Evolution of literature during the Japanese and post-war periods
1. Rejecting English, the Japanese colonizers sought to redefine Philippine literature by strengthening vernacular languages
2. Matute’s stories prominently featured children and women, exploring their personal epiphanies
3. In 1946, Carlos Bulosan published “America is in the Heart”, shedding light on uncomfortable social realities during the Japanese occupation
4. The Palanca awards were instituted in 1950 to recognize literary excellence
5. Edilberto and Edith Tiempo established the Siliman Writer’s Workshop in 1961
6. In 1964, Carlos Angeles received the first Palanca award for Poetry for his work “A Stun of Jewels”
7. Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil’s essays, particularly her column “My Humble Opinion”, garnered respect and were collected in “Women enough and Other Essays” (1963)