A Research Project in 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

A Critical Anthology of Literature from a Chosen Region

NCR

Submitted by:

Bob James Ardales

Krianne Caliguid
Shawn Arnel Gamoza
Kim Aegy Lhe Lausa
Julienne Ybañez

Submitted to:
Mr. Andre Mari M. Araña

September 19, 2019

 Poetry in the National Capital Region

Poetry is a lot of things to a lot of people. Perhaps the characteristic most

central to the definition of poetry is its unwillingness to be defined, labeled, or
nailed down. Poetry is the chiseled marble of language. It is a paint-spattered
canvas, but the poet uses words instead of paint, and the canvas is you.

One of the most definable characteristics of the poetic form is the

economy of language. Poets are miserly and unrelentingly critical in the way
they dole out words. Carefully selecting words for conciseness and clarity is
standard, even for writers of prose.

There are equally numerous reasons for writing poetry. But poetry, unlike
prose, often has an underlying and overarching purpose that goes beyond the
literal. Poetry is evocative. It typically provokes in the reader an intense emotion:
joy, sorrow, anger, catharsis, love, etc.

The National Capital Region (NCR), is the seat of government and one of
the three defined metropolitan areas of the Philippines. NCR is widely
celebrated in popular lore, frequently the setting for mostly Filipino books,
movies, and television programs. From precolonial times until the present or what
is called the contemporary period, poetry forms the fundamental basis of
culture and society in the country. Poetry even now, continues to be a way to
transmit wisdom and experience in the National Capital Region of the
Philippines.

Poems such as - Hairtrigger Loves: 50 Poems on Women by Alfred A.

Yuson, Passional: New Poems and Some Translations by Ophelia Alcantara
Dimantala, The Occasions of Air, Fire, Water, Earth by Edwin Cordevilla are all
treasure-troves of evidence to the kind of intimate intensity of characteristics the
Tagalog have. These works are indeed poetry, and these NCR authors have a
fine excess of it: feelings, emotions, and insight, in dynamic, felicitous, often
serendipitous combinations. These poetic works offer a wealth of material for
Filipino scholars in the art of Philippine poetry and make others be inspired to
keep Philippine poetry alive for an endless amount of time. They also would
provide international readers how deep Filipinos’ feelings can go, their attitudes
when it comes to loving something or someone.

Poetry works from NCR:

Hairtrigger Loves: 50 Poems on Women by Alfred A. Yuson,
Passional: New Poems and Some Translations by Ophelia Alcantara
Dimantala,
The Occasions of Air, Fire, Water, Earth by Edwin Cordevilla
 Creative Nonfiction in the National Capital Region

Creative nonfiction is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an

inciting moment, rising action, climax and denouement, just like fiction.
However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling
of the author’s life experiences. The nonfiction genre depends on the writer’s
ability to render their voice in a realistic fashion, just as poetry so often does. The
key element of nonfiction—perhaps the most crucial thing— is that the genre
relies on the author’s ability to retell events that actually happened. A creative
nonfiction writer will certainly use imagination and craft to relay what has
happened and tell a story, but the story must be true.

In the past, creative nonfiction was not considered equal to poetry,

drama, novels and short stories because of the general notion that “creative
nonfiction is an essay and anyone can write an essay”. However, in
contemporary times, because of the inclusion of nonfiction as legitimate
categories in national literary awards as well as in major literary workshops
around the country, the addition of creative nonfiction courses in the creative
writing curriculum of major universities, and the proliferation of published works
of nonfiction both from canonical and emerging poets, dramatists and fictionists
in English and Filipino, creative nonfiction has now become part of the
mainstream.

Notable creative nonfiction authors in the NCR such as Gregorio C.

Brillantes and Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo have contributed to the steady rise of
Philippine creative nonfiction with their works such as the The Cardinal’s Sins, the
General’s Cross, the Martyr’s Testimony, and Other Affirmations, Looking for Jose
Rizal in Madrid : journeys, latitudes, perspectives, destinations, and Stella and
Other Friendly Ghosts take readers on a pleasurable and knowledgeable trip
about the Philippines especially different places in the country and deeper
information on the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal. These works contain
varied kinds of knowledge, ideas, information, argument, commentary,
illumination, gratification, aggravation, nostalgia, humor and déjà vu – leaving
an impression in the readers’ hearts about the country, the readers knowing the
fact that the works they’re reading aren’t fiction but the truth.

