Villa-Sanipa

Langauge and Literature

A History of the Philippines’ official languages

The Department of Education now has 17 designated languages that qualify for mother-language based
education. The current Philippine constitution (1987) states that the national language is Filipino and as
it evolves, “shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other
languages.” Further, the Philippine constitution (1987) has mandated the Government to “take steps to
initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of official communication and as language of
instruction in the educational system.”

owever, this current policy on language has changed over the century, largely due to the Spanish,
American, and Japanese colonisation, the liberation, and changes in the constitution post-dictatorship.
There also remains to be contentions on whether Filipino, based on the Tagalog language, should be the
national language of the Philippines. These contentions come from the non-Tagalog speaking region that
have called the current language policy as “Tagalog imperialism.”

AMERICAN COLONISATION

Shortly after the independence from Spain, the Philippines came under the American rule from 1898-
1946. In the beginning Filipinos saw Americans as allies against Spain. The Americans saw the perfect
opportunity for colonisation that Spain did not: education. While the Spanish eventually established
schools through the Royal Decree of 1863, these were literacy schools teaching reading and writing in
Spanish, religious studies, and numeracy not leading to any degrees (Gonzalez, 2006). Martin (1999)
notes that the Americans, on the other hand, saw education as a powerful weapon and in the
Philippines they found subjects receptive to the opportunities given by the English language. Gonzalez
(1980, p.27-28) writes, “the positive attitude of Filipinos towards Americans; and the incentives given to
Filipinos to learn English in terms of career opportunities, government service, and politics.”

American policy allowed for compulsory education for all Filipinos in English but was hostile to local
languages. Although President McKinley ordered the use of English as well as mother tongue languages
in education, the Americans found Philippine languages too many and too difficult to learn thus creating
a monolingual system in English (Gonzalez, 2006). Manhit (1980) notes that during this time, students
who used their mother tongue while in school premises were imposed with penalties. Media of
instruction were in English, teachers were trained to teach English, and instructional materials were all
in English. Local languages were used as “auxiliary languages to teach character education, good
manners, and right conduct” (Martin, 1999, p.133). Ricento (2000 p. 198) argues that LPP during
American colonisation led to a “stable digglosia” where English became the language of higher
education, socioeconomic, and political opportunities still visible today.

“The first and perhaps the masterstroke in the plan to use education as an instrument of colonial
policy was the decision to use English as the medium of instruction. English became the wedge that
separate Filipinos from their past and later was to separate educated Filipinos from the masses of
their countrymen… With American textbooks, Filipinos started learning not only a new language but
also a new way of life, alien to their traditions and yet a caricature of their model. This was the
beginning of their education. At the same time, it was the beginning of their miseducation, for they
learned no longer as Filipinos but as colonials.”

-Constantino, 2002

Philippine Literature during the American Period

and two, the use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in public schools.
Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a greater number of Filipinos.

Those who availed of this education through college were able to improve their social status and
joined a good number of educated masses who became part of the country’s middle class. The use
of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes of thought,
culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the
psyche of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the wellspring of a
vibrant Philippine Literature in English.

Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American colonization of the country, could not
escape being imitative of American models of writing especially during its period of apprenticeship.

Philippine literary production during the American Period in the Philippines was spurred by two
significant developments in education and culture.

 Two significant developments in education and culture

-The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes of thought,
culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the psyche
of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the wellspring of a vibrant
Philippine Literature in English. Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a
greater number of Filipinos. Those who availed of this education through college were able to
improve their social status and joined a good number of educated masses who became part of the
country’s middle class. (Ang mga nag-avail ng edukasyong ito sa pamamagitan ng kolehiyo ay nagawang
mapabuti ang kanilang katayuan sa lipunan at sumali sa isang magandang bilang ng mga edukadong
masa na naging bahagi ng gitnang uri ng bansa.)

The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes of thought,
culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the psyche
of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the wellspring of a vibrant
Philippine Literature in English.

-sanipa

Philippine Literature in English during American Occupation

Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American colonization of the country, could
not escape being imitative of American models of writing especially during its period of apprenticeship.

o The Period of Re-Orientation (1898-1910)

English as a literary vehicle came with the American occupation in August 13, 1898 and as they say, a
choice bestowed on us by history. By 1900, English came to be used as a medium instruction in the
public schools. From the American forces were recruited the first teachers of English.

o The Period of Imitation (1910-1924)

By 1919, the UP College Folio published the literary compositions of the first Filipino writers in English.
They were the pioneers in short story writing. They were then groping their way into imitating American
and British models which resulted in a stilted, artificial and unnatural style, lacking vitality and
spontaneity.

o Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925-1941)

By this time, Filipino writers had acquired the mastery of English writing. They now confidently and
competently wrote on a lot of subjects although the old-time favorites of love and youth persisted.

Types of Literature in the Philippines during American Occupation

 Poetry
Noteworthy names in this field, they wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other
types. Poetry was original, spontaneous, competently written and later, incorporated social
consciousness.
Collection of Poetry during American Period
1. Filipino Poetry- the first collection of poetry in English, it was edited by Rodulfo Dato (1909-
1924)
2. The English German Anthology of Poets, it was edited by Pablo Laslo (published from 1924-
1934)
3. Chorus for America: Six Philippine Poets- A third pre-war collection of poetry was edited by
Carlos Bulosan
 Short Story (1925-1941)
Poetry and short story flourished during these times.

- Early short story writers in English were often dubbed as The Andersons or Saroyans or the
Hemingways of Philippine letters.
When the University of the Philippines was founded in 1908, an elite group of writers in English began to
exert influence among the culturati.

In 1925, Paz Marquez Benitez short story, “Dead Stars” was published and was made the landmark of
the maturity of the Filipino writer in English.

 Publications
The Philippine Free Press provided the first incentives to Filipino writers in English by offering prizes to
worthwhile contributions. Other publication followed suit.

 The Drama (1925-1941)

Philippine Literature in Tagalog during American Occupation

Lope K. Santos is the “Father of the National language Grammar”, he was also called “apo”
of the tagalog writers. “Banaag at Sikat” was his masterpiece.
Jose Corazon de Jesus was known as “huseng batute”, he was also called the poet of love in
his time. “Ang Isang Punong Kahoy”, an elegy, is believed to be his masterpiece.
Valeriano Hernandez Pena is known as Tandang Anong, he considers “Nena at Neneng” as
his masterpiece.
Armando V. Hernandez was dubbed “Poet of the Laborers”, his masterpiece is “Ang
Panday”.
Inigo Ed Regalado is a popular story teller, novelist and newspaperman. He reach the peak
of his success by the “sumpong” of his pen name.

The separate, yet parallel developments of Philippine literature in English and those in Tagalog and
other languages of the archipelago during the American period only prove that literature and writing in
whatever language and in whatever climate are able to survive mainly through the active imagination of
writers. Apparently, what was lacking during the period was for the writers in the various languages to
come together, share experiences and come to a conclusion on the elements that constitute good
writing in the Philippines.