MODULE 3

Author: Jerry Punongbayan

Illustrator and Layout Artist: Shaine Rita B. Incapas
 MODULE 3

Introduction

21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World Module
aims to engage students in appreciation and critical study of 21st
Century Literature from the Philippines and the World, encompassing
their various dimensions, genres, elements, structures, contexts, and
traditions.

This module allows the students to embark on a journey from

Philippine regions to the different parts of the world through various
literary encounters.

Here, the learners will be accompanied by Lito and Letty, the ship
captains of Balangay ( an old name of a Philippine boat). Lito is a
Filipino Ship Captain who is in-charge of the local destinations. And
Letty is a Lady Ship Captain from other country. She is in-charge of the
tour abroad. Lito and Letty assist each other in every module visit.

2
 MODULE 3

Legend

This Self Learning Kit is divided into 27 modules with varied parts
and respective icons:

Gearing Up
(Review)

Testing the Water

( Pre-test)

Leaving the Shore

( Priming Activity)

Rocking the Boat

( Activity Proper)

Plotting the Course

( Analysis)

Keeping Track
( Abstraction)

3
 MODULE 3

Legend

Approaching Destination
(Application)

Seeing the Lighthouse

( Reflection)

Dropping the Anchor

( Post Test)

Going Back to the Ocean

( Remediation)

Discovering the Gems

( Answer Key)

Every module targets a specific Learning Competency and asks

learners to perform multiple tasks.

4
 MODULE 3

Hello, dear student, our fellow voyager!

Welcome…

I’m Letty. Are you ready to set sail and

BEGIN your voyage with this module?

I’m Lito
Well, it’s time to GO ABOARD to set
your quest for KNOWLEDGE in motion.
Have FUN!

5
 MODULE 3

Connect with the Module:

Some reminders before cruising:

Use the module with care especially in turning each

page.

Be reminded to answer the Pre-Test before moving

on to the Self-Learning Kit (SLK) Proper.

Read and understand the directions in every exer-

cise.

Observe honesty in answering the tests and exer-

cises and in checking your answers.

Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of this

module.

Try to finish the task at hand before proceeding to

the next.

7
 MODULE 3

Horizon Overview

Learning Competency:
Value the contributions of local writers to the development of regional
literary traditions. (EN12Lit-Ic-23)

This module contains your expected learning outcomes,

activities and tasks that are meant to ensure your learning and
enjoyment in exploring the world of Philippine Literature and beyond.
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

 value the contributions of local writers to the development of

regional literary traditions

 explain the context of with the text’s meaning.

 write a short essay to express valuing contribution of local

writers to the development of literary tradition

5
 MODULE 3

Gearing Up

Welcome to our module. Please find

yourself comfortable as we begin to widen
your knowledge in 21st Century Literature
Subject. But first, let me orient you about the
subject matter/topic that would be the focus of
our journey.

We will enhance your competency

on how we could value contributions of
our writers to the development of
regional literary tradition.

8
 MODULE 3

Testing the Waters

Direction: Using the given answer sheet, darken the circle corresponding to
the letter of the best answer for each item.

1. It simply means such an accumulative process of handing down texts

for future generations.
A. Literary tradition
B. Literary Symbol
C. Literary Genre
D. Literary Criticism
2. It refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing
deemed to have artistic or intellectual value, often due to deploying lan-
guage in ways that differ from ordinary usage.
A. Literature
B. Poetry
C. Technical Writing
D. Reading and Writing
3. This is often defined as a short piece of writing on a particular subject,
also defined as a short piece of an account of historical, personal and
academic events.
A. Literature
B. Essay
C. Poetry
D. Fiction
4. It is an important component of writing for it shows the essay’s
personality as much as you would if you were the one telling the story to
someone else.
A. Writer’s Language
B. Writer’s Style
C. Writer’s Viewpoints
D. Writer’s Voice
5. An award-winning Filipina fictionist who has written 5 short fiction, 2
novels, 11 essays, 4 literary criticisms and won numerous awards. The
author of the excerpt from New York City Post 9/11.
A. Fe Hidalgo
B. Maria Fe Hidalgo
C. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo
D. Amanda Pantoja-Hidalgo

