Palanca Awards celebrates Diamond Jubilee of honoring Filipino writers

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The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards) has set a new benchmark with the celebration of its Diamond Jubilee.

For 75 years since the first awards were conferred in 1951, the Palanca Awards has upheld tradition and was steadfast in its mission to cultivate Philippine literature by recognizing Filipino scribes and their stories that helped shape the nation.

Tonight’s winners span across 20 writing categories in four divisions, namely, Kabataan, English, Filipino, and Regional Languages. The event honored 54 awardees, including 36 new winners, following a meticulous assessment by a panel of respected literary luminaries.

Gracing the night as Guest of Honor, Speaker, and Gawad Dangal ng Lahi awardee was Professor Emeritus Dr. Ruth Elynia D. Mabanglo. A poet, playwright, translator, and educator, she has uplifted women’s voices and social justice through award-winning works and decades of mentorship. In 1995, she became the first woman inducted into the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Fame. Her published works include “Anyaya ng Imperyalista,” “Gahasa at Iba Pang Tula,” and “Balada ni Lola Amonita” and “The Ballad of Lola Amonita” in Babaylan: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipina American Writers.

The longest-running and most prestigious literary competition in the Philippines, the Palanca Awards was established to commemorate the legacy of Carlos Palanca Sr. by promoting education and culture in the country. Filipino authors here and abroad consider it a great honor to receive a Palanca medal or recognition.

Following is the list of winners:

The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Diamond Jubilee celebration by the numbers: