  

• When Adarna bird is sad, it looks very ugly and hopeless.  It is believed that its droppings can turn any living thing into stone.

• Haring Fernando

• Great ruler of Berbania kingdom.

• Reyna Valeriana

• Faithful wife of King Fernando; a mother to Don Pedro, Don Diego and Don Juan.

• Don Pedro

• Eldest son of the King and Queen.  He is a deceitful man, very envious and greedy of power.

• Don Diego

• The second son; follows whatever Don Pedro tells him to do.

• Don Juan

• Youngest; a man of integrity and compassion.

• the King's favorite child.

Minor Characters:

• Old leper/Matandang Leproso

• advises Don Juan to seek for the hermit’s cottage and ask for advise on how to get the Adarna bird without any harm.

• Hermit

• advises Don Juan on how to successfully get the Adarna bird

• Gave Don Juan a labaha/kutsilyo, dayap, and gintong tali

• Doña Juana

• Don Juan rescues her from a giant who holds her in custody.

• Doña Leonora

• Younger sibling of Princess Juana.  

• Don Juan also rescues her from the serpient with seven heads.

• King Salermo

• Ruler of the kingdom of De los Crystal with black magical powers.  He is the father of Doña Maria Blanca.

• Doña Maria Blanca

• The princess of De los Crystal kingdom.  

• She has white magical powers, which is greater than her father, King Salermo.

Francisco Balagtas (1788 – 1862)

• Authored Florante at Laura in 1838

Florante at Laura

Setting: Kingdom of Albania

Dedicated to: Maria Asuncion Rivera (aka “Selya”)

Characters:

• Florante

• Son of Duke Briseo and Princess Floresca; the main character of the SONG; Laura's love

• Laura

• Daughter of King Liceo; Florante's love

• Aladin

• A Muslim prince and soldier; son of Sultan Ali-Adab; the man who saved Florante; Flerida's love

• Flerida

• The woman who saved Laura; Aladin’s love

• Count Adolfo/Konde Adolfo

• A traitor; son of Count Sileno; very envious of Florante's achievement

• Menandro

• Florante's classmate and faithful best friend; Florante’s right hand in the battle

Pedro Paterno (1857 - 1911)

• Authored the first Filipino novel Ninay in 1885 written in Spanish, and;

• Sampaguitas y otras poesías varias published in 1880, the first Filipino collection of poems in Spanish

• Both were published in Madrid, Spain

Jose Rizal (1861 – 1896)

• Rizal’s novels and patriotic poems were the conclusion to the campaign for liberal reforms known as the Propaganda Movement, waged by Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo H. del Pilar. 

• authored:

Noli Me Tangere (1887)

• Touch Me Not

Setting: San Diego

Major Characters:

• Crisóstomo Ibarra

• Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin

• studied in Europe for 7 years

• son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra

• changed his surname from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his ancestor's surname.

• Elías

• Ibarra's mysterious friend; a fugitive. 

• “Ang piloto” - master boater

• María Clara

• María Clara de los Santos

• Ibarra's sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso and Pía Alba.

• Padre Dámaso

• Dámaso Verdolagas

• Franciscan friar and María Clara's biological father.

• Don Filipo

• A close relative of Ibarra, and a Filibuster.

• Linares

• A distant nephew of Don Tiburcio de Espadana, the would-be fiance of Maria Clara.

• Kapitan Heneral

• most powerful official in the Philippines, a hater of secular priests and corrupt officials, and a friend of Ibarra.

• Kapitan Pablo

• Leader of the rebels, whose family was destroyed because of the Spanish.

• Tarsilo and Bruno Alasigan

• Brothers, whose father was killed by the Spaniards.

• Sisa

• mother of Basilio and Crispín, who went insane after losing her sons.

• Basilio

• elder son of Sisa.

• Crispín

• younger son of Sisa who died from the punishment from the false accusation of stealing an amount of money. (2 gold pcs)

• Padre Sibyla

•  Filipino friar described as short and has fair skin.

• Kapitan Tiago

• Don Santiago de los Santos 

• the known father of María Clara but not the real one; lives in Binondo.

• Padri Salví

• Bernardo Salví, a secret admirer of María Clara.

Pilosopo Tasyo

• Aka Don Anastasio, portrayed in the novel as a pessimist, cynic, and mad by his neighbors.