9
 MODULE 3

Rocking the Boat

Read the essay and answer the questions that are asked regarding
writer’s voice.
Excerpt from “New York City, Post 9/11”
By: Cristina Pantoja-Hidlago

At the NAIA, I was reminded yet again that my friend Preachy

Legasto like to travel heavy. More than a decade ago, she had come to
visit me in our house in Westchester Country and had left two large
suitcases in one corner of our living room, which she picked up some days
later, on her way to JFK Airport.
Preachy and Fe Mangahas were travelling together to attend a
conference. And because, Preachy had apparently managed to fill a third
suitcase with stuff to bring home to Manila, including bed linen and
crockery, and would have been charged a fortune in overweight luggage.,
Fe had to pretend that one of his suitcases was hers. Few herself was
actually travelling with just one small bag.
This time around, Preachy had two large suit cases and two carry-on
bags. She informed me that they contained mainly her “costumes” ------
beaded ensembles, a beaded shawl, chunky ethnic jewelry (“performing
ethnicity nga, diba?”) and pasalubong for relatives living both the east and
west coasts.
I, on the other hand, had checked in just one medium-sized bag that
could be dragged about on wheels, and was hand-carrying a small duffel
bag and a soft of leather hand bag. All those years of living like a gypsy
had taught me to never bring anything I couldn’t lift myself. Nonetheless,
since I had also brought along my woolen overcoat, I felt like I was
travelling heavy. It was mid-October and my daughter Anna had warned
me to expect around 65 F, which for e definitely translated into overcoat
weather.
It was October 20014, and we were on our way to New York City for
an international conference and festival called “Performing Ethnicity”,”
organized by the Ma-yi Theater Company; the City College of New York;
and a Fil-am group called Philippine Forum. Joi Barrios and Preachy were
co-conveners at the Manila end. The conference and festival were meant
to mark the 100th anniversary of the St. Louis World’s Fair, during thou-
sands of ethnic tribes from the new “empire” (including Igorots and Moros)
had been display put on display for the American audiences.

10
 MODULE 3

I knew a little about Ma-yi because Joi was part of it. The company
had been founded in the late 80’s, mainly to present plays by Filipino
Americans; but had now expanded to provide a venue for other Asian
American writers. Journey Guide

What had convinced me to take up Preachy’s invitation to read a

paper in a conference was that it was to be held in New York, which meant
that I could make a detour on the way back, and visit Anna, who was
doing her M.A. in Washington D.C.
This was my first trip to the U.S. after 9/11. Security checks were
tighter and the lines were miles long. But, as usual, the difficulties had
been exaggerated.
Running true to form, I barely got any sleep on the long flight to
L.A., and tried to entertain myself by reading fitfully from a collection of
Latin American stories (edited by Carlos Fuentes and Julio Ortega) and
stuffing my face. If there’s one thing you get from flying PAL (besides
taking off and landing at the Centennial Airport) it’s a full stomach.
The immigration officer of L.A. was young, Latino-looking, and very
pleasant. When I told him that I had lived in the U.S. for a while some
years back, he became even friendlier. And when I said I’d be in D.C. a
few days after New York to visit my daughter who was in graduate school,
his smiled broadly and said, “Ah, one of the smart ones.”
I had a window seat at the American Airlines connecting flight to
New York, and was able to catch the dawn breaking. Layers of colors
above the banked clouds-mauve, rose, gold, lemon yellow, powder blue,
turquoise, all shade so f blue darkening to almost violet, grayish violet… a
splendid sight! And a good beginning to this brief sojourn into a land for
which I have the most ambiguous feeling.
New York City is Mecca to any number of Pinoys. But oi must admit
that I too once dreamed-not just of visiting there- but of someday living
there. And yet, when we did, in fact live there briefly… ah but what can I
possibly say that won’t be caliche? Best to let that be.
New York City was wrapped in gray rain. But Ma-yi had sent people
to meet our party, which consisted of Bien Lumbera, Rio Almario, Rio’s
daughter Ani, Preachy and myself. So, we were whisked off to the Hotel
Belleclaire Park on West 77th St., an interesting part of the city, not far
from Lincoln Center and Central Park. Its brochure described it as a
“grand-style hotel, offering old world charm at affordable prices,” built in
1903, but renovated in 2002. Mark Twain and Maxi Gorky were listed
among its illustrious guests in the past.
Before we had time to unpack, Ora Kapunan (Preachy’s sister’s
sister-in-law) arrived, and announced that she was taking us all to brunch
at the Manhattan Diner next door. This announcement was greeted with
enthusiasm by all, since we had been served only crackers and cheese by
American Airlines on the L.A.-New York leg. In fact, I was lightheaded
from both sleep deprivation and hunger.
11
 MODULE 3

