Words by Breanna Limsenkhe and Rae Goco
Header by MJ Lee

“Where are the Nick Joaquins and the F. Sionil Joses?” is the query of one Facebook netizen as they share an image of shelves lined with cartoon-covered books such as The Playboy’s Curse and Ang Jowa Kong Astig. What follows in the comments section is a flood of mixed scrutiny and shared sentiments; the crowd boils with remarks of either disdain or agreement. Between works like Noli me Tangere by Jose Rizal and ABNKKBSNPLAko?! by Bob Ong, the position of Wattpad novels remains uncertain. Consequently, where are they now, and where will they go?

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With its high viewership, cheap prices, and distinct presence in bookstores, it is intriguing to explore how impactful Wattpad books may be on the future of Philippine literature. Despite the contrasting opinions garnered by the post, one thing remains clear: Wattpad books and their authors bear the brunt of the tensions between institutional pillars and well-established authors in the Philippines’ reading landscape. Tensions that only raise questions on evolving definitions of literary value and cultural legitimacy in contemporary Philippine literature.

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The Watt in Wattpad

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Founded in 2006, Wattpad is an online digital reading and writing platform which houses a variety of contemporary works including original fanfiction, novels, and poetry. Through providing users the freedom to write and share their pieces, it established international and local reader and author communities. Many Wattpad authors who accumulated high viewership pursue the opportunity to publish physical copies sold in bookstores. If the West has its made-from-Wattpad books of Twilight and After, the Philippines boasts its rich filmography of successful Wattpad films and novels such as She’s Dating the Gangster, He’s Into Her, and The University Life Series. 

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It is important to note that Wattpad novels fall under literature, yet which kind? Literature and literature are two terms differentiated by capitalization. Philippine Literature—stress on the big L— is largely believed to be bodies of work locally produced and/or written in the context of the Philippines, therefore created usually by Filipino authors. Some examples would be the familiar Filipino readings of Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas, widely acknowledged as literary greats as they have stood the test of time. However, the standards established by these Literature are always challenged and transcended. Gary Devilles, Filipino Department professor under the Ateneo de Manila University, cited the aforementioned Balagtas’ Florante at Laura as part of this phenomenon: “There was a time where they didn't consider [it] as Literature because really there was no Literature… just like how Shakespeare is now considered as a canon.” 

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In line with this, Wattpad has proven over the past two decades that literature transforms, especially in a world guided by digital technology. These literatures—highlighted by the small l—are thus part of a larger scope of written text that encompasses a more diverse and modern production of literary work.

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Wattpad as a democratic literature

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In the Philippines, Wattpad has empowered the meaning-making of a globalized generation, reinventing authorship by defying traditional publishing cultures while centralizing accessibility and community in readership. Through Wattpad, readers can appropriate texts to create new meanings. As Devilles characterizes it, “The idea of Wattpad comes from the fact that we have very interested readers [who can] produce based on what they have read [wherein they] make sense of the reading and come up with their own [interpretations].” 

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At its peak in the early 2010s, Wattpad’s greatest appeal came from authors who created from an understanding of intersecting realities—stories shaped by their personal interests, consumption habits, and desire for self-satisfaction. To illustrate, the prefaces of books include embedded face claims of foreign (often Korean) artists and celebrities to visually reference the characters. Settings also take place in geographically ambiguous places that misalign with the application of local dialects and practices. 

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Tales of Demi, Wattpad author known for The Peculiars’ Tale, fondly recalls how her works were inspired by South Korean dramas at iba pang mga Asian media influences. On the other hand, some authors like Glenn Diaz argue that it is evidence of the way globalization has influenced the Filipino imagination/writing scene. “To some, [Filipino identity] is no longer an important category [...] against the conventional markers of a Filipino narrative,” he says. By deconstructing stories and reworking familiar cliches and stereotypes, a new literature bridges common reality to foreign imaginaries. Essentially, it is a shift that allows writers to make sense of local realities with global perspectives, expanding the reach and relatability of Filipino storytelling. 

