Literature reflects the culture of a nation. It can serve as a tool to express a feeling and emotion. Remember during the Spanish regime, Rizal exploited the functions of literature. His two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo contained a lot of subversive themes that sparked the revolution and consequently the victory over the Spaniards.

Literature is deeply rooted in the culture of a nation. Stories and poems reflect the local color of its origin. The poem "Stopping by the Woods" by Robert Frost may not be too appealing to local readers because of the presence of snow in the poem. Our geography doesn't allow us to experience snow. Ildefonso Santos' poem "Katlea," on other hand, shows more local color. Cattleya is a flower that even an ordinary Filipino knows.

Liwayway magazine had worked itself into the consciousness of Tagalog readers as an outlet for short stories and serial novels. It brought literature inside the houses of the common Filipino. In many Filipino households before the War in the Pacific broke, the day of issue of Liwayway was eagerly awaited, and family members would gather around the person assigned to give an oral reading of a favorite serial novel from the new issue.

Literature provides a common knowledge that allows people to talk, share information and experiences. The importance of knowing the indigenous forms of Philippine literature is to gain more knowledge about our own country. Its aim in general is to announce and flaunt one's culture.