The Rebirth of Freedom

The Rebirth of Freedom (1946-1970)

Historical Background

The Americans returned in 1945. Filipinos

rejoiced and guerillas who fled to the mountain

joined the liberating American Army.

On July 4, 1946, the Philippines regained is

freedom and the Filipino flag waved joyously

alone. The chains were broken.

A. THE STATE OF LITERATURE DURING THIS

PERIOD

The early post-liberation period was marked by

a kind of “struggle of mind and spirit” posed by

the sudden emancipation from the enemy, and

the wild desire to see print. Filipinos had, by this time, learned to

express themselves more confidently but

post-war problems beyond language and

print-like economic stability, the threat of

new ideas and mortality – had to be grappled

with side by side.

There was a proliferation of newspapers like

the FREE PRESS, MORNING SUN of Sergio

Osmeña Sr., DAILY MIRROR of Joaquin

Roces, EVENING NEWS of Ramon Lopezes

and the BULLETIN of Menzi. This only

proved that there were more readers in

English than in any ocher vernaculars like

Tagalog, Ilocano or Hiligaynon. Journalists had their day. They indulged in

more militant attitude in their reporting which

bordered on the libelous. Gradually, as

normality was restored, the tones and themes of

the writings turned to the less pressing

problems of economic survival.

Some Filipino writers who had gone abroad and

had written during the interims came back to

publish their works.

Not all the books published during the period

reflected the war year; some were compilations

or second editions of what have been written

before.Some of the writers and their works of the

periods are:

THE VOICE OF THE VETERAN – a compilation of

the best works of some Ex-USAFFE men like

Amante Bigornia, Roman de la Cruz, Ramon de

Jesus and J.F. Rodriguez.

TWILIGHT IN TOKYO and PASSION and DEATH

OF THE USAFFE by Leon Ma. Guerrero

FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY – by S.P. Lopez

BETRAYAL IN THE...