Let’s Navigate

Let us have first an overview of the subject.

Archipelagic Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction or essay is all about life. When you read an
essay you read the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of a writer about
an important time in his or her life. Thus, you also connect with the
writer in his or her life. Thus, you also connect with the writer and his or
her experiences and may get insights on how to handle your own current
situations or issues.
Basically, a majority of writers will write on their past history or what
happened to them in common a while. Events in a society are highly
associated with the culture of that place. By writing on those traditions
they help grow those literary traditions both locally and regionally. They
also remind people of those cultures that were long forgotten.
Local writers will also help to explain events in details hence people
locally or regionally depending on the popularity of the writers is in a
position to understand the literary traditions. Philippine literature are
written works made in the Philippines, such as books and poems. These
type of literature are produced by writers. Writers express their ideas by
creating various literature, which is contributed to the Philippine
literature.

10
 MODULE 3

Leaving the Shore Journey

DIRECTIONS: Complete the word being described in each statement by

filling in the letters inside the box.

1. Simply means such an accumulative process of handing down texts

for future generations.

L T R T A T O N

2. This is often defined as a short piece of writing on a particular subject,

also defined as a short piece of an account of historical, personal
and academic events.

E S Y

3. It refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing

deemed to have artistic or intellectual value, often due to deploying
language in ways that differ from ordinary usage.

L T R T R

11
 MODULE 3

After lunch, Ora asked us where we wanted to go- she was at our
disposal, she said (I began to understand why Preachy was carrying so
many pasalubong.) we didn’t even have to consult each other. Where
would a bunch of writers and academics want to go in New York City? The
Strand Bookstore, the museum of Modern Art and the TKT on Times
Square, where else?
“Don’t you want to see Ground Zero?” Ora asked, sounding not
disappointed to mush as surprised.
“Oh .. yes, of course,” we murmured obediently.
So first we went to the Ground Zero, which though converted into a
subway station, brought up images of incredible collapse of those towers,
played so often on international TV that they had become indelibly
imprinted on the imagination. (I had a sudden sharp recollection of BBC
anchor woman, saying, in a tone which combined shock and sadness:”
And now we return you to New York and its broken heart.”)
One of my favorite books about New York is Gone to New York, by
Ian Frazier, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. A short chapter in it
is called “The Mornings After.”
From the suburb where I lived in New Jersy, you can see the skyline
of Manhattan. When it appears through the trees or beyond the edge of a
hill, I find myself checking it and checking it again to see of the World
Trade Towers still aren’t there. What happened to them and to the people
in them is unacceptable to the mind, and we must use a lot of effort to get it
straight. To accommodate ourselves to the facts is to feel a weight that
gets no lighter no matter how we adjust it. The weight has a particular
heaviness in the early morning. After a troubled but forgetful sleep., I wake
up at five forty-five, before the first light. For a moment, I don’t remember
what happened; in the next moment, I fully awake, I do.
He writes with the same incredulity which I’ve found in many other
Americans .
And then, there’s Doris Lessing: “The judgement ‘they had it coming’,
so angrily resented is perhaps misunderstood,” Lessing wrote. “What
people felt was that Ameriacans had at last learned that they were like
everyone else, vulnerable to the snakes of Envy and Revenge, to bombs
exploding on a street corner (as in Belfast), or in a hotel using a
government (as in Brighton). They say themselves that they have been
expelled from their Eden. How strange they should ever thought they had a
right to one.”
I wondered what Ora would think about that.
Ora figured we wouldn’t have time to do both the Strand and the MOMA,
so we chose the former (which was just as well, because the MOMA was
under renovation, we later learned). And she drove us to the other end of
town, pointing out the usual landmarks—Rockefeller Center, Lincoln
Square, Times Square, Washington Square, NYU, the New School …

