Midterm Reviewer

Wednesday, 11 October 2023 11:11 pm

BICOL
- BIKOL LANGUAGE is the language of almost 5 million people in the provinces of Albay,
Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon that constitute the
Bikol Region.
- Bikol is distinct and identifiable from other natives in the country and in the world.
- Bicol Region has a population of 6,082,165 as of 2020 census, growing at an average annual
rate of 1.29 percent between 2010 and 2015. The region's population density increased to
320 persons per square kilometer in 2015
- Bicol’s economy expanded by 8.1% in 2022, 5th highest across regions

Beginning of Literary Development

- Colonization stifled native writing, however. Only after about two centuries later did the people
begin to write poems and plays adapted from Biblical stories — this time in the Spanish writing
system.
- In 1890, the first Bikol newspaper An Parabareta (the Newsman) was published by Mariano
Perfecto, who also established the first printing press. Imprenta de Nuestra Señora de
Peñafrancia.
- appeared two protest plays — “An Pagguiao kan mga pastores can pagcamondag ni Jesus
duman sa portal sa belen” (The awakening of the shepherds of Jesus birth) by Mariano
Perfecto and “Comedia na dapit sa Dios o magna cahayagan can pagcamondag ni Jesus” (A
play about God or matters concerning the birth of Jesus).
- The first play says that the people accepted the faith but not the Spaniards; the second tries to
localize the character Mary, humanize Herodes and make the coronation of Mary an occasion
of revelry through two comic characters.
- It has its own literary history and literary development defined by ways and small beginnings as
aforementioned.

Contemporary writers who responded to the needs of the times

- Corridos or metrical romances became the main reading fare for many years. The most popular
was Mag-amang Pobre (The Poor Father and Son).
- The comedia or moro-moro stayed for a long time. The lavish and pompus comedia that Juan
Alvarez Guerra saw in the 1880s in Albay has been so well described. Count on the Bikol to
write protest comedias — Comedia ni Hadeng Grimaldo sa Reinong Irlanda by Sabas Armenta
and Drama en Comedia de la Vida Conde Urbano by Juan Miraflor.
- The Commonwealth Period were years of poetic and dramatic productivity. Asisclo Jimenez’s
Pagkamoot sa Banuang Tinoboan (Love for the Native Land) demonstrated that national
change can be affected through armed revolt. Jimenez wrote 25 other zarzuelas in varying
themes, mostly social criticism.
- By the mid-thirties, shorter plays became the fashion. Outstanding was Anti Cristo by Justino
Nuyda who wrote of the inevitable conflict between individual morality and material comfort.
- The period also produced about twenty translations of Jose Rizal‘s Mi Ultimo Adios to Bikol.
Four poets and their works stand out: Manuel Fuentebella’s An Pana (The Arrow), Clemente
Alejandria’s Pagaroanggoyong (Perseverance), Eustaquio Dino’s Balosbalos Sana (Retribution)
and Mariano Goyena’s Hare…Dali (No…Don’t).
- The narration of the past says the history of people, events and experiences, knowing them is
knowing ones’ identity.

Post Colonial Literary Movement in the Region

- It was the Cathedral Players of the Ateneo de Naga that sparked the cultural scene. The
students led by Rev. James Reuter, SJ translated English plays into Bikol and delighted the
Naga folks with Sunday presentations at the plaza kiosk. In the rural towns they played in
church patios and plazas.
- Writing in the Rainbow journal were largely cerebral and critical of politics, church and society. It
was the people’s interest in the folk story, Ibalon, that inspired two musicals the Handyong
written and presented by Orfelina Tuy and Fe Ico, and Ibalon Opereta written by Jose Calleja
Reyes.
- It began with Francisco Penones, Jr. who sounded a clarion call in his poem An Opon sa
Ibalon: Kan mahale an Maskara (The Board in Ibalon When Unmasked). Society, he declared,
is the boar that brought hunger and poverty to the land. For this poem, Penones received a
CCP award. Merlinda C. Bobis in a masterly poetic drama titled Daragang Magayon (Beautiful
Maiden) overturns the passive maiden in the legend and makes her decisive to do her part in
changing society. In her poems, Bobis subtly presents an idealism associated with
remembering one’s childhood, each of them a strong and evocative protrait only thoughtful,
sensitive poet can create. For this, she merited a Palanca award. Carlos O. Aureus weaves

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 sensitive poet can create. For this, she merited a Palanca award. Carlos O. Aureus weaves
together theology and philosophy to present Bikol values and a panorama of Bikol scenes. In
ten well-written stories, a novel and a play, he wins the coveted Palanca, CCP, Free Press and
Graphic literary awards.
- The young writers are Home Life magazine winners Angelica Gonzales, Honesto Pesimo,
Jazmin Llana, Victor Velasco, Nino Manaog, Xavier Olin and Cynthia Buiza. Emelina G. Regis
has a Palanca Award for her environmental play Dalawang Mukha ng Kagubatan (Two Faces of
the Forest). Barbara Barquez Ricafrente writes poems and paints with rage.
- The Bikolano can write memorable and significant pieces. The native literary tradition has been
resurrected and kept. How to make the people aware and how to make them read as well and
how to multiply these writings so they can be disseminated have to be resolved.Maria Lilia F.
Realubit is the recipient of the national award “Alagad ni Balagtas” by the Unyon ng Mga
Manunulat sa Pilipinas and is a National Book Awardee (1987) for her book “Philippine Drama:
Twelve Plays in Six Regional Languages”. She wrote the first book on Bikol history and
literature: “Bikols of the Philippines.” She teaches English and Comparative Literature at the
University of the Philippines
- The Post Colonial Times brought massive literary development in the Region.