El Filibusterismo (1891)

• The Reign of Greed

Setting: San Diego

Major Characters:

• Simoun

• Crisóstomo Ibarra reincarnated as a wealthy jeweler

• Basilio

• Sisa's son, now an aspiring doctor

• Kapitan Tiago sponsors his studies

• Isagani

• poet and Basilio's best friend; Paulita Gómez' boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Peláez

• Kabesang Tales

• Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former cabeza de barangay who resurfaced as the feared Luzón bandit Matanglawin

• his father, Tandang Selo, dies eventually after his son Tano, who became a guardia civil, unknowingly shoots his grandfather in an encounter

• Don Custodio

• Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo

• the students asked about his decision for the Academia de Castellano (Ang Akademyang Pilipino ng Wikang Kastila). 

• married a rich woman in order to be a member of Manila's high society

• Paulita Gómez

•  girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina de Espadaña

• in the end, she and Juanito Peláez are wed, and she dumps Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him

• Padre Florentino

• Isagani's godfather, and a secular priest 

• chose an assignment to a remote place, living in solitude near the sea.

• Juli

• Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales

• Ben Zayb

• Abraham Ibañez; journalist 

• Placido Penitente

• a student of UST who is always miserable, and therefore controls his temper

• Quiroga

• a Chinese businessman who dreamt of being a consul of a Consulate of China in the Philippines. 

• hid Simoun's weapons inside his house

• Tandang Selo

• father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after his mother Sisa had died

• Padre Fernandez

• the priest-friend of Isagani. He promised to Isagani that he and the other priests will give in to the students' demands

• Ginoong Pasta

• one of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila

• Padre Sibyla

• vice-rector of UST

Andres Bonifacio (1863 – 1897)

• Pag-Ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa

• published in the Katipunan's newspaper, Kalayaan, in March 1896

Emilio Jacinto (1875 – 1899)

• wrote political essays expressed in the language of the folk

• A La Patria (1897)

• To the fatherland

• Kartilya ng Katipunan

• Guidebook 

Filipino Poetry (1924)

• Edited by Rodolfo Dato 

• first collection of poems in English by Filipinos

• featured Carlos P. Romulo, Juan Pastrana, Paz Marquez Benitez, Luis Dato, etc.

The English German Anthology of Poets (1934)

• edited by Pablo Laslo

• covered poems published from 1924-1934

• featured Jose Garcia Villa, Angela Manalang Gloria, Aurelio Alvero

Chorus for America: Six Philippine Poets (1942)

• edited by Carlos Bulosan

•  six poets: Jose Garcia Villa, Rafael Zulueta da Costa, Rodrigo T. Feria, C.B. Rigor, Cecilio Baroga and Carlos Bulosan.

U.P. Writers Club

• founded in 1926, had stated that one of its aims was to enhance and propagate the “language of Shakespeare.”

• Filipino Rebel by Maximo Kalaw

• His Native Soil by Juan C. Laya

• How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel Arguilla

• Children of the Ash Covered Loam by N.V.M. Gonzales

Zarsuwelas directed against the American imperialists:

Juan Crisostomo Sotto

• Tanikalang Ginto

• Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas 

• Hindi Ako Patay

Patricio Mariano

• Anak ng Dagat

Severino Reyes

• Walang Sugat

• Liwayway (1922) - previously Photo News

• Bisaya (1932)

• Hiligaynon (1932)

• Bannaway (1940)

• Ishmael Amado - Bulalakaw ng Pag-asa (1909, released in 1916) – Themes of American imperialism

• Valeriano Hernandez Peña - Nena at Neneng – A story of two women and their relationships, with Nena having a successful marriage and Neneng struggling with a jealous husband.

• Faustino Aguilar - Pinaglahuan – A love triangle set in the worker’s movement, with protagonist Luis Gatbuhay losing his love due to false imprisonment.

• Lope K. Santos: Banaag at Sikat – A love story set against the backdrop of the worker’s trade union movement, with socialist and capitalist themes.

• Balagtasan: A debate in verse, originating in 1924 with Jose Corazon de Jesus (Huseng Batute) and Florentino Collantes, who debated over love for the kampupot (jasmine).

• Lope K. Santos: Ang Panggingera – An example of effective poetry during this era.

• Other Regional Poetry Forms: Bukanegan (Ilocos) and Crissottan (Pampanga).

• Alejandro G. Abadilla: Introduced modernist poetry in 1932 with Ako ang Daigdig, marking a shift to free verse.

• Ilaw at Panitik - A group for Tagalog writers, hosting discussions on literature’s societal value.

• Sakdalista Movement - founded by Benigno Ramos in 1930, aligned with peasants.

• Deogracias Del Rosario - Focused on city life and social elite, considered the father of modern short stories in Tagalog.

