Winners in the 65th Palanca Awards

CEBU, Philippines - In keeping with its tradition of celebrating literary excellence in the Philippines, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards) honored 57 Filipino literary artists at the 65th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Awards Ceremony held at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City, on September 1.

This year's winners include many first-timers, coming from different localities within the Philippines and abroad, making literary history alongside veteran authors, some of which have already earned their place at the Hall of Fame like Edgardo Maranan and Peter Solis Nery. Also, two young women fictionists have copped the Grand Prizes in the bi-annual Novel and Nobela categories.

The most prestigious and longest-running literary contest accepted 895 entries in 22 categories, with the Novel and Nobela categories open this year. Entries for each category were evaluated by select panels of judges especially chosen for their contributions and excellence in their respective fields of literature.

The Palanca Awards was named in honor of businessman and philanthropist Don Carlos Palanca, Sr. It aims to develop Philippine Literature by providing incentives for writers to craft their most outstanding literary works as well as serve as a treasury of Philippine literary gems.

The Sponsors also bestowed the distinction of the "Gawad Dangal ng Lahi" on Dr. Gemino H. Abad. This year's guest of honor and speaker and a professor emeritus of literature at the University of the Philippines, Dr. Abad has established himself as an eminent poet, essayist, fictionist and editor of several literary anthologies, helping shape the larger corpus of contemporary Philippine literature by contributing his own body of work and mentoring to many students of literature.

2015 Palanca Awardees

Filipino Division

Nobela

Grand Prize Charmaine Mercader Lasar, "Toto O."

Dulang Pampelikula

1st Prize Eloisa Angeli Andrada Palileo, "Pink o Blue"

2nd Prize Brylle B. Tabora, "Sekyu"

3rd Prize Nita Eden So, "Alyas FPJ"

Dulang Ganap ang Haba

1st Prize Kanakan Balintagos, "Mga Buhay na Apoy"

2nd Prize Edgardo B. Maranan, "Diwata ng Bayan"

3rd Prize George A. De Jesus III,                "Maniacal"

Dulang May Isang Yugto

1st Prize Allan B. Lopez, "Sa Isang Hindi Natatanging Umaga, at ang mga Ulap ay Dahan-dahang Pumaibabaw sa Nabubulok na Lungsod"

2nd Prize Vladimeir B. Gonzales, "Mal"

3rd Prize Marco Antonio R. Rodas, "Igba"

Tula

1st Prize Christa I. De La Cruz, "Mula sa Silong"

2nd Prize Abner Dormiendo, "Sa Antipolo pa rin ang Antipolo"

3rd Prize Christian Jil R. Benitez, "Sapagkat Umiibig: Mga Tula"

Tula Para sa Mga Bata

1st Prize Errol A. Merquita, "Ang Iisang Paa ng Tsinelas"

2nd Prize John Romeo Leongson Venturero, "Si Iking Pasaway"

3rd Prize (no winner)

Maikling Kuwento

1st Prize John Carlo I. Pacala, "Ang Reyna ng Espada at mga Pusa"

2nd Prize Lilia Quindoza Santiago, "Mag-ambahan Tayo"

3rd Prize Andrian M. Legaspi, "Johnson at Putol"

Maikling Kuentong Pambata

1st Prize Manuelita Contreras-Cabrera, "Sulat sa Birhen"

2nd Prize Salvador T. Biglaen, "Ang Alamat ng Gulugod Baka"

3rd Prize Corazon L. Santos, "Ang Hiling sa Punso"

Sanaysay

1st Prize Adelma L. Salvador, "Silat"

2nd Prize Dionie Cabral Tañada, "Tawag ng Pangangailangan"

3rd Prize Jayson Bernard B. Santos, "Ang Tiktik sa Kalye Moriones"

Kabataan Sanaysay

1st Prize Karl Gabrielle B. De Los Santos, "Hindi Ko Alam"

2nd Prize Lance Lauren L. Santiago, "Ang Nakakikiliting Kalabit ng Bukang-Liwayway

3rd Prize Jason Renz D. Barrios,                 "Kahimanawari: Mga Kwentong Aswang ni Lola Basyang"

English Division

Novel

Grand Prize Victorette Joy Z. Campilan, "All My Lonely Islands"

Full-Length Play

1st Prize no winner

2nd Prize Jose Maria Manalo, "Obando"

3rd Prize Jorshinelle Taleon-Sonza, "Haiyan"

One-Act Play

1st Prize Layeta P. Bucoy, "The Adopted Healthy Baby"

2nd Prize Jose Elvin Bueno, "Looking for Ulysses"

3rd Prize Jonathan R. Guillermo, "The Hawk and the Viper"

Poetry

1st Prize Charisse-Fuschia A. Paderna, "An Abundance of Selves"

2nd Prize Arkaye Kierulf, "There Are No Monsters"

3rd Prize Rodrigo V. Dela Peña Jr., "Aria and Trumpet Flourish"

Poetry Written for Children

1st Prize Peter Solis Nery, "The Rainbow Collection"

2nd Prize Patricia Celina A. Ngo, "Ordinary Adventures"

3rd Prize Elyrah L. Salanga-Torralba, "TheCockroach's Prayer"

Short Story

1st Prize Exie Abola, "Phallic Symbols"

2nd Prize Maria Carmen G. Aquino Sarmiento, "The Backroom Angels Buggaloo"

3rd Prize Hammed Q. Bolotaolo, "The Storyteller"

Short Story for Children

1st Prize Raymond G. Falgui, "Monster Rescue: A Children's Story for Adult Readers"

2nd Prize Victoria Estrella C. Bravo, "The Bear"

3rd Prize Jonathan R. Guillermo, "The Three Questions of Tarongoy"

Essay

1st Prize Eli Rueda Guieb III, "Symphony of Dry Winds in a Time Without Rain"

2nd Prize Jennifer Dela Rosa Balboa,"Violence, A Biography"

3rd Prize Miguel Antonio N. Lizada, "The Bangkok Masseur"

Kabataan Essay

1st Prize Catherine Regina Hanopol Borlaza,"That Man, That Hero in Our Stories"

2nd Prize Richard C. Cornelio, "A Loaded Gun in the House Next Door"

3rd Prize Annicka B. Koteh, "Until Transcendence"

Regional Division

Short Story - Cebuano

1st Prize Lamberto G. Ceballos, "Tuba"

2nd Prize Manuel M. Avenido Jr., "Sa Lalaking Naligsan sa may Interseksyon"

3rd Prize Januar E. Yap, "Liboa'g Usa Ka Hugon-Hugon Kabahin sa Tagulilong"

Short Story - Hiligaynon

1st Prize Jesus C. Insilada, "Amburukay"

2nd Prize Ritchie D. Pagunsan, "Kalamay Nga Pula"

3rd Prize Gil S. Montinola, "Ang Lapsag sa Taguangkan ni Belen"

Short Story - Iluko

1st Prize no winner

2nd Prize no winner

3rd Prize Rhea Domasing Berroy, "Ti Naimas a Luto ni Inangko ken Dagiti Babbai iti Biwong"