A previous Hall of Fame inductee and his daughter, an ABS-CBN reporter and a pair of twice-blessed authors are among the 54 creative writers honored in the 68th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.
In a ceremony at a Makati City hotel on Friday night, Iloilo province-based author Leoncio Deriada won third prize in the Short Story in Cebuano category for “Dili Baya ko Bugoy,” accepted on his behalf by his daughter Dulce Maria Deriada, who won third prize in the Short Story in Hiligaynon category for “Candelaria.”
Winner of a total of 18 Palanca awards, the elder Deriada was elevated into the prestigious literary competition’s Hall of Fame in 2001 after earning five first prizes in various categories. These were for 1975’s “The Day of the Locusts,” short story in English; 1987’s “Mutya ng Saging,” one-act play in Filipino; 1993’s “The Man Who Hated Birds,” short story for children in English; 1999’s “Medea of Syquijor,” one-act play in English; and 2001’s “Maragtas: How Kapinangan Tricked Sumakwel Twice,” full-length play in English.
The Deriadas were not the first father and daughter to win in the same year. The late screenwriter Amado Lacuesta Jr. and his daughter Andrea jointly won third prize for their short story for children “The Little Girl Who Saved Her Yawns” in 1989.
Also honored was television journalist Jefry Canoy, who placed first in the Essay in English category for “Buhay Pa Kami: Dispatches from Marawi.” It weaves five stories of ordinary people — both Muslim and Christian — trying to survive the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group’s siege of the Lanao del Sur city in May 2017. The ABS-CBN News website first published his work in July 2017.
Two fictionists earned two awards this year. Joe Bert Lazarte garnered first prize in the short story in English category for “Describe the Rapture” and second prize in the one-act play in English category for “Senator Pancho Aunor’s Blue Balls of Despair and Disillusionment.”
Early Sol Gadong nabbed first prize in the short story in Hiligaynon category for “Sa Lum-ok Sang Imo Suso” and third prize in the short story for children in Filipino category for “Maraming-Maraming-Marami.”
Other notable winners were three Palanca Hall of Famers. 2014 winner Alice Tan Gonzales won second prize in the short story in Hiligaynon category for “Haya,” 2009 honoree Eugene Evasco clinched second prize in the short story for children in Filipino category for “Siyap ng Isang Sisiw” and 2001 awardee Alfred Yuson was named this year’s recipient of the Gawad Dangal ng Lahi, in recognition for his numerous literary contributions in different genres.
These include the five first prizes that raised him into the Hall of Fame: 1975’s “Romance and Faith in Mount Banahaw,” short story in English; 1978’s “Icon Corner,” poetry in English; 1985’s “Dream of Knives,” poetry in English; 1987’s "The Great Philippine Jungle Energy Café," novel in English; and 2001’s "Pillage and Other Poems," poetry in English.
In his speech as the ceremony’s guest of honor, Yuson — who won his first Palanca 50 years ago at age 23 for his short story “The Hill of Samuel” — noted that “the entire planet has entered a disturbing period of disunity and contentiousness that doesn’t bode well for anyone.”
“We writers have a role to play, as everyone does, to help everyone reach some [measure of] harmony,” he told the attendees, adding that as a community, “we should also be kind to one another.”
“We have all gained from the mentorship, friendship, and care of older writers. We did not set out to scorn those who preceded us, [but] rather found strength in what they laid and left behind. We honor their legacy by continuing the benign tradition of building upon their accomplishments,” the 13-time Palanca winner said.
In her speech as the representative of the Palanca family, which organizes the award through its Carlos Palanca Foundation, Criselda Cecilio-Palanca said 1,100 entries were submitted to the 20 categories open this year, bringing the current number of Palanca winners to 2,357 and winning works to 2,441.
Like Yuson, Cecilio-Palanca also noted the divisive climate the country has found itself in, saying that “we have entered an age when truth appears to come in many guises, leading to a constant display on what truths are acceptable, and which claims to truth are not.”
According to her, it is in literature that “the salvation of [the] abiding verities for our times” may be found.
“[Ironic] as it may be, the fiction in admirable literature is composed of the ‘true lies’ that are employed with the supreme practice of craft on the part of the writer. The writer knows that while a lie has speed, it is truth that has endurance,” Cecilio-Palanca said.
Established in 1950 to honor business and philanthropist Carlos Palanca Sr., the Palanca Awards aims to develop and strengthen Philippine literature by providing incentives for writers to craft their best works, and by serving as a treasury for such works for students and the general public to discover and learn from. It is widely considered the Philippine counterpart of the Pulitzer Prize.
Here is the list of winners:
KABATAAN DIVISION
Kabataan Sanaysay: First prize: Jack Lorenz Acebedo Rivera, “Paglaya Mula sa Pagtakas.” Second prize: Jacob Renz R. Ambrocio, ”Sino ang Lumansag sa Lunday ni Lola Basyang?” Third prize: Maria Jamaica S. Columbres, “Gulugod sa Pagsibol ng Binhi.”