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Furthermore, Wattpad’s interactive nature through features of paced publishing, voting, and annotative commenting reveals how ang mga interaction sa pagitan ng author and reader can be influential towards the direction of the written piece. Authorship in Wattpad circumvents traditional publishing culture, allowing for more flexibility in pacing the delivery of work. As Diaz illustrates, “Compared to conventional publishing where the author is seen as a god-like figure who creates this universe, the Wattpad writer is part of that ecosystem.” 

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Bilang Wattpad representative, ibinahagi ni Tales of Demi na authors like her do feel limited by the need to appeal commercially. The author most often leans towards giving what the reader wants para maging successful, which results in self-restricting their creative freedom. Nonetheless, the Wattpad writing community posits that aspects of Philippine writing can be reimagined, lalo na sa pagsusuri ng  often perceived ‘gatekept’ at exclusive nature of Filipino authors’ works.

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Nagiging mas interested ang mga traditional author sa unique nitong accessibility na nagko-contribute sa success ng Wattpad, as Diaz shares na may mga traditionally published authors who have considered exploring the online platform. Contrasting sa digital functionality, accessibility is found sa price ng mga published Wattpad books, starting at 199 pesos and rarely going over 400 pesos. 

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Malaki ang agwat sa gastos kumpara sa foreign books that most often start at 350 pesos and above. Although it feels antagonistic towards the author, Wattpad books are consumer-based, sold at a price na kayang bilhin ng target audience—mga “young readers,” ayon kay Demi. The author also reveals na bumubuti ang quality ng Wattpad publications ngayon, kasabay ng pagtaas ng presyo, dahil kinikilala ng mga publisher na there is an existing audience willing to purchase these works. However, accessibility does not only manifest in the numbers, nakikita rin ito sa pagsusulat.

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Usapang Wika sa panitikan

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Kadalasang isinusulat ang mga librong Wattpad sa Pilipinas gamit ang wikang Taglish, ang kolokyal at pang-araw-araw na paraan ng pag-uusap. Hindi ito makikitang ginagamit sa Panitikang Pilipino, lalo na sa mga uring kanon. Dahil hindi ito pangkaraniwang paraanng pagsusulat, ang umiiral na tanong ay, “Tama ba na tayo’y magsulat gamit ang Taglish?” 

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Sa mga klase sa Ingles o Filipino, itinuturo sa atin ang mga katangian ng mahusay na pagsusulat. Isa rito ang pagkakaisa ng pagsusulat at balarila. Para kay Diaz, hindi nakikita ng may-akda ang sarili niyang gumagamit ng Taglish dahil sa pamantayang ito. Ayon sa kanya, kahit ang rehistro ng ating panitikan ang hindi tungga sa isa’t isa. Halimbawa, mas kolokyal ang mga panitikang sinulat noong 60s-70s kumpara sa sinaunang mala-Balagtas na akda. Subalit, naniniwala naman siya na mabisa at makamasa ang Taglish. Nabanggit naman ni Demi na nagsisikap siyang ihasa ang kaniyang pagsulat gamit lamang ang wikang Filipino upang palawakin pa ang demograpiya ng kaniyang mga mambabasa.

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Datapwat, sinasabi nina Diaz at Devilles na ibang usapan ang wika sa panitikan. “Your task is not to teach grammar. Your job is to create a story,” banggit ni Devilles. Kumbaga, sa usapin ng panitikan, isang instrumento ang wika upang magsalaysay ng ideya o kuwento. Maaaring hindi sumunod sa karaniwang istruktura ang pagsusulat na binubuo ng talataan sapagkat ginagamit ang mga larawan o imbentong salita upang magkuwento. 

