Inaugural Puregold Teatro Panalo picks 12 new plays out of 373 entries

By Isabella Cuartero

Philippine theater is alive, thriving, and continuously evolving.

From 373 nationwide submissions, 12 works—eight straight plays and four musicals—have emerged as finalists in the inaugural Puregold Teatro Panalo.

Leading Philippine theater practitioners evaluated the entries for compelling stories, fresh perspectives, and bold creative visions.

The finalists were unveiled at a special event at Gateway Mall’s Cinema 16 on Oct. 14, where each playwright received a ₱100,000 talent fee.

Puregold Teatro Panalo festival chair Ivy Zharisse Piedad said, “The best stories don’t just happen in front of us or on our screen. They should happen to us.”

“It was encouraging to see how many Filipino storytellers are eager to share their work, and it made choosing only 12 plays especially difficult. They remind us how much Filipino theater has to offer; how live experiences offer authentic connections, and how important it is to create more opportunities for these stories to find their audience,” said Hayagan-Piedad. 

The selection panel brought together festival director Vincent A. DeJesus, a National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) SUDI National Music Awardee, multi-award winning composer and two-time Palanca-winning playwright; Jenny Jamora, a two-time Philstage Gawad Buhay! Award-winning director and actor; Liza Magtoto, a five-time Palanca Award-winning playwright; Marlon Rivera, an actor, award-winning filmmaker and producer; and Atty. Nicolas Pichay, a theater artist, lyricist and Palanca Awards Hall of Famer.

Multiple Palanca Award winners Dr. Layeta Bucoy and Allan Lopez screened and shortlisted submissions, while National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee guided the festival as artistic adviser.

Festival director Vincent De Jesus encouraged the finalists:

“Keep writing. Keep honing your craft. Keep questioning. Continue to be brave. At patuloy niyong ikuwento ang mga kuwentong kayo lamang ang makakapagkuwento.”

Teatro Panalo named the 12 finalists:

1. “Youngstunna” by Jerom Andrei M. Canlas

2. “The Girl Scout Law” by Rhain Arabella Alcoriza

3. “Baka Mali ang Tamaraw” by Emmanuel Benbinuto Antonio

4. “Trahedya ng Kamote” by Marjay S. Manalastas

5. “True To Life” by John “Sweet” Lapus

6.  “Manang-Mana Nga!” by Steven Hotchkiss & Jay Pangilinan

7. “Walang Maliit na Bagay” by Joshua Lim So

8. “Nothing But Dreams” by Ricardo C. Novenario

9. “The Fourth Wall Has Fallen” by Heber Justin P. O’hara

10. “The Boy Foretold by the Stars (One Act Play)” by Dolly Dulu

11. “@HOME” by Edralin Cabrera, Kathlyn Castillo, Michael Ian Lomongo, Marjorie Lorico, Maria Teresa Jamias, Wenah Nagales, & J. Victor Villareal

12. “Ang Maayong Balita Sumala Kang Bibo Bautista” by Jude Thaddeus M. Gitamondoc

“With Puregold Teatro Panalo, we hope to give these works the stage they deserve and, in our own way, help Philippine theater continue to grow,” Hayagan-Piedad said.

The inaugural theater festival will run from February 20 to March 14, 2027.