At least 51 writers, 23 of whom were first-time awardees, emerged as this year鈥檚 winners at the 67th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards) held on Friday night at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City.
Among them were Inquirer Youngblood contributors Jade Mark B. Capi帽anes and Patricia Celina A. Ngo.
This year鈥檚 speaker and guest of honor at the awarding ceremony was decorated writer and professor, Dr. Jose 鈥淏utch鈥 Y. Dalisay Jr.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Dalisay, himself a 16-time Palanca awardee and a Hall of Famer. Dalisay was conferred the Gawad Dangal ng Lahi for his contributions to the literary scene, including books of his stories, plays, essays, screenplays and biographies.
The Palanca Awards聽 is considered the gold standard in writing excellence, coveted by Filipino writers, young and old alike.
The following are this year鈥檚 winners:
Kabataan Division
Kabataan Sanaysay: first prize, no winner;聽 second, Carmel Joy F. Vergara for 鈥淧atlang鈥; and third, Robyn Therese V. Jocom for 鈥淪ungkitin Pabalik ang Nakalipas.鈥
Kabataan Essay: first prize,聽聽 Alpheus Matthew D. Llantero for 鈥淭he Adventure of an Alien and the Matalino Kid鈥; second, Pauline Sherice Wee for 鈥淐ulture Redefined鈥; and third, Marielle Fatima B. Tuazon for 鈥淭he Pursuit of Lucidity.鈥
Filipino Division
Maikling Kuwento: first Prize,聽聽 Andrian M. Legaspi for 鈥淪a Pagitan ng Sabaw ng Chaolong at Hilab ng Tiyan鈥; second, Valentine Dula for 鈥淧atintero鈥;聽 and third,聽 Nicko M. de Guzman for 鈥淭roll.鈥
Maikling Kuwentong Pambata: first prize,聽聽 Maryrose Jairene Cruz-Eusebio for 鈥淎ng Patay-gutom鈥; second,聽 Josel Luigi F. Creencia for 鈥淟ato鈥檛 Ginto鈥; and third, Cheeno Marlo M. Sayuno for 鈥淪i Tiya Salome.鈥
Sanaysay: first prize,聽 Eugene Y. Evasco for 鈥淎ng Mapa ng Taglagas sa Aking Maleta鈥; second, Will P. Ortiz for 鈥淪isid鈥; and third, Mubarak M. Tahir for 鈥淎den Bon Besen Uyag-Uyag (May Buhay Pa Pala).鈥
Tula: first prize,聽 Christian R. Vallez聽 for 鈥淪a Pagitan ng Banal at Karnal鈥; second,聽 Jason G. Tabinas for 鈥淣a Inyong Ikinalulunod鈥; and third,聽 Rogelio Dela Rosa Jr. for 鈥淭anghod at iba pang Paghihintay.鈥
Tula Para Sa Mga Bata: first prize,聽聽 John Vincent J. Bucal for 鈥淢uwang ng Musmos鈥; second, Errol A. Merquita for 鈥淭agulilong: Ang mga Nawawala鈥; and third, Paterno B. Baloloy Jr. for 鈥淎gam-Agam ng Langgam.鈥
Dulang May Isang Yugto: first prize, Eljay Castro Deldoc for 鈥淧ilipinas Kong Mahal With All the Overcoat鈥; second, Rodolfo Carlos Vera for 鈥淚ndigo Child鈥; and third, Dominique Beatrice T. La Victoria for 鈥淎ng Bata Sa Drum.鈥
Dulang Ganap Ang Haba: first prize,聽聽 Dustin Edward D. Celestino for 鈥淎ng Pangahas na si Pepe Rodriguez鈥; second, Joshua L. Lim So for 鈥淎raw-araw, Gabi-gabi鈥; and third, Vincent A. De Jesus for 鈥淐hanging Partners.鈥
Dulang Pampelikula: first prize, Rodolfo Carlos Vera for 鈥淎ng Aking Juan Luna鈥; second, Kristian Sendon Cordero for 鈥淜ulto ni Santiago鈥; and third, Avelino Mark C. Balmes Jr. for 鈥淧ablo Ocampo Extension.鈥
Regional Division
Short Story-Cebuano: first prize, Jondy M. Arpilleda for 鈥淏unok鈥; second, Manuel M. Avenido Jr. for 鈥淧anagtigi鈥; and third, Errol A. Merquita for 鈥淎ninipot.鈥
Short Story-Hiligaynon: first prize, Jesus C. Insilada, Ed.D., for 鈥淭inuom鈥;聽 second, Peter Solis Nery for 鈥淎ng Milagro sa Ermita鈥; and third, Leonard Francis M. Alcoran for 鈥淎ng Itlog nga wala Nagabalibad.鈥
Short Story-Ilokano:聽 first prize, Ronelyn Ramones for 鈥淭i Lubong ni Anastasia鈥; second, Lilia Quindoza Santiago, Ph.D., for 鈥淪iak Ti Interpreteryo鈥; and third, Ariel Sotelo for 鈥淭abag Dado.鈥
English Division
Short Story: first prize,聽 John Bengan for 鈥淒isguise鈥; second, Katrina Guiang Gomez for 鈥淢isericordia鈥; and聽 third, Joe Bert Lazarte for 鈥淒on鈥檛 Blink.鈥
There was no winner for short story for children.
Essay: first, Michelle Josephine G. Rivera for 鈥淚n My Father鈥檚 Kitchen鈥; second, Paul Gideon D. Lasco for 鈥淭he Art of 鈥楬ugot鈥 in our Republic of 鈥楽awi鈥欌; and third, Jade Mark B. Capi帽anes for 鈥淎 Portrait of a Young Man as a Banak.鈥
Poetry: first prize, Noelle Leslie de la Cruz for 鈥淪isyphus on the Penrose Stairs: Meta-Reveries鈥; second,聽 Rodrigo V. Dela Pe帽a Jr. for聽 鈥淏lood Compact鈥; and third, Hurjay Medilo Elegy for 鈥淎 Dying World.鈥
Poetry Written For Children: first, Cynthia Baculi-Condez for 鈥淔rom Dawn to Dusk鈥; second, Patricia Celina A. Ngo for 鈥淢agical Mall of Mysteries鈥; and third, Ma. Amparo N. Warren for 鈥淎nimal Songs/Just So Poems.鈥
One-Act Play: third prize,聽 Joshua L. Lim So Sa Syquia for 鈥淢alate, Kabanata II: Letting The Days Go By.鈥
Full-Length Play: first prize,聽 Dustin Edward D. Celestino for 鈥淭he Story of This Father鈥; and second, Joachim Emilio B. Antonio for 鈥渆xesanonymous.com.鈥
Grand Prizes-Nobela:聽 Eros S. Atalia聽 for聽 鈥淎ng Ikatlong Anti-Kristo.鈥 Novel: Glenn L. Diaz聽 for 鈥淭he Quiet Ones.鈥