10
 MODULE 3

while chatting with Preachy cheerfully the whole time, about relatives,
about a product which she and her husband were pushing. ,a “chocolate
fountain”, apparently a real hit in parties, even if quite expensive about how
Journey Guide
much clearer and safer New York was these days; about how she ap-
proved of George W. Bush’s foreign policy. None of us contributed much to
the conversation, not even Preachy.
As usual, I went a little crazy at the Strand, spending much more than I
mean to, on travel literature mainly, and feeling deprived by having only a
couple of hours for browsing. Then we lined up for Broadway I alight
drizzle. And thought the wait was a kind of long, entertainment was
provided by two black men with dreadlocks, beating reggae tunes on wat
looked like a basins.
In the meantime, the afternoon had turned sunny and crisp, lovely fall
weather. We had early supper at Strumm’s. And then, with about two
hours to kill, Preachy and Ani simply put their heads on the table which
had been cleared of dishes, and went to sleep. I was feeling pretty woozy
myself.
But if I couldn’t sleep on a soft reclining seat in a darkened airplane cabin, I
certainly couldn’t on a cold plastic chair in a brightly lit diner. I amused
myself by listening to a group of black teenagers singing at a nearby table.
One of the girls as so good that I came to the conclusion tat Fantasia (the
latest “American Idol”) was really not all that special out here.
Preachy and Bien had chosen Fiddler on the Roof. But Rio, Ani and I
opted for Bombay Dreams, an Andrew Lloyd Wenbber production based
on an idea of Webber’s and Shekkar Khapur’s.
Funny how Bollywood should be a hit with American audiences, a
long time before Slumg Dog Millionaire was t sweep the Oscars. The
music was by A.R. Rahman, and the lyrics by Don Black Manu Narayan
played Akash, the slum boy who dreams of becoming a Ollywood movie
star and actually becomes one, it allows to go to hid head and turns his
back on his hometown; but repents and returns and promises to make up
and help improve life in his old neighborhood. All the sound of bright,
bouncy music and rhythm of lively dances, with a lot of joking and tumbling
about.
It reminds me of old Filipino films, the Nida Blanca- Nestor de Villa
sort. (We could do this. Actually, we’d be better at it!) and some of the
ensemble did, in fact, look not Indian but Pinoy.
Then we took the subway back, stopped at Westside Supermarket for
fruits and other stuff we could have for breakfast; and hen, still high,
Preachy and I stayed up to chat with Joi in Preachy’s room. There’s no
denying it: New York does throb and glow!

11
 MODULE 3

Plotting the Course

What is Hidalgo’s essay all about? Who is

the target audience?
How does an author ‘s voice affect the essay?
How can an author establish his or her voice in
writing an essay?

Keeping Track

Let us start our learning

exploration.

ESSAY

 Takes the same passion craft, and artistry as any literary genre. It is
also known to be immensely popular, because newspapers
nowadays still bear essays in the form of editorials, columns and
bylines. Some of the most popular newspaper columnist who are
known to write in the essay form are Conrado de Quiros of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jessica Zafra of the Philippine Star and
Business World, and more recently, Patricia Evangelista and Shakira
Sison of the online news portal Rappler.
 In publishing, Carlos Bulosan’s America in the Heart has always
been a staple for creative nonfiction. In this work, he writes about his
migration to the United States and the painful life he has lived there,
and yet, ends the whole memoir with a declaration that Ameri-
ca will always be in the “heart”.

