The excellence and unflinching dedication of Filipino literary artists were once again celebrated and recognized at the annual Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature held at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City on Friday night, September 1.
The roster of awardees of the 67th edition of the prestigious literary award included a total of 51 names, 23 of which were first-time awardees, and four of which took home prizes in two separate categories.
This year also includes the biannual Novel and Nobela, which brings the total number of categories to 22. However, no winners were announced for the Short Story for Children category.
Criselda Cecilio-Palanca in her Sponsor’s remarks noted that the award-giving body received a total of 954 entries for all the categories.
Cecilio-Palanca shared, “Sixty three judges selected 55 winning works of 51 writers, 23 of whom are new winners while 28 are former Palanca Awardees. Of these winners, 18 were of 21 to 30 age bracket, while 16 are in the 31 to 40 age bracket, and eight for the 41 to 50 age bracket. Seven were 20 years old or under, and since six of these won in the Kabataan Essay category for 18 years of age or below, means that one winner under 20 years of age won in one of the adult categories; then there was one winner each from the 51 to 60 and 60-70 age groups respectively.”
“This brings the number of winning authors to a total of 2, 303 from 1951 to 2017, and the total number of winning works to 2, 385. Our Hall of Famers remain at 25,” she added.
Part of the awarding ceremony was the recognition of sixteen-time Palanca awardee and Hall of Famer Jose “Butch” Dalisay, Jr. for his literary contribution including stories, plays, essays, screenplays, and biographies. He was conferred the Gawad Dangal ng Lahi.
Dalisay, a prolific writer who has published over 30 books, was known to have joined the roster of Palanca Hall of Fame in 2000 after winning five first prizes in various genres.
In his speech, he mentioned his life as a writer, first as “journalist beholden to facts,” until he was “liberated by fiction.” Dalisay also shared what Palanca Awards meant–from bragging rights to writing for truth and honor.
“A Palanca award will bring you honor, some fame – certainly bragging rights for your proud mama and papa, and even some money..You will be walking on air for a couple of weeks, until the novelty wears off, the money is spent, and you return to the humdrum of teaching, call-centering, or whatever it is that keeps you and your family alive,” he said.
“Writing for the truth, writing for the honor, writing for the love of language these are what your being here is all about, what the Palancas have existed for these past 67 years,” he also said, and added that Palanca Awards have always been about more than money.
Dalisay also highlighted the role of writers and relevance of literature at the present, in relation to various social issues plaguing humanity.
“It is both literature’s virtue and responsibility to reaffirm our fundamental humanity, and the unity of our interests and aspirations as a people. Every act of writing re-humanizes us, both writer and reader,” he said, citing a speech he wrote for former President Fidel V. Ramos.
“This is especially important in these darkening times, when megalomaniacal and murderous despotism threatens societies across the ocean, debases the truth, and cheapens human life,” he continued.
Dalisay also shared his belief on how to battle misleading information and fake news on the internet.
“The best antidote to fake news is true fiction. You and I have much to write about,” he said.
“If you write for truth, reason, and justice, and for the beauty and value of life itself, you will always be a first-prize winner in my book,” he continued.
