Prevailing Philosophies and Psychosocial Dimensions of Philippine Contemporary Novels in English

Chapter I – Introduction
Philippine contemporary novels or literature in general is an offshoot of the Philippine-American War or what is coined as the Philippine War of Independence which transpired from 1899 to 1902. As early as 1863, the Spanish colonizers have introduced the public elementary school system to the Philippines. During the American colonization, U.S. soldiers have started layering down the bricks as foundation of the public school system in the Philippines when they opened the first public school in the Philippines at Corregidor Island.
On January 21, 1901, the Taft Commission headed by William Howard Taft, passed the Education Act No. 34 that incepted the Department of Public Instruction. William Howard Taft was also given the responsibility of expanding the public school system in and around the Philippines. On August 21, 1901; around 600 American educators or “Thomasites” were sent to the Philippines by the U.S Government aboard the USAT Thomas whose main purpose is to integrate a new and expanded public school system, to train and hone Filipino teachers with the use of English as the primary medium of instruction, and to inculcate basic education to Filipinos. The American educators taught an extensive curriculum which cover subjects on English, Grammar, Reading, Mathematics, Agriculture, Housekeeping and Related Arts (cooking, sewing, and crocheting), Drawing (Mechanical and Freehand), Athletics (basketball, baseball, tennis, indoor baseball, and track and field), General courses, Manual Trading, and other Trade Courses
Outside of the academe setting, myriad of English reading materials such as newspapers, magazines, and books were also made available which facilitated the Filipinos’ speedy learning of the English language. The “Thomasites”