12
MODULE 3

13
 MODULE 3

Dropping the Anchor

Direction: Using the given answer sheet, darken the circle

corresponding to the letter of the best answer for each item.

1. It simply means such an accumulative process of handing down texts

for future generations.
A. Literary tradition
B. Literary Symbol
C. Literary Genre
D. Literary Criticism
2. It refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing
deemed to have artistic or intellectual value, often due to deploying lan-
guage in ways that differ from ordinary usage.
A. Literature
B. Poetry
C. Technical Writing
D. Reading and Writing
3. This is often defined as a short piece of writing on a particular subject,
also defined as a short piece of an account of historical, personal and
academic events.
A. Literature
B. Essay
C. Poetry
D. Fiction
4. It is an important component of writing for it shows the essay’s
personality as much as you would if you were the one telling the story to
someone else.
A. Writer’s Language
B. Writer’s Style
C. Writer’s Viewpoints
D. Writer’s Voice
5. An award-winning Filipina fictionist who has written 5 short fiction, 2
novels, 11 essays, 4 literary criticisms and won numerous awards. The
author of the excerpt from New York City Post 9/11.
A. Fe Hidalgo
B. Maria Fe Hidalgo
C. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo
D. Amanda Pantoja-Hidalgo

20
 MODULE 3

Approaching Destination

I’m pretty much sure that you can

pass this challenge!

Directions: Read the short biography of these two local writers and
write a short essay on the question “How could we value their contribu-
tion to the development of literary tradition? Write your answer on the
space provided.

He is the author of numerous poetry collections and works in literary

and cultural criticism, including Our Lady of the Carnival (1996), The
Sorrows of Water (2000), Kaluluwa (2001) Philippine Gay Culture: The
Last Thirty Years (1996), Slip/pages: Essays in Philippine Gay Criticism
(1998), Performing the Self: occasional Prose (2003), The Garden of
Worldlessness (2005), The Mysterios and Other Poems (2005).
He recently edited the anthology: Aura: The Gay themed Philippine Fiction
in English.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

21
29
28
 MODULE 3

She was one of those who conceptualized and created the Batibot,
the acclaimed children’s educational TV show.
Abstract/editor for US based electronic database publisher; Managing
Editor and columnist of Filipinas- the only monthly glossy magazine for
the Fil-Am community in the US.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

22
 MODULE 3

Discovering the Gems

It’s time to check your answers!

Key to Correction

PRE-TEST POST-TEST

1. A 1. A
2. A 2. A
3. B 3. B
4. D 4. D
5. C 5. C

Word Dive
1. Literary Tradition
2. Essay
3. Literature

Dropping the Anchor

Answers may vary

35
29
28
 MODULE 3

Seeing the Lighthouse

After the discussion and activities

that you have answered, I do hope that
there is deep understanding and full
mastery of the subject matter on your
part.

Exposure to various forms of literature,

opens doors to a lot of learnings. Always
remember that “Literature mirrors life”. It
reflects the wonders and complexities of life,
its culture and traditions, and all the aspects of
human life which give meaning to our
existence.

Looking forward that you would be

able to use the knowledge you have
gained from this module for future
references. For indeed, learning is a
continuous process. The knowledge
you have now might be useful tomorrow.
So, treasure it!

22
 MODULE 3

Photo Source

https://www.rappler.com/previous-articles?filterMeta=shakira%20sison
https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/portraits/id/35/
https://teamarkongbato.wordpress.com/conrade-de-quiros/
http://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/literature/2018/11/16/jessica-zafra-
interview.html
https://www.rappler.com/about-rappler/staff-profiles/2519-patricia-
evangelista
http://www.readersandwritersfestival.com/panelist-info.php?panelist=J%
20Neil%20Garcia&img=up-press
http://upbsi.org/upbsfnorcalchapter/12upaasv/upaasv.html

35
29
28