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Napagkasunduan nina Diaz, Devilles, at Tales of Demi na tunay na nasa kamay ng manunulat ang desisyon kung paano sila magsulat. Sa eksenang Wattpad, tahaw ang paggamit ng wikang Taglish na taliwas sa inihayag ni Diaz na batayan ng pagsusulat sa lipunan: “Our criteria of good writing is often English writing.” Sa ibang salita, mababa ang tingin sa mga akdang sinulat sa Wikang Taglish dahil ipinalalagay na mas kaunting kasanayan ang kinakailangan nito. 

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Ngunit, bakit Taglish pa rin ang wika na laging pinipili ng mga may-akda ng Wattpad? Madali ang sagot diyan! Dahil mayroong nagsasalita, nag-iintindi, at nagbabasa ng wikang ito, ang karamihan sa kabataang masa. Isiniwalat ni Diaz ang realidad na mayroong pag-aalinlangan sa pagbabasa ng mga librong sulat sa Ingles o Filipino lamang. “Reading is a demanding exercise,” tala niya. Sa katunayan, sanhi ito ng pagkakaroon ng ramdam na pagkakahiwalay sa karaniwang buhay. Halimbawa, bihira na tayong—lalo na sa mga tagalungsod—gumagamit ng purong Ingles o Filipino sa pang-araw-araw na pananalita.

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Sa paggamit ng nakasanayangpananalita, nagiging madali ang pagbabasa at pag-iintindi ng kuwento, lalo na at mas pinahahalagahan sa Wattpad ang mga diyalogo at hindi ang mga malalim na paglalarawan. Sa pagbasa bilang libangan, kadalasang ayaw maghirap ang mga mambabasa sa pag-intindi, dahilmas kaakit-akit na malaman kaagad ang laman ng kuwento.  

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Sa isang mundong talamak ang pagkakaugnay at impluwensya, hindi kataka-taka natuluyang lumawak pa ang depinisyon ng panitikan sa Pilipinas. Sa kasalukuyan, napapansin na rin ang paghahari ng Wattpad sa eksenang panitikan dahil sa umuusbong na komunidad at ang malaking kontribusyonnito sa paghulma ng kaisipan ng kabataan. Dahil dito, may posibilidad na magagamit ito bilang kasangkapang pang-edukasyon upang maituro ang iba’t ibang paksa. 

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Pinatutunayan ng mga may-akda na may kakayahan ang Wattpad bilang inklusibong espasyo para sa mga piyesa ng mga Pilipinong manunulat. Maaari din itong makaambag sa pagpapalalim at pagkakaunawa ng ating pagka-Pilipino. Halimbawa, makikita ngayon ang pagkilos nito sa pagpasok ng mga librong Wattpad tulad ng kay Tales of Demi sa mga silid-aklatan. Kaya para sa kanya, may potensyal ang Wattpad sa edukasyon, kung saan “kailangan [lamang ng] mabusising pag-aaral, na dapat related siya sa inaaral nila–kung ang subject ay philosophy, kailangan i-assign [ang librong Wattpad na angkop dito].”

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Bagaman nangangailangan ito ng masusing pagsusuri at mas malalim na pag-unawa, lalo na sa mga tradisyonal na pormang pilit na humahadlang dito, nailalarawan ang kakayahan ng panitikan gaya ng Wattpad na pagsamahin ang tradisyunal na diwa at makabagong anyo. Nang sa gayon, higit na makapupukaw ng interes ang mga akda sa Wattpad para sa kasalukuyang henerasyon ng mga mambabasa.

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Raine Goco is an AB Communication freshman attempting to beatify her not-so-saintly encounters in the heart of Metro Manila. She hopes to write as she thinks and as easy as she breathes, drawing everyone to the unique sensibilities of her words. Otherwise, you’ll find her lost in her digital wonderland, caught in a love-hate relationship with the Internet.

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Breanna Limsenkhe is a junior student taking BS CTM (Communications Technology Management) at the Ateneo de Manila Univeristy. Though a business girlie, she also enjoys dabbling in various forms of media including writing, digital art, self-shoot photography, and music. Follow her journey to find a lost passion in art @swkhs4 on TikTok or instagram.