• Liwayway Arceo - Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa

• Genoveva Edroza Matute - Ako’y Isang Tinig 

• Teodoro Agoncillo - His anthology 25 Pinakamahusay na Maiikling Kuwento (1945) includes major fiction writers.

Ishiwara

• managed the weekly Liwayway after it was placed under strict surveillance

Voice of Freedom

• secret radio program in Malinta Tunnel in Corregidor 

• first went on the air on January 2, 1942

• announcers included Carlos P. Romulo, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Army Lt. Norman Reyes, and Army Lt. Francisco Isidoro

1. Jose Ma. Hernandez - Panday Pira

2. Francisco Soc Rodrigo - Sa Pula, Sa Puti 

3. Clodualdo del Mundo - Bulaga

4. Julian Cruz Balmaceda - Sino Ba Kayo?, Dahil sa Anak, Higante ng Patay

1. Fanny A. Garcia - Sandaang Damit

2. Lualhati Bautista - Dekada ‘70, Bata, Bata, Pa’no ka Ginawa?, Gapo

3. Lamberto Antonio - wrote the script for Insiang, the first Filipino film to be showcased at the Cannes Film Festival

• Makata ng Taon by the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa

4. Pedro Cruz Reyes - known as Jun Cruz Reyes

5. Lamberto E. Antonio - Sa Pagkamatay ng Isang Newsboy

6. Francisco Sionil Jose - My Brother, My Executioner

PSEUDONYM/ PEN NAME OF FILIPINOS

Jose dela Cruz - Huseng Sisiw

Marcelo H. Del Pilar - Plaridel, Dolores Manapat, Piping Dilat, Siling Labuyo, Kupang, Haitalaga, Patos, Carmelo, D.A. Murgas, L.O. Crame D.M. Calero, Hilario, and M. Dati.

Severino de las Alas - Di-kilala

Epifanio delos Santos - G. Solon

Valeriano Hernandez Peña - Ahas na Tulog, Anong, Damulag, Dating Alba, Isang Dukha, Kalampag and Kintin Kulirat

Severino Reyes - Lola Basyang

Pedro de Govantes de Azcarraga - Conde de Albay

Francisco dela Cruz Balagtas - Francisco Baltazar

Asuncion Lopez Bantug (Rizal’s grand niece) - Apo ni Dimas

Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda - José Rizal, Dimas-alang (Tagalog for Touch me not), Laong-Laan (which means Ever-prepared), Agnoand Calambeño

Hugo Salazar - Ambut

Moises Salvador - Araw

Jose Turiano Santiago - Tiktik

Lope K. Santos - Anak-Bayan and Doctor Lukas

Juan Crisostomo Soto - Crissot

Luis Taruc - Alipato (which means spark that spreads a fire and one of Rizal’s pet dogs)

Jose Ma. Sison - Amado Guerrero

Dr. Pio Valenzuela - Madlang-Away

Clemente Jose Zulueta - M. Kaun

J. Zulueta - Juan Totoó

Isaac Fernando delos Rios Bautista - Ba Basiong

Gen. Vito Belarmino - Blind Veteran

Andres Bonifacio - Agapito Bagumbayan, while his inspiring Katipunan name was Maypagasa

Felipe Calderon - Simoun and Elias 

José Corazón de Jesús - Huseng Batute

Mariano del Rosario - Tito-Tato

Antonio K. Abad - Akasia

Jose Abreu - Kaibigan

Macario Adriatico - Amaori, C. Amabri and Felipe Malayo

Faustino Aguilar - Sinag-Ina

Emilio Aguinaldo - Magdalo

Virgilio Almario - Rio Alma

Pascual Alvarez - Bagongbuhay

Aurelio Alvero - Magtanggul Asa

Cecilio Apostol -Catulo, Calipso and Calypso

Francisco Arcellana - Franz Arcellana

Salvador Vivencio del Rosario - X and Juan Tagalo

Domingo Gomez - Romero Franco

Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez - N.V.M. Gonzalez

Fernando Ma. Guerrero - Fluvio Gil

Amado Hernandez - Amante Ernani, Herininia de la Riva and Julio Abril

Emilio Jacinto - Dimas-ilaw and his Katipunan name was Pingkian

Nick Joaquin - Quijano de Manila

Jesus Lava - B. Ambrosio Rianzares

Sixto Lopez - Batulaw

Gen. Antonio Luna - Taga-Ilog

Juan Luna - J.B. and Buan (Luna which means moon)

Apolinario Mabini - Bini and Paralitico

Jose Palma - Ana-haw, Esteban Estebanes and Gan Hantik

Rafael Palma - Hapon and Dapit-Hapon

Jose Maria Panganiban - Jomapa and J.M.P.

