Exceptional creativity and writing skills are key to winning the coveted Carlos Palanca Awards—but authenticity makes all the difference to writers and their audience.
Dubbed the “Pulitzer Prize” of the Philippines, the Palanca Awards is a sought-after recognition in the writing community. The winners of the 72nd Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature were honored on Friday, Nov. 22, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay.
Fifty-four writers, 31 of whom are first-timers, were named winners in the 22 writing categories of the esteemed literary competition. Each of them went home with a Palanca medal, certificate, and a cash prize ranging from P4,000 (Kabataan Essay third prize) to P50,000 (Novel grand prize).
This year’s event featured acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana as guest of honor and speaker. Lana boasts an impressive portfolio of local and international accolades, including 12 Palanca Awards and his induction into the competition’s 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.
Literature is a natural way of expression; it should come out naturally and authentically. And if it does, this will resonate in your work and the people it will reach.
Meanwhile, four of this year’s winners were installed in the Palanca Hall of Fame, namely Eros Sanchez Atalia, Mikael de Lara Co, Miguel Antonio Alfredo Luarca, and Joshua Lim So. Writers honored in the list are those who have won First Prize at least five times in any writing category of the competition.
Serafin Plotria Jr., a multi-awarded broadcaster in Bacolod City, won first prize in this year’s Short Story – Hiligaynon category with his tale “Ang Liwat nga Paglupad ni Lolo.” He clinched the third spot in the same category last year with “Puno sang Aligotgot.”
In an interview with The POST during Friday’s event, Plotria said that writing for him is “a way of getting away with things that cause stress and pressure,” especially with his work as station manager of 94.3 iFM Bacolod and professor at the University of Negros Occidental.
This, in addition to his purpose for writing poems and short stories, made him realize that writing is an art that should come naturally for any writer. He elaborated, “Let’s not look at writing as an opportunity to be famous or admired, to be rich—or worse, to prove others that you’re better. A writer should have authenticity in their work. Writing should focus on giving value to yourself and the people around you.”
“Literature is a natural way of expression; it should come out naturally and authentically,” he continued. “And if it does, this will resonate in your work and the people it will reach.”
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Plotria practiced the same mindset in writing his entry “Ang Liwat nga Paglupad ni Lolo.” The story follows Remos, a Filipino character designer in Hollywood, and his creative process in conceptualizing characters for his projects. It also shows his family’s issues that had long been kept under the rug until their grandfather, Kamael, was about to die.
“Later they discover that the old man is actually not of this world,” Plotria continued. “They would like to believe that he is an angel who came down from heaven to help them with their endeavors.” The experience made Remos believe that angels are real, making this his inspiration in creating characters for his upcoming projects.
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According to Plotria, the purpose of the story is to draw Filipinos, especially the younger generations, back to their Christian faith. “I have noticed that the Christian belief of Filipinos has weakened even though we are a Christian nation. Maybe through this story, I can help restore it,” he said.
In addition, Plotria hopes that the short story and the rest of his literary works would raise awareness on the rich culture of the Negros region. “Nobody talks about the Hiligaynon language, the local culture, or the works of the natives. That is why most of the stories I write talk about places in Negros. I want to give them space in the country’s literature and society,” he said.
Like Plotria, Palanca Award 2024 winner Edgar Samar believes that the value of being a writer is in doing things that truly matter in life. Samar has won three Palanca Awards prior to winning the Poetry Written for Children category this year with “Every Year, J Gained a Power.” It is a collection of 12 poems that depicts how the character, named “J,” would gain one power in each poem. The story is set in Marikina, where the author lived for almost a decade.
Writing, without me knowing it, saved me from sadness during those times of solitude.
Samar, who is an associate professor at Ateneo de Manila University for 20 years, said the purpose of the children’s poem is simple: “to bring a sense of wonder and appreciation of the language among children.” The case is the same for his vast collection of children’s poems and novels, including Sa Kasunod ng 909, Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon, and Si Janus Silang at ang Labanang Manananggal-Mambabarang that all won the Philippine National Book Awards for Best Novel in a Philippine Language in 2012, 2015, and 2016 respectively.
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Samar told The POST that his love for writing stemmed from reading in his childhood. “I grew up in a household that gave me opportunities to read, mostly popular magazines like Liwayway,” he said. It was writing that helped him cope with separation from his family when he left Laguna to study and work in Manila. “Most of my life I lived by myself. So I would say writing, without me knowing it, saved me from sadness during those times of solitude,” the multi-awarded poet and novelist said.
The way that literature molded Samar, both as a writer and a person, made him believe that good writing should be one that adds value to people’s lives. “As a writer, you should always think about what truly matters. We only have one life to live, and I hope you are able to work on something that you really think is valuable. Ultimately, you will look back at your life and think, ‘Was I able to do something that valuable?’” he said. “It is something that I have been practicing as well. Every time I would start writing, I think about how it would be valuable to the lives of others, to the world and, ultimately, my own.”
Being true to one’s self is also key to being a good writer for Palanca Hall of Famer Joshua Lim So. The 36-year-old playwright has amassed 11 Palanca Awards, including this year’s first prize for Dulaang May Isang Yugto for his entry, Pagkapit sa Hangin.
“The play is part of a bigger project inspired by human stories during the pandemic. It starts with volume 1, the play Mga Silid ng Unos: Tomo Uno, which won a Palanca in 2022. Pagkapit sa Hangin is going to be a part of that. I just don’t know where to place it in the story’s timeline specifically,” So explained to The POST.
Similar to his previous works, the playwright researched real-life stories during the pandemic that would best fit his concept. “I stumbled upon this story that took place in a hospital during the height of the Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he began. “At that time, the hospital would often run out of oxygen to give to infected patients. As a workaround, one doctor and two nurses decided to stop the supply of oxygen to patients who they think are about to die. And they would do this without informing the patient’s watcher or relative.”
Creating the script required So to interview medical workers with the same experience. He said his sources were hesitant at first, but eventually said “yes,” knowing that this would inform people that they did such an act not to intentionally kill patients but to save more lives.
Just like his sources, So wrote Pagkapit sa Hangin to show everyone that “life is not black and white.” However, he tweaked the narrative in many ways, like how the medical workers would instead inform the patient’s watcher that they are removing the oxygen supply from their relative. “It’s also about work dynamics, how people would often avoid responsibility by passing it on to others or many other ways,” he added.
While exposing the realities of life is a goal in So’s works, the multi-awarded playwright still considers knowing one’s own reality and staying true to it as the core of good writing. “We all live in different realities, so the best advice that I can give is to know yourself first,” he said. “In fact, it’s not just about knowing yourself as we all have the tendency to change, but also knowing your realities. We all have different privileges and living conditions, and you can use that reality as something positive, it could inform your writing. It could shape not just what you write but also how you write. It’s always best that your writing will show who you really are.”
Below is the full list of Carlos Palanca Award winners for 2024.
KABATAAN DIVISION
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
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 – No winner
- 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
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