Imagery - a literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory
experience or create a picture with words for a reader.

MASBATE PROVINCE
- is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. Its capital is Masbate City
and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao, and Burias

Language: Masbatenyo or Masbateño - belongs to the Bisayan subgroup of Central Philippines,

which is a member of the Western Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian language
History:
- Pleistocene or Ice Age: Masbate belongs to a separate land mass together with Panay and
Negros Islands Special writing on the cave of Kalanay were found Great deal of trade between
islands during iron age
- Spanish Colonization (1569): Chistianization began in Bikolandia started in Masbate The
Galleon Trade- Trade of silk, spices and handicrafts Mobo became the center of trade in the
province
- Revolution Against Spanish (1898): During the Philippine Revolution, Aguinaldo orders the
overthrow of the Spanish Government which eventually resulted on making Masbate as a sub-
province of Sorsogon
- World War II in Masbate: Masbate was totally destroyed and in economic shambles
- Moro Ralds: The island of burias and Ticao were noted for being used by Moros as
springboards for their raids on the towns of Bikol Peninsula but people in Masbate refused to
dwell in seaside settlements for fear of pirates

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Masbate March:
Written By: Henry Dollison | Music: Nicoholas Valera
Where the deep, blue, summer skies
Kiss the summer sea
And the waves dance though winds sigh
Over green Isles three
Where hills, rivers and green fields
Keep a people free
Lies the land God sustains
Our home, beloved e'er Masbate be
Masbate forgotten never
For thee we'll live and strive and love
Joy and peace, be thine forever
God's blessing crown thee from above
Thy children shall bear thy name afar
Over land and sea where're they roam
Beloved Masbate, we will live and dream

ALBAY
- Bicol region's second largest province, is located at the southern tip of the Luzon Island region

Municipalities and Cities

1. Bacacay 10. Malinaw
2. Camalig 11. Manito
3. Daraga 12. Oas

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 3. Daraga 12. Oas
4. Guinobatan 13. Pio Duran
5. Jovellar 14. Polangui
6. Legazpi City 15. Rapu-rapu
7. Libon 16. Sto. Domingo
8. Ligao City 17. Tabaco City
9. Malilipot 18. Tiwi

Literary Pieces
- Samples:
An naghihinguha, nakakakua. (He who tries will succeed.)
Ubos-ubos biyaya, kun dai, magtingara. (A spendthrift lands in the poorhouse.)
An maraot mong ugali saimo man sana mapuli. (You suffer the consequences of your evil
deeds.)
An kayamanan nababasang lamang; sa marhay na gibo igwang pakinabang. (Wealth may pass
away and amounts to nothing. Invest in good deeds and your gain is lasting.)
- Common Themes:
○ Courage and Perseverance
○ Suffering, Greed, and Personal Development
○ Good vs. Evil, Freewill vs. Fate
- Sample: "Albay Sagkod Pa Man"

CATANDUANES
- 12th of the largest island of the country. Its people are materially poor but rich in goodwill like
the most of the people of the region and is also rich in natural resources like forests, rivers,
minerals, fertile soil, and fish. Bounded on the north and east of the Pacific Ocean and on the
south by Lagonoy Gulf and Cabugao Bay.

Municipalities
Virac (Capital) Bato
San Andres (Calolbon) San Miguel
Caramoan Baras
-
Viga Panganiban (Payo)
Pandan Bagamanoc
Gigmoto

History
- All the historical records both ecclesiastical and municipal were burned and destroyed during
the Moro piracy in the 18th century, hence the history of the province can only be written
through oral histories
- During the American regime, Catanduanes was under Albay as a sub-province. Due to poor
land transportation, sea travel was availed of using bancas and small inland boats propelled by

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 land transportation, sea travel was availed of using bancas and small inland boats propelled by
motor engines, and mining and other industries were left undeveloped. Due to the lack of
roads transportation and communication within the province was through the sea and trade
remained poor. Agricultural production like rice and upland crops remained untapped
- During World War II Japanese forces did not spare the island province but the guerilla
movement was active during the entire occupation until Feb. 1945 when the imperial forces
were defeated.
- American Occupation: Viracnons organized a revolutionary group and fought against
Americans. They did not recognized the sovereignty of U.S., but when the battleship of
America dropped anchor in Virac, the Filipino soldiers took to the hills. Aguinaldo had
surrendered and Don Leon Reyes the leader of the revolutionaries gave up the fight and was
manacled, chained, sentenced to hard labor by the Americans in 1901
- Japanese Occupation: Japanese Imperial forces did not spare Catanduanes. On Dec. 12, 1941
the Japanes Navy dropped anchor at Nagngangang Buaya Point. Virac was totally evacuated
and soon bombs were strategically dropped. Garrisons were established and the municipal
building became central garrison, later when the troops landed. For more than three years the
Japanese tried to rule the province carrying their idea of the Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

Literary Texts
- Pagka-mahamis an bunga, parating tinotokdol.
( A sweet fruit from a tree is a desire of many)
- An mahabas daing tiwala sa kapwa mahabas. ( A thief distrusts a fellow thief
- Kun ika nahudyan, sa hudyan ka man tumukaw. ( If you came late, take the back seat. Wait for your
turn. First come, first served)
- Lalong mahaldat an gugot kan umal, ki kan gotrot kan matarom na sundan. ( The cut of a dul knife
is more painful than the cut of a sharp one)

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