Palanca Awards 2025: GMA Network executive wins 1st prize for short story, Rody Vera bags 2nd prize for screenplay

The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature marked its Diamond Jubilee with its annual awarding ceremony to recognize the best in Filipino writing from poetry and short stories, to novels and screenplays on Wednesday in Makati.

Among the 54 awardees — and first-time winners — is GMA Public Affairs Senior Assistant Vice President Lee Joseph M. Castel, who won first prize in the Maikling Kuwento category for “Isang Kahong Cassette Tapes.”

On “Unang Hirit” on Thursday, Castel said “Isang Kahong Cassette Tapes” is about his late father, and tackles the hardships of an OFW family.

“Naiwan niyang pamana sa ‘min ay isang kahong cassette tapes,” he said.

According to Castel, reading scripts, particularly for “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" is among his responsibilities for GMA Public Affairs.

“Ngayon ko lang ibinahagi ang sariling kwento ng buhay ko sa entry ko rito sa Palanca Awards,” he said.

In a statement, he dedicated the recognition "sa lahat ng anak ng OFW, sa mga lumaking wala ang kanilang ama o ina, ngunit piniling maging matatag."

"Lalo na sa mga ka-henerasyon kong lumaki noong dekada otsenta at nobenta, noong wala pang internet at sa voice tapes lang nagkukumustahan ang pamilya," he said.

“Para ito sa mga kuwentong hindi naitala, ngunit paulit-ulit na nadama: ang tahimik na paghihirap at sakripisyo ng libo-libong OFW.”

On UH, Castel emphasized the high social cost of being part of an OFW family: being separated from each other, the distance, and accepting that they cannot be together.

“Kung hindi lamang kinukurakot ng marami sa ating mga pinuno ang pondo ng bayan, tiyak na nakalikha tayo ng mas maraming oportunidad dito sa Pilipinas,” Castel said.

“Ang ganitong mga kuwento ay dapat maging konsensya ng mga nasa puwesto: paalala na tungkulin nilang gumawa ng paraan upang hindi na mapilitan ang mga kababayan nating iwan ang kanilang pamilya para lamang mabuhay,” he added.

Castel said that his win taught him not to give up on dreams even though they seem impossible to reach.

“Ang mga pagkabigo ay hindi wakas. Panday lamang sila para maging mas matatag at mas mahusay. Naniniwala ako na bawat isa sa atin ay nakatakdang matupad ang kanya-kanya nating pangarap sa kanya-kanya nating panahon,” he said.

“Dahil tayo ang nagsusulat ng sarili nating kuwento.”

At the awarding ceremony, Castel he tearfully placed his Palanca medal on his mother's neck, and dedicated it to her.

Meanwhile, scriptwriter Rodolfo Vera won 2nd place in the Dulang Pampelikula category for the screenplay he wrote for an upcoming GMA film “Watsonville.”

“I think mas magbibigay ‘to ng inspirasyon, hindi lang sa akin kundi sana sa GMA Films na finally, sana maipelikula na ito dahil napaka importante nitong pelikulang ito para sa kasaysayan natin dahil naka-set ito sa Watsonville sa California nung panahon ng 1930s,” Vera said on “Unang Hirit.”

He advised aspiring writers to have a schedule for writing.

“Parang ano ‘yan eh, ‘pag nagaaral ka ng piano, kailangan mo ng mga ilang oras na nilalaan para sa pagsulat.”

Castel added, “Magsulat ka hindi lang para sa sarili mo, pero para sa ibang tao na pwedeng mabuksan ang isipan nila sa ‘yong kinekwento.”

For its Jubilee Year, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature received a whopping 2,359 entries for all 20 categories. Of the 54 awardees, 36 were first-time winners. 

Congratulations! — Nika Roque/LA, GMA Integrated News