Now on its 63rd year, the country’s premier and longest-running literary contest, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is again opening its doors to both amateur and seasoned writers who wish to showcase their talent.
The Carlos Palanca Foundation Inc., project organizer and sponsor, is now accepting entries for the Awards’ regular categories, namely, English Division, Filipino Division and Regional Languages Division.
The English Division category involves short story, short story for children, essay, poetry, poetry for children, one-act play and full-length play.
The Filipino Division category includes maikling kuwento, maikling kuwentong pambata, sanaysay, tula, tulang pambata, dulang may isang yugto, dulang ganap ang haba and dulang pampelikula.
The Regional Languages Division category covers short story-Cebuano, short story-Hiligaynon and short story-Iluko.
The foundation is now also accepting entries in the novel and nobela categories.
Starting this year, these novel categories will be opened for entries every two years.
The Palanca Awards also welcomes essays under the Kabataan Division, its special division for young writers below 17 years old, to encourage the youth to hone their skills in writing.
This year’s Kabataan essay theme for the English category is “What is the role of literature in the development of a nation?” and “Ano ang papel na ginagampanan ng panitikan sa pag-unlad ng isang bansa?” for the Filipino category.
Contestants may submit their entries ahead of the deadline for submission, which is midnight of April 30. Each contestant may submit only one entry per category.
The literary contest is open to all Filipinos, except current officers and employees of Carlos Palanca Foundation. Contest rules and official entry forms are available at Palanca Awards’ official website, www.palancaawards.com.ph.
Entries with complete requirements may be submitted to the through the Palanca Awards website.