Palanca Awards
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, popularly known as the Palanca Memorial Awards, are a set of literary awards for Philippine writers. Usually referred to as the "Pulitzer Prize of the Philippines," it is the country's highest literary honor in terms of prestige. It was named after Carlos T. Palanca, Sr., the Filipino-Chinese businessman and philanthropist.
The literary competition began with a long-term vision straddling two complementary tracks: to provide incentives for Filipino writers to craft the best literary pieces, and to be a treasury to the country's literary gems. Winning works are entered in the competition either as previously published pieces or in manuscript form. The Palanca Memorial Awards, organized by the Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc. is one of the Philippines' longest-running awards programs. Among its winners include several National Artists for Literature, including Nick Joaquin, Edith L. Tiempo, Gemino H. Abad, Cirilo F. Bautista, F. Sionil Jose, NVM Gonzales, Bienvenido Lumbera, Amado V. Hernandez, and Virgilio Almario.
History
The Palanca Memorial Awards was established in 1950 to inspire and recognize Philippine writers, including poets, playwrights and screenwriters, and writers for children. It started giving out prizes in the Short Story and Maikling Kwento in 1951. In the 1960s, the Palanca Memorial Awards Committee started to fund the publication of Palanca Memorial Award-winning plays, and production funds were committed in 1975.Since 1954, the awards night has been held on September 01, to commemorate the birthday of Carlos T. Palanca Sr.. Venues that have hosted the celebratory dinner include the Philippine Columbian Clubhouse, New Selecta, Hilton Hotel, Hyatt Regency Hotel, La Tondeña Building, Philippine International Convention Center, Dusit Hotel, the Peninsula Manila, and Marquis Events Place.
Categories
There are currently 22 categories in the Palanca Memorial Awards. In the early decades, writers could submit multiple submissions per category, often resulting to multiple wins . Starting on the 60th awards year, for which the call for submissions opened on 1 March 2010, contestants can submit only one entry each in the following categories:English Division
- Novel
- Short Story
- Short Story for Children
- Essay
- Poetry
- Poetry Written for Children
- One-Act Play
- Full-Length Play
- Nobela
- Maikling Kuwento
- Maikling Kuwentong Pambata
- Sanaysay
- Tula
- Tulang Isinulat Para sa mga Bata
- Dulang May Isang Yugto
- Dulang Ganap ang Haba
- Dulang Pampelikula
- Short Story in Cebuano
- Short Story in Hiligaynon
- Short Story in Iluko
- Kabataan Essay
- Kabataan Sanaysay
- Future Fiction in English
- Future Fiction in Filipino
- Dulang Pantelebisyon
Palanca Hall of Fame
The Palanca Hall of Fame honors was established in 1995 and is presented to a Palanca awardee who already won five first prizes in the regular categories.- 2024
- 2019
- 2014
- 2012
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1996
- 1995