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 |
The 72nd Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature by the numbers:
| Total number of entries | 1,823 |
| Number of categories | 22 |
| Total number of judges | 63 |
| Total number of winning works | 60 |
| Total number of winners | 54 |
| New winners | 31 |
| Former winners | 23 |
| Male winners | 41 |
| Female winners | 13 |
| Age breakdown | |
| 20 and under | 5 |
| 21-30 | 13 |
| 31-40 | 15 |
| 41-50 | 14 |
| 51-60 | 4 |
| 61 and above | 3 |
| Note: The youngest winner for this year’s contest is a 14-year-old female; the oldest winner is a 78-year-old male. | |
| Total number of winners (authors) from 1951-2024 | 2,580 |
| Total number of winning works from 1951-2024 | 2,677 |
| Total number of Hall of Fame winners | 30 |
