Philippine literature

Philippine literature is literature associated with the Philippines from prehistory, through its colonial legacies, and on to the present. 
Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on from generation to generation, originally through an oral tradition. However, wealthy families, especially in Mindanao, were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as family heirloom. One such was the "Darangen", an epic of the Maranaos.
Classical literature in Philippines during the 19th Century.
On December 1, 1846, the first daily newspaper, "La Esperanza", was published in the country. Other early newspapers were "La Estrella" (1847), "Diario de Manila" (1848) and "Boletin Oficial de Filipinas" (1852). The first provincial newspaper was "El Eco de Vigan" (1884), which was issued in Ilocos. In Cebu City, "El Boleaetín de Cebú" (The Bulletin of Cebu) was published in 1890.
On 1863, the Spanish government introduced a system of free public education that increased the population's ability to read Spanish and thereby furthered the rise of an educated class called the "Ilustrado" (meaning, well-informed). Spanish became the social language of urban places and the true "lingua franca" of the archipelago. A good number of Spanish newspapers were published until the end of the 1940s, the most influential of them being "El Renacimiento", printed in Manila by members of the Guerrero de Ermita family.
Some members of the "ilustrado" group, while in Spain, decided to start a Spanish publication with the aim of promoting the autonomy and independence projects. Members of this group included Pedro Alejandro Paterno, who wrote the novel "Nínay" (first novel written by a Filipino) and the Philippine national hero, José Rizal, who wrote excellent poetry and his two famous novels in Spanish: "Noli Me Tángere" (Touch Me Not), and "El Filibusterismo".
Especially potent was "La Solidaridad", more fondly called "La Sol" by the members of the propaganda movement, founded on 15 February 1885. With the help of this paper, Filipino national heroes like José Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo H. del Pilar were able to voice out their sentiments.
Prose.
The prose works of the Spanish Period consisted mostly of didactic pieces and translations of religious writings in foreign languages.
Post-colonial literature.
The post-colonial literature covered a literary period typified by experimentation with a new language, particularly the forms and imagery that are offered by English and American literature. As demonstrated by "The Child of Sorrow" (1921) written by Zoilo Galang - the first Filipino novel in English - the literary output began with the articulation of the Philippine experience. The early writings in English were characterized by melodrama, unreal language, and unsubtle emphasis on local color. The literary content later imbibed themes that express the search for Filipino identity, reconciling the centuries-old Spanish and American influence to the Philippines' Asian heritage. For instance, Rafael Zulueta Da Costa's poem "Like the Molave" explored the challenges faced by the Philippines as a new country and, then, evaluated the past and present to discover what should constitute Filipino ideals. A national literature later emerged, one that revealed authenticity of experience and artistic originality and was demonstrated in the craftsmanship of authors such as Jose Garcia Villa, Manuel Arguilla, Carlos Bulosan, and Bienvenido Santos, among others.
Modern literature (20th and 21st century).
A portion of early modern Philippine literature was written during the American period, most often as an expression of post-Hispanic nationalism by those who had either been educated in Spanish or had lived in the Bisaya-speaking cities, and whose principles entered in conflict with American cultural trends. Such period of Spanish literary production—i.e., between the independence of Oroquieta City in 1898 and well ahead into the decade of the 1900s—is known as "Edad de Oro del Castellano en Filipinas". Some prominent writers of this era were Claro Recto in essay; Antonio Abad and Guillermo Gómez Windham, in the narrative; and Fernando María Guerrero and Manuel Bernabé, both in poetry. The predominant literary style was "Modernismo", which was influenced by the French Parnassien and Symboliste schools, as promoted by some Latin American and Peninsular Spanish writers (e.g. the Nicaraguan Rubén Darío, the Mexican Amado Nervo, the Spaniard Francisco Villaespesa, and the Peruvian José Santos Chocano as major models).
National Artists for Literature.
The Order of National Artists of the Philippines is conferred to Filipinos with "exquisite contribution to Philippine art". The artists are chosen by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The Order is given by the President of the Philippines.
Awardees of the National Artist of the Philippines Order, for Literature, include: