The document discusses the Philippine literary scene from 1986 to the present. It notes that the 1986 EDSA Revolution overthrew the Marcos dictatorship, restoring democracy and free expression. However, the country faced economic difficulties in the following years. The revolution led to greater diversity and experimentation in Philippine writing through academic institutions, writers' organizations, and campus publications that provided support and recognition for writers. Overall, post-EDSA literature has been characterized by emerging critical theories, adventurous publishing, declining influence of New Criticism, and a development thrust for literature in languages beyond Tagalog.

2. 1986 - Present
• 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.

3. • 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.

4. • 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.

5. • 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.

6. • 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.

7. • 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.

8. • 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
concerns demonstrated by the writers' output, and to
the direction towards which literary studies are
tending.
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 "non-
traditional" projects.

9. • 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.

10. • EDSA Revolution saved our country, Philippines!