21st Century

• Dalit o Imno


  A song-ritual usually sung to the rhythm of dance
• Soliranin


  A song for travelers
• Talindaw


  The seafarer's song
• Riddles (Bugtong or Palaisipan) consist of measured lines with rhyme and help inculcate logical thinking in children
• Ambahan is a traditional poetry of Hanunoo Mangyans of Oriental Mindoro teaching life lessons
• Forms of Pre-Spanish Poetry

  • Epigrams (Salawikain), Riddles (Bugtong or Palaisipan), Chants (Bulong), Ambahan, Hudhud of the Ifugao, Maxims, Sayings (Kasabihan), Sawikain, Poems or Tanaga
• Maxims are rhyming couplets with verses of 5, 6, or 8 syllables, each line having the same number of syllables
• Sawikain (Sayings) are used to state lines with no hidden meaning
• Filipino Folk Songs


  • Sulong Bayan, Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, Ili-ili Tulog Anay, Si Pilemon
• Lullabies are used for various purposes including passing down cultural knowledge, developing communication skills, indicating emotional intent, maintaining infants' attention, modulating arousal, regulating behavior, and as a sleep aid for infants
• Oyayi o Hele


  A cradle song, a soothing song or piece of music played or sung to children
• Si Pilemon is a popular Cebuano folk song about a fisherman's travel to catch a fish, sell it, and earn enough to buy coconut wine
• Chants (Bulong) are used in witchcraft or enchantment
• Epigrams (Salawikain) are the oldest form of Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period, reflecting hidden meanings and providing good values
• The Hudhud of the Ifugao is a form of poetry
• Sayings (Kasabihan) are often used in teasing or to comment on a person's actions
• Poems or Tanaga are common forms of poetry with a quatrain of 7 syllables each with the same rhyme
• Folk songs are one of the oldest forms of Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period, mirroring the early forms of culture
• Sayings (Kasabihan) are often used in teasing or to comment on a person's actuations
• The Ullalim epic songs of the Kalinga - Torm of the Philippines
• Balagtasan is a Filipino form of debate done in verse, derived from the surname of Francisco Balagtas, the author of the Filipino epic Florante at Laura
• Nobody can determine which epics are the oldest due to translations from other languages, even in English and Spanish
• The pre-Hispanic epic poem Biag ni Lam-ang tells of the adventures of the prodigious epic hero, Lam-ang, who exhibits extraordinary powers at a very early age
• Epics are long narrative poems dealing with a series of heroic achievements or events, usually of a hero, at length
• The Ibalon epic from Bicol, also known as Handiong or Handyong, is a 60-stanza fragment of a Bicolano full-length folk epic based on the Indian Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata
• Poems or Tanaga are common forms of poetry with a quatrain of 7 syllables each with the same rhyme at the end of each line. They express insights and lessons in life
• Ancient Filipino literatures were written on perishable materials like dried leaves, bamboo cylinders, and bark of trees, and were handed down orally
• Filipino folk songs


  • Kundiman
  • Kumintang o Tagumpay
• Legends are prose about the origin of things, places, or names, with events being imaginary and reflecting old Filipino customs. An example is SI MALAKAS AT SI MAGANDA
• Pre-Spanish Literature is characterized by legends and folk tales reflecting old Filipino customs and beliefs
• Folk tales consist of stories about life, adventure, love, horror, and humor, providing lessons about life and helping appreciate the environment. An example is THE MOON AND THE SUN
• Kumintang o Tagumpay


  War songs named kumintang to commemorate victory in war
• Folk songs are one of the oldest forms of Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period, mirroring early forms of culture with many having 12 syllables
• Kundiman


  Genre of traditional Filipino love songs with lyrics in Tagalog, characterized by a smooth, flowing and gentle rhythm with dramatic intervals. Emerged as an art song in the late 19th century and formalized by Filipino composers like Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo
• Indigenous Philippine literature was based on the traditions and customs of different areas of the country due to its unique cultures and traditions on each of its islands
• Philippine literature evolved based on colonization influences and the spirit of the age, with the first writing system, Baybayin, being replaced by the Roman alphabet