Guest of honor of the celebration was Ateneo de Manila president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. This year’s awards drew in close to a thousand qualified entries for the 10 categories.
First prize winners in the English division are Timothy Montes ("Turtle Season") for futuristic fiction, Rosario Lucero ("The Death of Fray Salvador Montano, Conquistador of Negros") for short story, Grace Chong ("Apo Mayor") for short story for children, Queena Lee-Chua ("Cogito Ergo Sum, or What I Know for Sure I Learned from Mathematics") for essay, Enrico Miguel Subido ("Of Enormous Turnips, Little Books and Life’s Big Lessons") for "kabataan" essay, Alfred Yuson ("Pillage and Other Poems") for poetry, and Leoncio Deriada ("Maragtas: How Kapinangan Tricked Sumakwel Twice") for full-length play.
In the Filipino division, the writers taking the first prize are: Reuel Molina Aguila ("Ampalaya") for futuristic fiction, Edgardo Maranan ("Sandosenang Sapatos") for Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Eugene Evasco ("Mga Pilat Sa Pilak") for Sanaysay, Reynaldo Bienvenido Duque II ("Bagani Ubbog: Paghahanap sa Tatak ng Angkan") for Kabataan Essay, Michael Coroza ("Mga Lagot na Liwanag") for Tula, Jose Victor Torres ("Resureksiyon") for Dulang May Isang Yugto, Chris Martinez ("Last Order sa Penguin") for Dulang Ganap ang Haba, Enrique Belo Henares ("A Date With Jao Mapa") for Dulang Pantelebisyon, and Roy Iglesias ("Ligalig") for Dulang Pampelikula.
Other first prize winners in the short story category are: Macario Tiu ("Ang Bata Nga Dili Matulog") for Cebuano, Isabel Sebullen ("Ang Mga Birhen sa Masulog") for Hiligaynon, and Reynaldo Duque ("Ysabelo") for Iluko.
Completing the list of winners are:
Futuristic Fiction (English): 2nd prize – Maria Fres-Felix ("Past Forward"), 3rd prize – Antonio Hidalgo ("The Second Coming"). Judges are Cirilo Bautista, Emily Abrera and Oscar Campomanes.
Short Story: 2nd Prize – Angelo Rodriguez Lacuesta ("White Elephants"), 3rd prize – Lakambini Sitoy ("Lyra"). Judges are Susan Lara, Clinton Palanca and Neil Garcia.
Short Story for Children: 2nd prize – Irene Limpe ("The Ghost of Maria Matalas"), 3rd prize – Marie Louise Kalaw Santos ("Nor Has Ear Heard"). Judges are Ma. Elena Paterno-Locsin, Cyan Abad and Muriel "Twink" Macaraig.
Essay: 2nd prize – Ernie Zarate ("Lengua Estopado Does Not Mean Stupid Language"), 3rd prize – Tad Ermitano ("Satellite of Love"). Judges are Cristina Hidalgo, Karina Bolasco and Benjamin Bautista.
Kabataan Essay: 2nd prize – Patricia Nicole Golez ("The Greatest ‘Trash’ I’ve Read"), 3rd prize – Frances Majella Tan Cabahug ("A Glimpse of Dawn"). Judges are Jose Dalisay Jr., Wendell Capili and Alma Aileen Anonas.
Poetry: 2nd prize – Conchitina Cruz ("The Shortest Distance"), 3rd prize – John Labella ("To The Dreamer of Last Things"). Judges are Ophelia Dimalanta, Gemino Abad and Ramil Digal Gulle.
Once-Act Play: 2nd prize – Glenn Sevilla Mas ("In The Dark"). Judges are Ma. Rosario Lapus, Frank Rivera and Florencio Quintos.
Full-Length Play: 2nd prize – Rodolfo Vera ("The Dreamweavers"), 3rd prize – Christopher Gozum ("War Booty"). Judges are Nestor Torre, Sonia Roco and Alexander Cortez.
Futuristic Fiction (Filipino): 2nd prize – Jimmuel Naval ("Ima"), 3rd prize – Khavn dela Cruz ("Ang Pamilyang Kumakain ng Lupa"). Judges are Lemeul Garcellano, Feny delos Angeles Bautista and Luna Sicat-Cleto.
Maikling Kuwento: 2nd prize – Roy Aragon ("Ang Baliw ng Bayan ng Sili"), 3rd prize – Gil Olea Mendoza ("Kalayo"). Judges are Lamberto Antonio, Vim Nadera and Alfonso Mendoza.
Maikling Kuwentong Pambata: 2nd prize – Glenda Oris ("Ang Madyik ni Paolo") 3rd prize – Dencel Limbo-Aquino ("Ang Mahiwagang Kahon"). Judges are Fanny Garcia, Corazon Reynoso Reyes and Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete.
Sanaysay: 2nd prize – Reynaldo Duque ("Ang Kumbento, Ang Aklatan at Ang Casa Tribunal ng Candon"), 3rd prize – Jing Castro Panganiban ("Sari-Saring Paninda"). Judges are Efren Abueg, Benilda Santos and Glecy Atienza.
Kabataan Sanaysay: 2nd prize – Karen Jamora ("Ang Libro, Ang Mambabasa, Ang Pagbabago"), 3rd prize – Jefferson Capati ("Huwag Mo Akong Salingin, Indiong Gusgusin"). Judges are Virgilio Alamrio, Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz and Rolando Tolentino.
Tula: 2nd prize –Rebecca Anonuevo ("Nakatanim ng Granada Ang Diyos"), 3rd prize – Eugene Evasco ("Ang Paghagilap sa Karaniwan"). Judges are Rogelio Mangahas, Mike Bigornia and Jose ‘Pete’ Lacaba.
Dulang May Isang Yugto: 2nd prize – Ferdinand Jarin ("Sardinas"), 3rd prize – Aurora Yumul ("Kumpit: Sa Ngalan ng Krus at ng Kris"). Judges are Genoveva Matute, Rene Villanueva and Ralph Galan.
Dulang Ganap ang Haba: 2nd prize – Edward Perez ("Iraya"), 3rd prize – Alan Librada Panlileo ("Kumpit: Sa Ngalan ng Krus at ng Kris"). Judges are Bienvenido Lumbera, Bonifacio Ilagan and Joey Papa.
Dulang Pantelebisyon: 2nd prize – Althea Lauren Ricardo ("Pick Up"), 3rd prize – Tomas Agulto ("San Nicolas"). Judges are Rosauro dela Cruz, Lualhati Bautista and Nini Matilac.
Dulang Pampelikula: 2nd prize – Ma. Rebecca Arcega ("Pagkatapos ng Paalam"), 3rd prize – Edward Mark Meily ("Bayan Luha"). Judges are Peque Gallaga, Mario O’Hara and Elsa Coscolluela.
Short Story in Cebuano: 2nd prize – Arturo Penaserada ("Tuli"), 3rd prize – Ricardo Patalinjug ("Takna sa Kagabhion"). Judges are Marjorie Evasco, Simeon Dumdum Jr. and Grace Monte de Ramos.
Short Story in Hiligaynon: 2nd prize – Leoncio Deriada ("Lubid"), 3rd prize – Nerio Jedeliz Jr. ("Ang Likom Sang Baryo Malikom"). Judges are Doreen Fernandez, Ruby Alcantara and Quin Baterna.
Short Story in Iluko: 2nd prize – William Alvarado ("Dagiti Maris Ti Bannagaw"), 3rd prize – Arnold Pascual Jose ("Ti Wagayway, Ni Lakay Pedro Salacnib Ken Maysa A Bigat"). Judges are Cles Rambaud, Ariel Agcaoili and Edilberto Angco.
Fr. Nebres and Carlos Palanca Foundation director general Sylvia Palanca-Quirino handed out the awards at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Peninsula Manila.
The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature was established in honor of Don Carlos Palanca Sr., a self-educated businessman and patron of educational institutions. Having recently celebrated their golden anniversary, the awards received the "Tanglaw ng Lahi" citation from the Ateneo de Manila and continue to stand as a respected institution in Philippine literature.