Toward a national literature

Let me begin by drawing your attention to three terms by which writing by Filipinos are usually designated in our textbooks or in conferences: "Literature of the Philippines." "Filipino Literature." "National Literature."

"Literature of the Philippines" emphasizes the totality of the literary output of the geographical territory called the Philippines. The term implies that some forces working together have affected the unity discerned in the literary production of the country, and these may be race, culture and political organization. "Philippine Literature" often takes the place of this term.

Now, the term "Filipino Literature." The emphasis here is on nationality which, it is assumed, leaves a distinctive mark on an author's work. When the term is used, the purpose is to set off a certain body of writing against a larger body coming from various countries in the world, so that its racial, ethnic and possibly political characteristics may be highlighted as contexts for understanding the literary works.

And now we come to the term "National Literature." In contrast to the term noted earlier, "national literature" is unmistakably political in implication. The underlying assumption behind it is that the authors are a conscious component of the Filipino nation and are willing if not necessarily active participants in the realization of the aspirations of the people who constitute the nation.

Let us now address the concern of this Congress which has been so cautiously worded thus "Towards a National Literature." Either the theme is suggesting that the body of literature produced so far by Filipino writers is still in the process of attaining Consciousness of its "national" character, or that the said body needs to be read And validated as expression of the writers' consciousness of the history and culture of the people who constitute the Filipino nation.

I think it is the latter sense that this Congress ought to pursue in the various panel discussions for the next two days. How to read the works of our authors and draw out from there the growth and achievements of the nation, so that subsequent writers and their audiences may learn from the earlier generations and learn to track new and ever newer paths from a recognition of the gains and losses discernible in the earlier literary...