Pascual H. Poblete - Anak-Bayan

Mariano Ponce - Naning, Tikbalang, and Kalipulako

Gabriela Silang - Joan of arc of Ilocandia

Melchora Aquino- Tandang Sora, Mother of Balintawak

Teresa Mabanua- Visayan Joan of Arc; Nay Isa

Gregoria De Jesus- Lakambini of the Katipunan, Aling Oriang

RANDOM INFORMATION

Deogracias Rosario

• Father of the Tagalog Short Story

Mga Manunulat at Personalidad sa Panitikang Pilipino

1. Deogracias A. Rosario- Ama ng Maikling Kuwento

2. Valeriano Hernandez Peña- Ama ng Nobela

3. Padre Modesto de Castro- Ama ng Tuluyang Kiasika sa Tagalog, may-akda ng "Urbana at Felisa""

4. Jose dela Cruz - Huseng Sisiw

5. Jose Corazon de Jesus- Huseng Batute Makata ng Pag-big

6. Jose Garcia Villa- Pinakatanyag na Pilipnong manunulat sa Ingles

7. Zoilo Galang- sumulat ng kauna-u nahano nobelang Pilipino sa Ingles "A Child of Sorrow"

3. Estrella Alfon- pinakapangunahing manunulat na babae sa Ingles bago magkadigma.

9. Marcelo H. del Pilar- may-akda ng "Caingat Cayo (1888)" at "Dasalan at Tocsohan (1888)"

10. Andres Bonifacio- May- akda ng "Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (March 1896)"

11. Jose Palma- Sumulat ng "HImno Nacional Filipina" (Pambansang Awit ng Pilipinas)

12. Lope K. Santos- Apo ng mga Mananagalog, Ama ng Balarilang Pilipino, may-akda ng "Banaag at Sikat"

13. Amado V. Hernandez- Makata ng Manggagawa, "Isang Dipang Langit"

14. Florentino Collantes- Unang makatang Tagalog na gumamit ng tula sa panunuligsang pampuliika

15. Severino Reyes -Lola Basyang- Ama ng Dulang Tagalog, "Walang Sugat"

16. Aurelio Tolentino- Mandudulang Kapampangan, "Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas"

17. Alejandro G. Abadilla - "Talaang Bughaw" - nagpapasya sa mahuhusay na maikling kuwento

18. Liwayway Arceo- May-akda ng " Maganda ang Ninang ko"

19. Brigido Batumbakal- May-akda ng "Siya sa lbabaw ng Daigdig"

20. Genoveva Matute- may-akda ng "Kalansay"

21. Clodualdo del Mundo- may-akda ng "Pasko ng Isang Bulaklak"

22. Inigo Ed Regalado- mga akda ay pinamagatang Damdamin

23. Julian Cruz Balmaceda-inuri sa tatlo ang makatang Tagalog- makata ng puso, buhay at dulaan

24. Hermogenes Ilagan- nagtatanghal ng dula sa kagitnaang Luzon

1. Tikbalang

Described as a hulking half-man, half-horse that towers over mortal creatures, with broad, muscular shoulders and a majestic horse’s head, the Tikbalang is an elemental god frightening, intimidating, and imperial.

_{I hope you run like a horse when you see this Filipino monster called Tikbalang in the middle of the night.}

Found in the Philippines’ far-flung mountains, he watches over his domain like a guardian and looks over anyone who enters. As stories go, the Tikbalang is a mischievous god and can trick you into losing your way in the forest, trapping you forever by making you walk around endlessly in circles.

They said that the secret to lifting the magic of the Tikbalang is by taking your shirt and turning it inside out. Only then will you be able to see the forest as it is and maybe find your way home.

2. Tiyanak

The Tiyanak is a man-eating earthly creature that preys on human flesh and blood. This Filipino monster lurks in the darkness, luring unwary travellers away from safety by taking the form of an infant child and crying like one too. As the kindhearted soul goes deeper and deeper into the forest looking for the lost baby, the tiyanak will strike and eat its prey.

_{I hope this is not the baby’s cry you heard last night.}

As Filipino mythical creatures go, the tiyanak is genuinely frightening because who can ignore an infant’s cries?

3. Sigbin

The Sigbin is a unique entry in Filipino mythical creatures. While it is considered a supernatural entity, it’s often believed that some Filipino families keep the Sigbin as a pet.

_{You should run home and lock all your doors if ever you encounter a Sigbin in the Philippines.}

The Sigbin is a dog-like creature that is visible only to its owner. It eats any raw meat, preferably bloody and freshly slaughtered. When you keep a sigbin as a pet, it will be your silent guardian. It will protect you from danger, bring good luck, and will even let you ride it though you will only appear to be walking briskly to other people.

However, let a sigbin starve, and it will not just turn on you; it will savage and eat your entire family as well.

4. Kapre

The Kapre, like the Tikbalang, is less of a monster and more of a deity that watches over locals and farm animals. They are unusually tall and muscular, with dark skin and hairy chests, but they can also take the form of beautiful, inviting men if they want to seduce people into following them.

_{If you see a big old Balete tree like the one in Baler, Aurora, the chance of a Kapre living there is almost high.}

They said that the kapre, like many Filipino mythical creatures, can play tricks on a person’s mind. If someone suddenly forgets where they are or gets strangely confused, people say that this could be the work of a kapre working its magic.

5. Multo

The Multo is the Filipino iteration of a ghost that comes back to life as an ethereal spirit.

_{A Pastor in Iligan City, Dalipuga has accidentally captured this lost spirit. Is it a Ghost “Kalag” or an Angel? It’s your call bayan.}

As the University of Santo Tomas, some Philippines’ places are infamous for its numerous multo sightings. It is no surprise as UST is the country’s oldest university and used during WWII as an internment camp.

6. Diwata

The Diwata in Filipino mythical creatures is a pre-Spanish Colonial mythology, a dryad-like spirit that is surprisingly similar to fairy legends of other countries. Much like famous fairy legends, the diwata can take on beautiful and attractive human forms and often invite people to go back to “where they live” and never be seen again in the outside world.

_{Don’t be lured to the Diwata’s beauty you might not come back in the real world.}

The similarities between Diwata and fairies (also known as Encantada or Seelie) between so many different cultures suggests that there may be more truth to these creatures than we care to admit.

7. Duwende

Filipino mythical creatures also have the Duwende, the local equivalent of dwarves. But unlike in Snow White, they’re a lot more fickle, playing nasty tricks on the people they don’t like and showering gifts on those that they do like.

_{Beware the cheeky little Duwende. They love to play and fool you.}

Beware of the Duwende‘s gifts. Even among Filipino monsters, they are notorious for being very jealous and quite vicious in their anger. They are known to suddenly go from being extravagantly generous to become mean and spiteful all in a split second!

8. Mangkukulam

The Mangkukulam is not one of the Filipino mythical creatures. Instead, they are the witch doctors, known to practice either evil magic or good magic. The problem is, there’s no way to tell the difference.

_{Be warned if you owe someone, this witch doctor or “Mangkukulam” will be the one to collect your debt or “utang!”}

While most Filipinos will tell you that they don’t believe in the mangkukulam, some strange practices still prevail. For example, passengers will always buy food from the same food stalls as bus drivers when travelling by bus. That’s because bus drivers know which places to avoid, areas that are supposedly cursed by the local mangkukulam.

The next time you find yourself travelling on a bus across the Philippines, do as the locals do and take the bus driver’s lead when buying food and snacks.

9. White lady

It’s so strange to imagine a version of the White Lady in almost every culture in the world. She is the ghost of a wronged woman, appearing in white, haunting those who hurt her, and waiting to exact her revenge.

_{Sometimes running is the only option!}

In Filipino folklore, it is the White Lady. In other stories, it is the Weeping Woman, the Kuchisake-onna in Japan, and La Llorona in Mexico, to name a few.

As Filipino monsters go, the White Lady is one of the scariest because of her unquenchable thirst for violence and righteous fury. There could be more truth to this myth with the similarities between all the Wronged Woman ghosts in the world than we know.

10. Manananggal

The Manananggal, often confused with the Wakwak and the Aswang (mostly because they all feed on human flesh), is one of the most popular Filipino mythical creatures globally. After all, it’s not easy to forget a monster that severs its own body in half, leaving the lower half behind as the upper torso sprouts wings and flies of to prey on newborn infants.

_{When you hear a noise scratch on your rooftop in the middle of the night, and someone is pregnant – Yes, your right that’s the work of the Manananggal.}

The secret to defeating the manananggal is effortless in theory and incredibly difficult in practice. All you have to do is sprinkle salt on the lower torso the creature has left behind – but you have to find it first.

11. Aswang

The Aswang is the Queen B of Filipino monsters because of how powerful it is. It has evil, shapeshifting powers similar to that of Dracula himself, and it thrives in eating human flesh – both raw and cooked.

_{Be careful in going home at midnight the Aswang may be behind you. If that’s the case, then run for your life!}