Kabataan Essay: First prize: Floriane T. Taruc, “Worlds Behind Words.” Second prize: Jaz Varon Villanueva, “Boundless.” Third prize: Jana Gillian Ang, “A Passage to Reading.”
FILIPINO DIVISION
Maikling Kuwento: First prize: Eugene C. Soyosa, “Gina.” Second prize: Andrew A. Estacio, “Ang Kanonisasyon ng mga Santa Santino.” Third prize: Luna Sicat Cleto, “Tatlong Proposisyon ng Puting Hangin.”
Maikling Kuwentong Pambata: First prize: Jerwin Eileen G.C. Tarnate, “Ang Higad at ang Paru-paro.” Second prize: Eugene Y. Evasco, “Siyap ng Isang Sisiw.” Third prize: Early Sol A. Gadong, “Maraming-Maraming-Marami.”
Sanaysay: First prize: Engr. Gil A. Dulon Jr., “Amoral Ang Siyensya Subalit May Boses Din Ang Mga Maso.” Second prize: Adelma L. Salvador, “Kambak-kambak.” Third prize: Iza Maria G. Reyes, “Hindi Ako Dalisay.”
Tula: First prize: Paul Alcoseba Castillo, “Luna’t Lunas.” Second prize: Mark Anthony S. Angeles, “Ang Babae sa Balangiga at iba pang Tula.” Third prize: Noel Galon, “Ang Bata sa Panahon ng Ligalig: Mga Tula sa loob at labas ng Bayan ng San Diego.”
Tula para sa mga Bata: First prize: Paterno B. Baloloy Jr., “Paumanhin ng Kuting.” Second prize: Will P. Ortiz, “Himbing na Kuting at iba pang Tula sa Ilalim ng Araw.” Third prize: Noel P. Tuazon, “Klik Madyik.”
Dulang May Isang Yugto: First prize: Michelle Josephine G. Rivera, “Kaharian ng Pinto.” Second prize: Maynard Gonzales Manansala, “Tao Po.” Third prize: Allan B. Lopez, “River Lethe.”
Dulang Ganap ang Haba: First and second prize: No winner. Third prize: Rolin Cadallo Obina, “San Nicolas (Ang Sarsuwela).”
Dulang Pampelikula: First prize: James Ladioray, “11 Septembers.” Second prize: Arden Rod B. Condez, “John Denver Trending.” Third prize: Andrian M. Legaspi, “Pandanggo sa Hukay.”
REGIONAL DIVISION
Short Story–Cebuano: First prize: Januar E. Yap, “Baradero.” Second prize: Dave T. Pregoner, “Sunog.” Third prize: Leoncio P. Deriada, “Dili Baya ko Bugoy.”
Short Story–Hiligaynon: First prize: Early Sol A. Gadong, “Sa Lum-ok Sang Imo Suso.” Second prize: Alice Tan Gonzales, “Haya.” Third prize: Dulce Maria V. Deriada, “Candelaria.”
Short Story–Ilokano: First prize: Ariel Sotelo Tabag, “Gasanggasat.” Second prize: Paul Blanco Zafaralla, “Sarming.” Third prize: Jaime M. Agpalo Jr., “Nakakidem-a-Simumulagat.”
ENGLISH DIVISION
Short Story: First prize: Joe Bert Lazarte, “Describe the Rapture.” Second prize: Francis Paolo M. Quina, “Pigs.” Third prize: Matthew Jacob F. Ramos, “The Final Bullet.”
Short Story for Children: First and second prize: No winner. Third prize: Maryrose Jairene Cruz-Eusebio, “I Have Two Mothers.”
Essay: First prize: Jefry Canoy, “Buhay Pa Kami: Dispatches from Marawi.” Second prize: Ronnie E. Baticulon, “Some Days You Can’t Save Them All.” Third prize: Chuck D. Smith, “Origin Story.”
Poetry: First prize: Rodrigo V. dela Peña Jr., “Self-portrait with Plastic Bag.” Second prize: Shane Carreon, “The Gods Who Dissolved Under Our Tongues and Other Poems. Third prize: Jose Luis B. Pablo, “To Desire in Liturgy.”
Poetry Written for Children: First prize: Maria Amparo Nolasco Warren, “Lola Elina Maria’s Savory-Sweet Cookbook of Poetry.” Second prize: Sigrid Marianne P. Gayangos, “Of Monsters, Math and Magic.” Third prize: Roselle Eloise B. Bunayog, ”Brave, Undying Warriors.”
One-act Play: First prize: Katrina M. Bonillo, “Burying Mamang in Sugar.” Second prize: Joe Bert Lazarte, “Senator Pancho Aunor’s Blue Balls of Despair and Disillusionment.” Third prize: Luciano Sonny O. Valencia, “Leavings.”
Full-length Play: First prize: Beryl Andrea P. Delicana, “Mango Tree.” Second prize: Patrick James M. Valera, “Symphony.” Third prize: Dominique La Victoria, “Toward the Fires of Revolution.”