Keanu Paul Sygaco, a proud Dumaguete native and a Silliman University alumnus, has come up with a winning entry recognized in the prestigious Golden Haiku Poetry Competition, being named as the Washington, DC area winner in the annual global call for the best haiku poems. 

This theme for this year’s Golden Haiku was “The Joy of Nature.”

Keanu’s piece reads:

community garden

  river-scent soil

   under my nails

The competition drew nearly 5,000 haiku entries from more than 2,600 poets, with pieces from each US state including DC, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and more than 90 countries which, according to the organizers, is the largest international participation to date. 

The Golden Haiku competition, which held its 13th edition this year, does not require the traditional 5-7-5 syllabic structure, as it follows a specific set of guidelines outlined by the Haiku Society of America intended for modern haiku. 

According to their official website, the removal of such structural requirement “frees the author to use evocative language” while capturing an expression with brevity. 

The poetry contest– organized by the Golden Eagle Business Improvement District– features eight total winners across multiple categories– a top three selection (first, second, and third place) in what is like an open category; and another top three selection in the youth or school category. 

Each category also awards a special prize for the “regional favorite” in Washington D.C., which is what Keanu received. Winning haiku poems and a selection of other entries will be placed as colorfully printed signs along the streets of the business district from March through May. 

Keanu was a summa cum laude graduate of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, earning his bachelors degree in Foreign Affairs in 2024. Currently, he is in pursuit of a Master’s degree in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). 

His study’s focus, according to an official Silliman University statement, is on Security, Strategy, and Statecraft.

The Provincial Government of Negros Oriental has officially already recognized the feat, congratulating Keanu through an official Facebook post on Tuesday.