Creative Nonfiction works from the NCR:

Stella and Other Friendly Ghosts by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo

The Cardinal’s Sins, the General’s Cross, the Martyr’s Testimony, and Other
Affirmations by Gregorio C. Brillantes
Looking for Jose Rizal in Madrid : journeys, latitudes, perspectives,
destinations by Gregorio C. Brillantes
 Short Stories in the National Capital Region

Dictionaries define a short story as "a story with a fully developed theme
but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel." There might be a fault
with that final clause -- there are many short stories that are as elaborate or
even more elaborate than commonly published novels. The better definition
would be is that the short story genre, or short story form, encompasses fully
developed fictional stories that are typically between 1,000 and 20,000 words.

Short stories enjoyed great cultural popularity in recent modern history, a

phenomenon that was aided by technical innovation. As the technology and
economics of printing presses improved in the early 19th century, more and
more people around the world gained access to newspapers and periodicals.
That started in the 1830s and expanded over the following decades. While it was
impractical to publish a full-length novel in a newspaper –like 206,052 words long
-- a short story, a complete end-to-end work of short fiction, fit wonderfully well
and provided readers with a cherished escape at a time in history when easy
access to entertainment was quite limited. Ironically, at a time when access to
all forms of entertainment are at our finger-tips thanks to the Internet, modern
readers are demonstrating a renewed interest in short stories. The genre fits very
well with people’s busy modern lifestyles, allowing readers to fill 15 and 30
minute gaps in their busy lives with a fun and rewarding reading experience.

Every year, Filipino short story writers, unknown or renown, continuously

add to the large archive of Philippine short stories from thousands of years ago
until the present time. Philippine short stories can depict a vast gamut of human
experience and emotions that, collectively, will produce a stunning portrait of
Philippine life and society. Best Filipino Stories: The NVM Gonzales Awards, 2000-
2005 by Gregorio C. Brillantes, Noelle Q. de Jesus (Editor), Jessica
Zafra (Contributor), Tina Cuyugan (Contributor), People Are Strange by Eric
Gamalinda are few of the many NCR short stories that are well-known to evoke
such thoughts from readers. These works are collections of short stories by these
NCR authors, readers will get to know a Filipino’s daily life, their mannerisms and
characteristics.

Short story works from NCR:

Best Filipino Stories: The NVM Gonzales Awards, 2000-2005 by Gregorio C.

Brillantes
Fast Food Fiction: Short Short Stories to Go by Noelle Q. de
Jesus (Editor), Jessica Zafra (Contributor), Tina Cuyugan (Contributor)
People Are Strange by Eric Gamalinda
 Drama in the National Capital Region

Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and

performance. It is one of the literary genres, which is an imitation of some action.
Drama is also a type of a play written for theater, television, radio, and film.
In simple words, a drama is a composition in verse or prose presenting a story in
pantomime or dialogue. It contains conflict of characters, particularly the ones
who perform in front of audience on the stage. Drama is one of the best literary
forms through which dramatists can directly speak to their readers, or
the audience, and they can receive instant feedback of audiences. Since
drama uses spoken words and dialogues, thus language of characters plays a
vital role, as it may give clues to their feelings, personalities, backgrounds, and
change in feelings. In dramas the characters live out a story without any
comments of the author, providing the audience a direct presentation of
characters’ life experiences.

In the Philippines, looking back to the past, after the Japanese

occupation, Philippine drama has evolved to become an amalgamation of the
various influences such that of the zarzuela, comedia, bodabil, and western
classics. Drama became a large part of classroom education and started to be
well-known beyond other regions. By the 1950s, Philippine drama had moved
out of classrooms and the concept of theatre performance and paying for a
ticket to see a theatrical performance emerged.

During this time, playwrights such as Severino Montano, Wilfrido Ma.

Guerrero, and Alberto S. Florentino honed their crafts and contributed to the
development of performing arts in the Philippines. Through the years, Philippine
drama have caused the production of numerous plays in both English and
Filipino, be it written by a Western or local playwright. Spanish culture and
traditions largely influence Philippine literature drama, but the contemporary
style is borrowed from the Americans.

Lorenzo Ruiz, Escribano: A Play in Two Acts by Ophelia Alcantara

Dimantala, Batang Rizal by Christine Bellen, and 3 Stars and a Sun by Mixkaela
Villalon and Rody Vera are works in Philippine drama in the NCR that have
come to life. These three dramas wish to repeatedly ignite memories from the
past, especially Philippine music and the Philippine’s national hero, Jose Rizal.

Drama from NCR:

Lorenzo Ruiz, Escribano: A Play in Two Acts by Ophelia Alcantara
Dimantala
Batang Rizal by Christine Bellen
3 Stars and a Sun by Mixkaela Villalon and Rody Vera