The vast island nation of the Philippines has a large number of native tongues. Colonial occupation in recent centuries, first by Spain and then the United States, meant foreign languages were imposed on the people. But over recent decades writers have started developing a poetic tradition that captures the diversity of the country and its peoples, its beauty, and the struggle to emerge from colonial times into the modern world. This program features four poets: Rolando S Tinio, Rio Alma, Jose F Lacaba and Dinah Roma.