A literary exploration/colloquium of "ikaw" by Yeng Constantino. Interpreted by: Jalen Rebolledo 3 vistas: 1. Text-dependent 2. Author dependent 3. Reader-dependent

1. Ikaw by Yeng Constantino

2. [Verse 1]
Sa pagpatak ng bawat oras ay ikaw
Ang iniisip-isip ko hindi ko mahinto pintig ng puso
Ikaw ang pinangarap-ngarap ko
Simula ng matanto na balang araw iibig ang puso
[Chorus]
Ikaw ang pag-ibig na hinintay
Puso ay nalumbay ng kay tagal
Ngunit ngayo'y nandito na
Ikaw, ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay
Sa akin ng may kapal biyaya ka sa buhay ko
Ligaya't pag-ibig ko'y ikaw
[Verse 2]
Humihinto sa bawat oras ng tagpo
Ang pag-ikot ng mundo ngumingiti ng kusa aking puso
Pagka't nasagot na ang tanong nag-aalala noon kung
may magmamahal sa'kin ng tunay
[Chorus]
Ikaw ang pag-ibig na hinintay
Puso ay nalumbay ng kay tagal
Ngunit ngayo'y nandito na
Ikaw, ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay
Sa akin ng may kapal biyaya ka sa buhay ko
Ligaya't pag-ibig ko'y ikaw
At hindi pa'ko umibig ng gan'to
At nasa isip makasama ka habang buhay
[Chorus]
Ikaw ang pag-ibig na hinintay
Puso ay nalumbay ng kay tagal
Ngunit ngayo'y nandito na
Ikaw, ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay
Sa akin ng may kapal biyaya ka sa buhay ko
Ligaya't pag-ibig ko'y ikaw
Puso ay nalumbay ng kay tagal
Ngunit ngayo'y nandito na
Ikaw, ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay
Sa akin ng may kapal biyaya ka sa buhay ko
Ligaya't pag-ibig ko'y ikaw
Pag-ibig ko'y ikaw…

3. II. Author’s Background
Josephine "Yeng" Eusebio Constantino Asuncion (born December 4, 1988) is a
Filipina pop-rock singer-songwriter and an occasional actress. In 2006, she won
the title "Grand Star Dreamer" in the inaugural season of Pinoy Dream Academy.

4. The song will be interpreted via 3 vistas:
III. Literary Analysis Using Three Vistas
1. Text-dependent Interpretation
2. Author-dependent Interpretation
3. Reader-dependent Interpretation

5. Exegisis
Verse 1: The persona’s significant other is the one he/she
has dreamed of loving and to be loved from
Chorus: It tells us about patience, which is fundamental and
definitely the most essential thing when you love. Learn to
wait for the right time and because it’s coming right on your
way no matter what. And if you already learned your lesson,
God will give it to you as His command.
Verse 2: Time seems to stop when you’re with the person
you love. The feeling itself is ensuring and the time taken is
worth it. Just learn to wait and have patience.
Explication
Structure
Prose-like
Free-verse
Style
Personification: puso (2nd
line of the chorus and 2nd
verse; mundo (2nd line of
2nd verse)
Repetition: “Ikaw” for
emphasis
Sound
End Rhymes: hinintay, binigay,
buhay (chorus);
puso, ko, matanto (verse one);
humihinto; tagpo; puso; mundo
(verse two)
No metrical pattern
Theme: love
No imagery
Mood: hopeless
romanticism
Tone: gratitude and
passion
Anyone can say “I love you” but not everyone can wait and
prove it’s true.
Theme 1: Theme 2:
Love isn’t all about liking, loving and caring, but also it is
about appreciation and devotion.
Unifying Theme:
True love is worth the wait.
A. Text-depndent Interpretations
a. Formalism Approach
Formalism
III. Literary Analysis Using Three Vistas

