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LITERATURE AFTER EDSA

The year 1986 marks a new beginning of a new scene for Filipino writers and artists. It saw the downfall
of late President Ferdinand Marcos when he placed the Philippines under martial rule last September
21,1972. This action does not only oppress the writers' right to free expression but also created
conditions that made collaboration and cooperation convenient choices for artists' struggling for
recognition and survival. Furthermore, the growth of underground writing was created both in urban and
in the countryside.
The popular "Edsa Revolution" (EDSA, a highway in Metro Manila that runs north to south from
Caloocan to Baclaran) has paved the way for the flight of the dictator and his family to Hawaii, USA on
February 24,1986. The revolt established the presidency of Corazon Aquino, which marked the
"restoration" of a pre-Martial Law society. However, the Philippines did not recover that easily. The years
that followed "Edsa" was a wild "roller-coaster" ride for many Filipinos. The unease times was caused by
natural disasters that left the economic plans in shambles.
Militancy and belligerence best describes writing under the Martial Law regime. With the overthrow
of the enemy in 1986, however, the literary activity showed certain disorientation manifesting itself in a
proliferation of concerns taken up by individual writers and groups.
Creative writing centers after Edsa maybe grouped into two. Academic institutions where Creative
Writing is part of the curricular offerings, and students majoring in Literature are able to come in contact
with elder creative writers/critics/professors belonged to the first group. Such academic institutions
includes the Silliman University; the University of the Philippines; the Ateneo de Manila University; De la
Salle University; and last but not the least, San Carlos University in Cebu.
The second group is composed of writers' organizations that periodically sponsor symposia on writing
and/or set up workshops for its members and other interested parties. UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat
ng Pilipino), PANULAT (Pambansang Unyon ng mga Manunulat), Panday-Lipi, GAT (Galian sa Arte at Tula),
KATHA, LIRA (Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo), GUMIL (Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano),
LUDABI (Lubas sa Dagang Binisaya) and P.E.N.
Writers get to hear about new developments in writing and derive enthusiasm for their craft through
these twin centers. The two "unyon" function as umbrellas under which writers belonging to a diversity of
organizations socialize with fellow writers.
Award giving bodies, annual competitions and publications provide the incentives for writers to keep
producing. These actions perform the important service of keeping the writers in the public
consciousness, making it possible for commentators and audiences to identify significant established
writers and give attention to emerging new talents.
The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), a post-EDSA state sponsored institution,
was created by the law in 1992, superseding the Presidential Commission on Culture and the Arts which
was established in 1987. The said institution has a Committee on Literary Arts which funds workshops,
conferences, publications and a variety of projects geared towards the production of a "national
literature". The committee has the aim of developing writing that is multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and truly
national.
Non-governmental organizations have helped hand in hand with some institutions in giving
recognition to writers from specific sectors in the society. These NGO's includes the Amado V. Hernandez
Foundation; the GAPAS foundation, and the KAIBIGAN.
Campus publications are another group of outlet that is of importance as a source of non-traditional,
experimental writing. These campus publications could either be a weekly student newspapers, quarterly
magazines, or annual literary journals. The University of the Philippines has the Collegian; The Diliman
Review; and The Literary Apprentice. Silliman University has Sands and Coral; Ateneo de Manila
University issues Heights and Philippine Studies; De la Salle University has Malate, Likha, and Malay to
offer; University of Santo Tomas publishes The Varsitarian.
Overall, the character of the Philippine literary scene after "EDSA" maybe pinpointed be referring to
the theories that inform literary production, to the products issuing from the publishers, to the dominant

LITERATURE AFTER EDSA


concerns demonstrated by the writers' output, and to the direction towards which literary studies are
tending.
Characteristics of Post Edsa Literature
1. There is in the academe an emerging critical orientation that draws its concerns and insights from
literary theorizing current in England and the United States.
2. Post-EDSA publishing has been marked by adventurousness, a willingness to gamble on "nontraditional" projects.
3. The declining prestige of the New Criticism, whose rigorous aesthetic norms has previously functioned
as a Procrustean bed on which Filipino authors and their works were measured, has opened a gap in the
critical evaluation of literary works.
4. The fourth and final characteristic of post-EDSA writing is the development thrust towards the
retrieval and the recuperation of writing in Philippine languages other than Tagalog.
Post EDSA: 2 Creative Writing centers
Academic institutions where Creative Writing is a part of the curricular offerings.
Writers organizations that periodically sponsor symposia on writer and/or set up workshops for its
members and other interested parties
Through these centers that writers get to hear about new developments in writing, and derive
enthusiasm for their crafts.
Writers Organizations
- UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipino)
- PANULAT (Pambansang Unyon ng
mga Manunulat)
- Panday Lipi
- GAT (Galian sa Arte)
Post EDSA
La Tondea, sponsors of the venerable Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in Literature, has made the name
Palanca a synonym for quality literary works in both English and Filipino.The National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCAA) was created by law in 1992. It has a Committee on Literary Arts which funds
workshops, conferences, publications and a variety of projects geared towards the production of a
national literature. The committee has the aim of developing writing that is multi-lingual, multi-cultural,
and truly national. Non-governmental organizations have helped hand in hand with some institutions in
giving recognition to writers from specific sectors in the society. These NGO's includes the Amado V.
Hernandez Foundation; the GAPAS foundation, and the KAIBIGAN. Campus publications are another group
of outlet that is of importance as a source of non-traditional, experimental writing. These campus
publications could either be a weekly student newspapers, quarterly magazines, or annual literary
journals. Non-governmental organizations have helped hand in hand with some institutions in giving
recognition to writers from specific sectors in the society. These NGO's includes the Amado V. Hernandez
Foundation; the GAPAS foundation, and the KAIBIGAN.
English and Filipino continue to be the major media of literature.
Literature as a venue for socio-politico-economic-religious discussions and a vehicle for personal
thoughts and feelings has become more marked.
Literary themes cover a wide range of subjects most outstanding among which are existentialism
and the search for identity in varying levels and settings, deception and violence perpetuated by
those in power, grinding poverty especially in the country-sides and in some cities, nationalism,
tenant-landlord relationship, human rights violation and the search for the desaparecidos, and the
Filipino diaspora and the experiences of overseas Filipino workers(OFWs) and migrants.
The Anglo-American tradition, which includes the free verse and the blank verse, gained
acceptance among writers.
The Euro-Hispanic tradition was blended with the tradition of propaganda and revolutionary
literature to become a truly Filipino tradition.

LITERATURE AFTER EDSA


The 60s and the 70s saw the resurgence of cause-oriented literature. This militancy, although
markedly toned down, has continued to the present.
Further development of regional literatures has been given a stronger impetus through the
inclusion of regional literary masterpieces in the college curriculum.
Filipino writers have become more conscious of their craft as shown by the regular conduct of
writing workshops (Godinez-Ortega 6).
Modern Poetry This is a new style of poetry writing in Tagalog, a deviation from the highly rimed,
declamatory tradition known for many centuries.
Modern Short Story These are stories set in the Philippines in the English language
The Novel
Essay
Drama
Ang Pinakahuling Kwento ni Huli (The Very Last Story of Huli)
Lilia Quindoza Santiago
The Execution
Charlson Ong
Kabilang sa mga Nawawala (Among the Disappeared)
Ricardo Lee
Geyluv
Honorio De Dios

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