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Kabataan Sanaysay
1st Prize No Winner
2nd Prize Carmel Joy F. Vergara (“Patlang”)
3rd Prize Robyn Therese V. Jocom (“Sungkitin Pabalik ang Nakalipas”)
Kabataan Essay
1st Prize Alpheus Matthew D. Llantero (“The Adventure of an Alien and the Matalino Kid”)
2nd Prize Pauline Sherice Wee (“Culture Redefined”)
3rd Prize Marielle Fatima B. Tuazon (“The Pursuit of Lucidity”)
Filipino Division
Maikling Kuwento
1st Prize Andrian M. Legaspi (“Sa Pagitan ng Sabaw ng Chaolong at Hilab”)
2nd Prize Valentine Dula (“Patintero”)
3rd Prize Nicko M. De Guzman (“Troll”)
Maikling Kwentong Pambata
1st Prize Maryrose Jairene Cruz-Eusebio (“Ang Patay-gutom”)
2nd Prize Jose Luigi F. Creencia (“Lato’t Ginto”)
3rd Prize Cheeno Marlo M. Sayuno (“Si Tiya Salome”)
Sanaysay
1st Prize Eugene Y. Evasco (“Ang Mapa ng Taglagas sa Aking Maleta”)
2nd Prize Will P. Ortiz (“Sisid”)
3rd Prize Mubarak M. Tahir (“Aden Bon Besen Uyag-Uyag”/”May Buhay Pa Pala”)
Tula
1st Prize Christian R. Vallez (“Sa Pagitan ng Banal at Karnal”)
2nd Prize Jason G. Tabinas (“Na Inyong Ikinalulunod”)
3rd Prize Rogelio Dela Rosa Jr. (“Tanghod at iba pang Paghihintay”)
Tula Para sa Mga Bata
1st Prize John Vincent J. Bucal (“Muwang ng Musmos”)
2nd Prize Errol A. Merquita (“Tagulilong: Ang Mga Nawawala”)
3rd Prize Paterno B. Baloloy Jr. (“Agam-Agam ng Langgam”)
Dulang May Isang Yugto
1st Prize Eljay Castro Deldoc (Pilipinas Kong Mahal With All the Overcoat)
2nd Prize Rodolfo Carlos Vera (Indigo Child)
3rd Prize Dominique Beatrice T. La Victoria (Ang Bata sa Drum)
Dulang Ganap ang Haba
1st Prize Dustin Edward D. Celestino (Ang Pangahas na si Pepe Rodriguez)
2nd Prize Joshua L. Lim So (Araw-araw, Gabi-gabi)
3rd Prize Vincent A. De Jesus (Changing Partners)
Dulang Pampelikula
1st Prize Rodolfo Carlos Vera (Ang Aking Juan Luna)
2nd Prize Kristian Sendon Cordero (Kulto ni Santiago)
3rd Prize Avelino Mark C. Balmes Jr. (Pablo Ocampo Extension)
Regional Division
Short Story—Cebuano
1st Prize Jondy M. Arpilleda (“Bunok”)
2nd Prize Manuel M. Avenido Jr. (“Panagtigi”)
3rd Prize Errol Merquita (“Aninipot”)
Short Story-Hiligaynon
1st Prize Jesus C. Insilada, Ed. D (“Tinuom”)
2nd Prize Peter Solis Nery (“Ang Milagro sa Ermita”)
3rd Prize Leonard Francis M. Alcoran (“Ang Itlog nga Wala Nagabalibad”)
Short Story—Ilokano
1st Prize Ronelyn Ramones (“Ti Lubong ni Anastasia”)
2nd Prize Lilia Quindoza Santiago, Ph. D. (“Siak Ti Interpretaryo”)
3rd Prize Joe Bert Lazarte (“Don’t Blink”)
Short Story for Children
1st Prize No Winner
2nd Prize No Winner
3rd Prize No Winner
Essay
1st Prize Michelle Josephine G. Rivera (“In My Father’s Kitchen”)
2nd Prize Paul Gideon D. Lasco (“The Art of ‘Hugot’ in our Republic of ‘Sawi'”)
3rd Prize Jade Mark B. Capiñanes (“A Portrait of a Young Man as Banak”)
Poetry
1st Prize Noelle Leslie dela Cruz (“Sisyphus on the Penrose Stairs: Meta-Reveries”)
2nd Prize Rodrigo V. Dela Peña Jr. (“Blood Compact”)
3rd Prize Hurjay Medilo (“Elegy for a Dying World”)
Poetry Written for Children
1st Prize Cynthia Baculi-Condez (“From Dawn to Dusk”)
2nd Prize Patricia Celina A. Ngo (“Magical Mall of Mysteries”)
3rd Prize Ma. Amparo N. Warren (“Animal Songs/Just So Poems”)
One-act Play
1st Prize No Winner
2nd Prize No Winner
3rd Prize Joshua L. Lim So (Sa Syquia, Malate, Kabanata II: Letting The Days Go By)
Full-length Play
1st Prize Dustin Edward D. Celestino (The Story of This Father)
2nd Prize Joachim Emilio B. Antonio (exesanonymous.com)
3rd Prize No Winner
Grand Prizes
Nobela
Grand Prize Eros S. Atalia (Ang Ikatlong Anti-Kristo)
Novel
Grand Prize Glenn L. Diaz (The Quiet Ones)
