Literature from Visayas

Introduction

Visayas

– The Cradle of Filipino Life Experiences

- Three main geographical islands of the Philippines located at the central part

- Sub-regions are Western, Central and Eastern

- Panay, Cebu, Negros, Bohol, leyte and Samar (major islands)

- Various languages used are kinaray-a, Hiligaynon, Inabaknon but the widely spoken languages are
waray, Ilonggo and Cebuano

- Home of many cultural heritages and breathtaking landscapes and it houses some of the attractive and
most anticipated religious and cultural festivals in the country

Themes presented are:

 Examination of human experiences that show the struggles and defeats in life but at the same
time how people faced and triumphed over those adversities
 Importance of family ties or relationships
 Migration of Filipinos in order to have a better living

About the Author

Cecilia M. Brainard – a cebuana born and youngest in the manguerra family ; authored 19 books ; one of
the founding members of Philippine American Women writers and Artists (PAWWA)

When the rainbow goddess wept

Magdalena
Woman with horns and Other Stories

Philippine Literature As a Tool in Examining Human experiences

- “Reading narratives will allow us to emphatize and understand people since literature prompt us to
critique and analyze. These gives us room to have deeper view of issues and situations” – Judith Caesar

- Philippine literature presents the varying aspects of a Filipino.

- The Filipino identity has developed through time because of the many stories that it has produced.
Despite all these, one Filipino characteristic has always stood out – Resiliency

Childhood in The path of Typhoons

It is about what happened during the Super typhoon Yolanda in the City of cebu.

- Philippines has two seasons (wet and dry)

- 20 typhoons whip every year

Storm Signals

Signal 1: rain and some wind, went to school

Signal 2: stronger rain and wind, excused from school but it is safe to go the movies and
friend’s house
Signal 3 and 4: stayed indoors, rain and wind are very powerful, streets would flood,
branches of trees could break, trees could be uprooted, corrugated metal roofing could
come loose and fly about, electric power lines could break, streets littered with debris
- “ Even before the Western media started focusing on super typhoon haiyan, I’d been
following the news on the internet . Friends in Cebu, Philippines, who had just been
battered by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake last October 15, were giving me a blow-by-
blow account as they hunkered down and waited for haiyan. After the super typhoon
passed, someone jubilantly e-mailed, “we survived” ”

- Facebook pictures were posted wherein a lot of Filipinos died, survivors are left on
their own, people wandering amidst of the rubble, survivors holding up signs begging for
food and water
explanation sa imong report

- many people died in the evacuation centers or gymnasiums or churches where they sought refuge,
from drowning and from the building collapsing

- Fact: A death toll will rise because the Philippines has 7,100 islands, and in those islands, many coastal
villages have not yet been accounted for .

- Now, haiyan will never be forgotten .

Questions:

1. WHY IS THE PHILIPPINES VISITED BY SEVERAL TYPHOONS?

2. WHAT SITUATIONS CAN BE OBSERVED WHEN THERE IS A TYPHOON?

3. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MAJORITY OF FILIPINOS AFTER A TYPHOON?

4. Despite knowing that Philippines is prone to typhoons, why are the Filipinos still
caught off guard every time a typhoon hits?

5. What does this tell of the Filipino mentally towards disaster preparedness?