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Palanca prizes for novel chosen from record number of entries


(Updated 10:33 p.m.) The novel is alive and well in the Philippines, just going by the record number of entries that vied for The Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize for the Novel. An Ateneo faculty member won in the Filipino division, while a San Diego-based writer got the award in English, the Palanca awards organizers announced Thursday. The Palanca Memorial Awards are considered the nation's most prestigious prizes for writing and are given annually in a broad range of categories. But the awards for the novel are given only every three years. From a pool of 57 manuscripts, 84 percent more than the number of novels submitted in 2008, emerged the two winners: Ateneo de Manila University faculty member Allan Alberto N. Derain won The Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize for the Novel in Filipino for his "Ang Banal na Aklat ng Kumag." San Diego-based writer and former University of the Philippines (Diliman) faculty member Maria Victoria "Marivi" Soliven Blanco won for her entry "In the Service of Secrets." Blanco now has three Palancas while Derain has four, although the ones they won Thursday night were the biggest of all. Blanco's first two were in 1992, second prize in the short story for children (English) for Chun, and 1993, second prize in the same category for The Pillow Cat. Derain's first was in 2006 when he won third prize for Ang Regalo ng Taong Ibon in the Short Story for Children category. The following year he won the first prize for Maikling Kuwento for his short story Paputian ng Laba. Winners in other categories According to the Palanca Foundation, records were also set for the Kabataan Essay division, for which authors submitted 65 entries —109 percent more than last year’s entries. The Kabataan Essay division is open to young writers 18 and below. This year's Kabataan Essay theme for the English category was "What is the most valuable lesson I learned from the Internet?" and "Ano ang pinakamahalagang aral ang aking natutunan mula sa Internet?" for the Filipino category. The various categories in the Filipino Division and the respective winners are:
  • Dulaang Pampelikula 1st- Lemuel E. Garcellano for “Tru Lab" 2nd- T-Jay K. Medina for “Huling Isang Taon" 3rd- Helen V. Lasquite for “Emmanuel"
  • Dulaang Ganap ang Haba 1st- Rodolfo Vera for “Paalam Señor Soledad" 2nd- Liza Magtoto for “Tamala" 3rd- Joshua L. Lim So for “Panahon ng Sampung Libong Libo"
  • Dulaang May Isang Yugto 1st- Remi Karen M. Velasco for “Ondoy: Ang Buhay ng Bubong" 2nd- Layeta P. Bucoy for “El Galeon De Simeon" 3rd- Bernardo O. Aguay, Jr. for “Posporo"
  • Kabataan Sanaysay 1st- Mary Amie Gelina E. Dumatol for “Ang Makulit, ang Mapagtanong, at ang Mundo ng Kasagutan" 2nd- Abegail Joy Y. Lee for “Nang Maging Mendiola ko ang Internet Dahil Kay Mama" 3rd- Ma. Bettina Clare N. Camacho for “Isang Pindot ng Kamalayan"
  • Tula 1st- Enrique S. Villasis for “Agua" 2nd- Rosmon M. Tuazon for “Mga Nakaw na Linya" 3rd- Christopher B. Nuyles for “Ilang Taga Hinngil sa Daangbakal at iba pang tula"
  • Tulang Pambata 1st- Marcel I. Milliam for “Ako ang Bida" 2nd- Eugene Y. Evasco for “Isang Mabalahibong Bugtong" 3rd- John Enrico C. Torralba for “Manghuhuli Ako ng Sinag ng Araw"
  • Maikling Kwento 1st- No Winner 2nd- No Winner 3rd- Michael S. Bernaldez for “Metro Gwapo"
  • Maikling Kwentong Pambata 1st- Segundo Matias for “Alamat ng Duhat" 2nd- Joachim Emilio B. Antonio for “Sa tapa ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban" 3rd- Christian Torcedicillas for “Si Inda, Ang Manok at ang mga Lamang-Lupa"
  • Sanaysay 1st-Bernadette V. Neri for “Ang Pag-uwi ng Alibughang Anak ng Lupa" 2nd- Rosario Torres-Yu for “Nagbibihis na ang Nanay" 3rd- Nancy Kimuell-Gabriel for “Kubeta"
In the English Division, the categories and the respective winners are:
  • Full-length Play 1st- Joshua L. Lim So for “A Return Home" 2nd- Peter Solis Neri for “If The Shoe Fits" 3rd- Jonathan R. Guillermo for “Freshmen"
  • One-act Play 1st- Floy C. Quintos for “Evening at the Opera" 2nd- No Winner 3rd- No Winner
  • Short Story 1st- Asterio Enrico N. Gutierrez for “The Big Man" 2nd- Alexis A.L. Abola for “Disappearance" 3rd- Johannes L. Chua for “Prodigal"
  • Short Story for Children 1st- Georgina Veronica (Nikki) Alfar for “Tom Yum" 2nd- Georgianna R. de Vera for “Tatay, Through Wind and Waves" 3rd- Benjamin Pimentel for “Gagamba, the Spider from the Islands" Pimentel is a blogger with GMA News Online and a columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  • Poetry 1st- Eliza A. Victoria for “Maps" 2nd- Lourdes Marie S. La Viña for “Stones and Other Poems" 3rd- Simeon P. Dumdum, Jr. for “Maguindanao"
  • Poetry for Children 1st- Cynthia Baculi-Condez for “The Universe and Other Poems" 2nd- Peter Solis Nery for “The Shape of Happiness" 3rd- Kris Lanot Lacaba for “The Shaggy Brown Chicken and Other Poems for Children (and for chickens of all ages)"
  • Essay 1st- Jennifer Rebecca L. Ortuoste for “The Turn sa Punoan ng Nangka sa Hinablayan" 2nd- Jeena Rani Marquez-Manaois for “The River of Gold" 3rd- Rosario Cruz-Lucero for “The Stain and Blackberries"
  • Kabataan Essay 1st- Mariah Cristelle F. Reodica for “The Golden Mean" 2nd- Scott Lee Chua for “Of Pixels and Power" 3rd- Leo Francis F. Abot for “Gods of the Internet"
In the Regional Division, categories and the respective winners are:
  • Short Story (Cebuano) 1st- Richel G. Dorotan for “Ang Tawo sa Punoan ng Nangka sa Hinablayan" 2nd- Errol A. Merquita for “Isla Verde" 3rd- Macario D. Tiu for “Black Pearl"
  • Short Story (Iluko) 1st- Ariel S. Tabag for “Saddam" 2nd- Juan A. Asuncion for “Ayuno" 3rd- Norberto D. Bumanglag, Jr. for “Ti Agdamdamli"
  • Short Story (Hiligaynon) 1st- Peter Solis Nery for “Donato Bugtot" 2nd- Alice Tan Gonzales for “Kahapunanon sa Laguerta ni Alberto"
  • 3rd- Kizza Grace F. Gardoce for “Pabalon" — ELR/VS/HS, GMA News
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