66th Palanca Awards now open for entries

The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (CPMA), the Philippines’s longest-running literary competition, is again reaching out to all creative writers looking to showcase their talent. 

Now on its 66th year, the awards’ organizer and sponsor, the Carlos Palanca Foundation Inc., has announced that it is now accepting entries for the following categories:

• English Division: Short Story, Short Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-act Play, and Full-length Play.

• Filipino Division: Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Sanaysay, Tula, Tulang Para sa mga Bata, Dulang May Isang Yugto, Dulang Ganap ang Haba, and Dulang Pampelikula;

• Regional Languages Division: Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano.

Likewise, the Kabataan Division, a special division dedicated solely for young writers 17 years old and younger, is also now open for entries with the following theme:

• Kabataan Essay: “How do social media affect the formation of self-identity in the youth?”

• Kabataan Sanaysay: “Paano makaaapekto ang ‘social media’ sa paghubog ng sariling pagkakakilanlan sa mga kabataan?”

The Novel and Nobela categories will not be opened this year, since these are only open every two years.

Contestants may submit only one entry per category. Published or produced works that were first published or produced between May 1, 2015 and April 30, 2016, and/or unpublished or unproduced works may be entered in the contest. Participants are encouraged to submit their entries ahead of the deadline, which is on April 30, 2016.

The Palanca Awards is open to all Filipino citizens, or former Filipino citizens, of all ages except current officers and employees of the Carlos Palanca Foundation Inc.

Official contest rules and forms are available at the Palanca Foundation offices at Unit 603, 6th Floor Park Trade Centre Bldg., 1716 Investment Drive, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City, or at Unit 3G, OPL Bldg., 100 C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, or may be downloaded from the CPMA website (www.palancaawards.com.ph).

For inquiries and other concerns, contact CPMA Administrator Leslie Layoso at cpawards@palancaawards.com.ph or at (632) 511-0003 and 0925-3887103.