CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature made a grand return to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) to celebrate its illustrious 72nd year. The prestigious event honored some of the country’s finest writers across various genres and categories and proudly inducted new additions to its Hall of Fame.
The Palanca Hall of Fame is an elite circle of awardees who have achieved the remarkable feat of winning First Prize five times in any writing category. It now has 30 honorees following the inclusion of four distinguished writers, namely, Eros Sanchez Atalia, Mikael de Lara Co, Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca, and Joshua Lim So, cementing their legacy in Philippine literature.
The awards also honored achievements across 22 writing categories, including the novel and Nobela categories. Remarkably, 31 new names were recognized among a total of 54 awardees in four divisions: Kabataan, English, Filipino, and Regional Languages. All entries were meticulously evaluated by a respected panel of literary luminaries.
Gracing the night as Guest of Honor/Speaker and Gawad Dangal ng Lahi awardee was Director Jun Robles Lana. An internationally acclaimed Filipino filmmaker, Lana boasts an impressive portfolio of local and international accolades, including 12 Palanca Awards prizes and his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2006. His award-winning films include “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” “Die Beautiful,” “Kalel, 15,” and “About Us But Not About Us.” Lana’s achievements underscore his immense contributions to both Philippine literature and cinema.
The Palanca Awards stands as the longest-running and most prestigious literary competition in the Philippines. It was named after the businessman and philanthropist Carlos Palanca, Sr. and sponsored by the Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc. This esteemed event maintains a tradition of encouraging writers to nurture and develop Philippine literature. A Palanca medal or recognition is a highly sought-after honor within the Filipino writing community, both locally and internationally.
Since 1951, the Palanca Awards has honored 2,580 Filipino authors with medals and certificates. As a champion of Philippine literature, it also serves as a repository of literary treasures, boasting an archive of 2,677 winning works from 1951 to 2024.
The 72nd Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature have announced their winners, honoring outstanding works in a variety of categories.
In the Kabataan Division, the Kabataan Sanaysay category saw Glorious Zahara Exylin C. Alesna win first prize for Dito sa Kanlungan ng Hiraya’t Katotohanan, followed by Raya T. Mitra’s Sinulid at Buhay in second place, and Lancelot MJ T. Edillor’s Bura, Sulat in third. In the Kabataan Essay, Brant Angelo S. Ambes claimed the top spot with The Digital Snowball, Ruth Mecanelle Magolhado took second with My Humanly Unhuman Friend, and Glorious Zahara Exylin C. Alesna secured third with Some Things Must Never Change.
For the Filipino Division, the Maikling Kuwento category awarded first prize to Mark Anthony Angeles for Gagambang-bahay, second to Hannah A. Leceña for Siya si Ril, and third to Aljane C. Baterna for Ang Lungga. In Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Christopher S. Rosales’ Musikong Bumbong won first, Brian James S. Camaya’s Si Bambalito, ang Batang Bayani ng Bangkusay earned second, and John Patrick F. Solano’s Atang Para kay Nanang Toyang placed third.
The Sanaysay category recognized Tomas F. Agulto’s Tulambuhay ng Isang Makatang Laway with first prize, David R. Corpuz’s Autoetnograpiya ng Luksa with second, and Adelle Liezl Chua’s Love Child with third. In Tula, Mikael de Lara Co took first prize with Panayam sa Abo; John Dave B. Pacheco was awarded second for Paa, Tuhod, Balikat ng Tagakaulo: Higatang sa Pangil ng Pana-panahong Pagkalugmok; and John Brixter M. Tino claimed third for Dugo ng Aking Dugo.
The Tula Para sa mga Bata category saw John Romeo Leongson Venturero win with Anak ng Baha! Mga Tulang Pambata, John Michael G. Londres, placed second with Saklolo, Trak ng Bumbero!, and Eros Sanchez Atalia took third with Add to Cart at iba pang mga Tula.
In drama, Joshua Lim So’s Pagkapit Sa Hangin won first prize in Dulang May Isang Yugto, followed by Hans Pieter Luyun Arao’s Vengeance of the Gods in second and U Z. Eliserio’s Ang Trahedya ni Bert in third.
The Dulang Ganap ang Haba category did not have a first prize winner, but Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca’s Ardor won second, and Andrew Aquino Estacio’s Ka Amado placed third.
Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete’s Championship won first place in Dulang Pampelikula, followed by Raymund T. Barcelon’s Paglilitis in second place, and Rian Jay G. Hernandez’s Dobol in third.
In the Regional Languages Division, Michael Aaron Gomez won first prize for Pamalandong ni Antigo Mokayat in Cebuano Short Story, with Reynaldo A. Caturza’s Anino and Gracelda I. Lina’s Maninibya taking second and third, respectively.
In Hiligaynon Short Story, Serafin I. Plotria, Jr.’s Ang Liwat nga Paglupad ni Lolo took first prize, followed by Bryan Mari Argos’ Labô and Al Jeffrey L. Gonzales’ Anagas, Anagas, Baylo ‘Ta Ngalan.
For Ilokano Short Story, Neyo E. Valdez won with Panaggawid, Ma. Lourdes Ladi Opinaldo placed second with Uram, and Prodie Gar. Padios earned third with Anniniwan.
In the English Division, Jan Kevin M. Rivera’s Muted City won first prize for Short Story, Antonio Hernandez’s The Man Who Sold Dignity placed second, and Kiefer Adrian Z. Occeño’s Bee Happy came third. For Short Story for Children, no first or second prizes were awarded, but Edgar C. Samar’s A Young Poet Dreams of a Hundred Words that Rhyme with Maynila placed third.
In the Essay category, Lioba Asia E. Piluden’s Ghost-hunting in Sagada won first, Kara Danielle Eraña Medina’s Another Hope Entirely took second, and Jade Mark B. Capiñanes’ A Personal History of Sea Urchins placed third. Joel M. Toledo won first prize in Poetry with Silangan, Lyde Gerard Sison Villanueva’s La Muerte De La Luz earned second, and Ana Maria Segunda K. Lacuesta’s We Are Not Yet Lost placed third.
In Poetry Written for Children, Edgar C. Samar’s Every Year, J Gained a Power secured first prize, followed by Stacy Haynie Bolislis Ayson’s Where Are the Dinosaurs? in second and Peter Solis Nery’s Thirteen Ways of Looking at Books in third.
For drama, Eljay Castro Deldoc’s Unidentified won first prize in One-Act Play, Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca’s The Impossible Dream took second, and Kenneth Theodore Cheng Keng’s Line Up earned third. Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca’s Corridors won first prize in Full-Length Play, Dustin Edward D. Celestino’s Birdie placed second, and Emilio Antonio Babao Guballa’s The Echoist came third.
In the Novel and Nobela categories, Eros Sanchez Atalia’s Thirty Virgins won the Pangunahing Gantimpala for Nobela. For Novel, Lakan Ma. Mg. D. Umali won the Grand Prize for The Ferdinand Project, while Michael Aaron Gomez earned the Special Prize for The People’s Republic of Negros.
This year, the Palanca Awards received 1,823 entries across 22 categories, with 63 judges selecting 60 winning works by 54 authors. Among the winners, 31 were new, while 23 were previous recipients. Male winners numbered 41, while females accounted for 13.
The youngest winner was a 14-year-old female, while the oldest was a 78-year-old male. Since its inception in 1951, the Palanca Awards have recognized 2,580 authors with 2,677 winning works, including 30 Hall of Fame honorees. (CID Communication/PIA-10)