6. B. Author-dependent Interpretations
a. Historical-Biographical Approach
A song can be a declaration of love for
another person.
Historical Biographical
On August 26, 2007, she won as the first
Grand Star Dreamer and after winning
she release her first album “Salamat.”
She is a singer and an occasional actress
and co-host in ABS-CBN.
Her career in the music industry is stable
and booming.
Victor “Yang” Asuncion sees Yeng in one
of her concerts and eventually meeting
her in a group date hosted by Yeng’s
friends.
Yeng has never engaged in a relationship
before until Victor “Yang” Asuncion.
The song “Ikaw” was composed and was
released on August 23, 2014.
Yeng is marrying Yang on February 14,
2015.
Relationships have potential to last if both
partners are truly in love with each other.
In the song’s music video, it featured
scenes from their dates and pre-wedding
- all of which are very romantic.
A singer’s personal life can have a huge
influence on his/her songs.
Theme 2:Theme 1: Theme 3:
The song gained popularity and therefore
garnered awards from MYX, Icon, PMPC
Star, and Wish 107.5
Yang courted Yeng 4 times but also got
rejected 4 times; nonetheless they started
dating on June 2013.
Unifying Theme:
Event#1Event#2Event#3
Event#1Event#1Event#1
Interpretation

7. C. Reader-dependent Interpretations
a. Reader-response Approach
Reader #1: Reader #3:Reader #2:
“The song is about the obsession of the persona on perfect
love and perfect timing. The persona views the other
person as the perfect partner for his/her lifetime; therefore it
is a song about hopeless romanticism.”
“True love needs to be definite and sure; The persona has
found the one true love, the person whom he/she wants to
spend his/her life with. “
“Don’t look for love, let love find you; and it will surely find
you in the right time at the right place. When it finds you,
treasure it, because it's a gift from God and God is Love.”
It is a mix of silver lining and blur, for love is never perfect
and it is never always on time; nevertheless, it somehow
finds a way to prevail on those who truly believe in it.
Getting heartbroken is too bad enough to mention; but
never using your heart at all is the worse case.
The right person will come in your life on God’s perfect
time. No need to seek for love nor look for it elsewhere just
wait for the right time and at the right place then you will
find it in the most exciting way.
Personal
thoughtson
thetext:
“There are many kinds of love: passionate, friendly, familial,
altruistic, playful, practical, and self-love; all of which I have
experienced before.”
“Love is not blind. It sees more and not less, but because it
sees more it is willing to see less.”
“I once long to find the love that will make me happy and
now that God has given me my love – until then I am
complete.”
Reader‘s
experience:Conclusion
Theme 1: Theme 2: Theme 3:
Textual Evidence: Textual Evidence:
“Ikaw ang pinangarap-ngarap ko/ Simula ng matanto na
balang araw iibig ang puso//”
-(3rd and 4th line of Verse 1)
“Pag-ibig ko'y ikaw...”
-(the last line in the song)
“Ikaw, ikaw ang pag-ibig na binigay/ Sa akin ng may kapal
biyaya ka sa buhay ko/ Ligaya't pag-ibig ko'y ikaw//”
-(4th, 5th, and 6th line in Chorus)
Textual Evidence:
Love is universal. Love is just a word until someone gives it substance. True love waits.
Unifying Theme:
Real love is either in your heart or it’s on its way, ready to give
everyone a sense of purpose and a will to live.

8. Unifying Grand Theme
A song can be a declaration of love for another
person.
Real love is either in your heart or it’s on its way,
ready to give everyone a sense of purpose and a will
to live.
True love is worth the wait.
Theme 1 Theme 3Theme 2
Unified Theme:
The singer, Yeng Constantino, wrote “Ikaw” as a demonstration of her love. It is a
song about how patience may lead to true love and how her need to love and to
be loved is deeply met.
D. Text-Author-Reader Interpretations

9. IV. References
Yeng Constantino. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2017 from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeng_Constantino
Jaramilo P. (2013, July 5). MEET: Victor Asuncion - Yeng Constantino’s Boyfriend [Web log post].
Retrieved from http://voicepoints.blogspot.com/2013/07/meet-victor-asuncion-yeng-
constantinos.html
Rappler. (2014) Yeng Constantino engaged to boyfriend Yan Asuncion. Retrieved from
https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/52573-yeng-constantino-engaged-boyfriend-yan-
asuncion
Jmonreal92 (2014). Ikaw. Star Music Records. Retrieved from:
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/y/yeng_constantino/ikaw.html
http://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/yeng-constantino