72nd Palanca Awards inducts 4 new Hall of Fame awardees

Sunday, November 24, 2024

72nd Palanca Awards

Celebrates Filipino literary excellence at PICC anew

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.

Following is the list of winners of the 72nd Palanca Awards:

KABATAAN DIVISION

KABATAAN SANAYSAY

1st Prize 
Glorious Zahara Exylin C. Alesna
Dito sa Kanlungan ng Hiraya't Katotohanan

2nd Prize
Raya T. Mitra
Sinulid at Buhay

3rd Prize
Lancelot MJ T. Edillor
Bura, Sulat

KABATAAN ESSAY

1st Prize
Brant Angelo S. Ambes
The Digital Snowball

2nd Prize
Ruth Mecanelle Magolhado
My Humanly Unhuman Friend

3rd Prize
Glorious Zahara Exylin C. Alesna
Some Things Must Never Change

FILIPINO DIVISION

MAIKLING KUWENTO

1st Prize
Mark Anthony Angeles
Gagambang-bahay

2nd Prize
Hannah A. Leceña
Siya si Ril

3rd Prize
Aljane C. Baterna
Ang Lungga

MAIKLING KUWENTONG PAMBATA

1st Prize
Christopher S. Rosales
Musikong Bumbong

2nd Prize
Brian James S. Camaya
Si Bambalito, ang Batang Bayani ng Bangkusay

3rd Prize
John Patrick F. Solano
Atang Para kay Nanang Toyang

SANAYSAY

1st Prize
Tomas F. Agulto
Tulambuhay ng Isang Makatang Laway

2nd Prize
David R. Corpuz
Autoetnograpiya ng Luksa

3rd Prize
Adelle Liezl Chua
Love Child

TULA

1st Prize
Mikael de Lara Co
Panayam sa Abo

2nd Prize
John Dave B. Pacheco
Paa, Tuhod, Balikat ng Tagakaulo: Higatang sa Pangil ng Pana-panahong Pagkalugmok

3rd Prize
John Brixter M. Tino
Dugo ng Aking Dugo

TULA PARA SA MGA BATA

1st Prize
John Romeo Leongson Venturero
Anak ng Baha! Mga Tulang Pambata

2nd Prize
John Michael G. Londres
Saklolo, Trak ng Bumbero!

3rd Prize
Eros Sanchez Atalia
Add to Cart at iba pang mga Tula

DULANG MAY ISANG YUGTO

1st Prize
Joshua Lim So
Pagkapit Sa Hangin

2nd Prize
Hans Pieter Luyun Arao
Vengeance of the Gods

3rd Prize
U Z. Eliserio
Ang Trahedya ni Bert

DULANG GANAP ANG HABA

1st Prize
WALANG NAGWAGI

2nd Prize
Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca
Ardor

3rd Prize
Andrew Aquino Estacio
Ka Amado

DULANG PAMPELIKULA

1st Prize
Andrew Bonifacio L. Clete
Championship

2nd Prize
Raymund T. Barcelon
Paglilitis

3rd Prize
Rian Jay G. Hernandez
Dobol

REGIONAL LANGUAGES DIVISION

SHORT STORY-CEBUANO

1st Prize
Michael Aaron Gomez
Pamalandong ni Antigo Mokayat

2nd Prize
Reynaldo A. Caturza
Anino

3rd Prize
Gracelda I. Lina
Maninibya

SHORT STORY-HILIGAYNON

1st Prize
Serafin I. Plotria, Jr.
Ang Liwat nga Paglupad ni Lolo

2nd Prize
Bryan Mari Argos
Labô

3rd Prize
Al Jeffrey L. Gonzales
Anagas, Anagas, Baylo 'Ta Ngalan

SHORT STORY-ILOKANO

1st Prize
Neyo E. Valdez
Panaggawid

2nd Prize
Ma. Lourdes Ladi Opinaldo
Uram

3rd Prize
Prodie Gar. Padios
Anniniwan

ENGLISH DIVISION

SHORT STORY

1st Prize
Jan Kevin M. Rivera
Muted City

2nd Prize
Antonio Hernandez
The Man Who Sold Dignity

3rd Prize
Kiefer Adrian Z. Occeño
Bee Happy

SHORT STORY FOR CHILDREN

1st Prize
NO WINNER

2nd Prize
NO WINNER

3rd Prize
Edgar C. Samar
A Young Poet Dreams of a Hundred Words that Rhyme with Maynila

ESSAY  

1st Prize
Lioba Asia E. Piluden
Ghost-hunting in Sagada

2nd Prize
Kara Danielle Eraña Medina
Another Hope Entirely

3rd Prize
Jade Mark B. Capiñanes
A Personal History of Sea Urchins

POETRY

1st Prize
Joel M. Toledo
Silangan

2nd Prize
Lyde Gerard Sison Villanueva
La Muerte De La Luz

3rd Prize
Ana Maria Segunda K. Lacuesta
We Are Not Yet Lost

POETRY WRITTEN FOR CHILDREN

1st Prize
Edgar C. Samar
Every Year, J Gained a Power

2nd Prize
Stacy Haynie Bolislis Ayson
Where are the Dinosaurs?

3rd Prize
Peter Solis Nery
Thirteen Ways of Looking at Books

ONE-ACT PLAY

1st Prize
Eljay Castro Deldoc
Unidentified

2nd Prize
Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca
The Impossible Dream

3rd Prize
Kenneth Theodore Cheng Keng
Line Up

FULL-LENGTH PLAY

1st Prize
Miguel Antonio Alfredo V. Luarca
Corridors

2nd Prize
Dustin Edward D. Celestino
Birdie

3rd Prize
Emilio Antonio Babao Guballa
The Echoist

NOBELA

Pangunahing Gantimpala
Eros Sanchez Atalia
Thirty Virgins

Natatanging Gantimpala
NO WINNER

NOVEL

Grand Prize
Lakan Ma. Mg. D. Umali
The Ferdinand Project

Special Prize
Michael Aaron Gomez
The People's Republic of Negros

...