Calling all writers: The 2025 Palanca Awards is now open for entries
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, considered the most prestigious writing contest in the Philippines, has announced the call for entries in its 73rd edition.
In a Facebook post, the Carlos Palanca Foundation said the Palanca Awards are open to all Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens of any age, whether based locally or abroad, except for the foundation's directors, officers, and employees.
The deadline is on June 30.
Authors are allowed to submit one entry per category, which has four divisions:
- English – short story, short story for children, essay, poetry, poetry written for children, one-act play, and full-length play;
- Filipino – maikling kuwento, maikling kuwentong pambata, sanaysay, tula, tula para sa mga bata, dulang may isang yugto, dulang ganap ang haba, and dulang pampelikula;
- Regional languages – short story Cebuano, short story-Hiligaynon, and short story-Ilokano; and
- Kabataan – essay (English) and sanaysay (Filipino).
This year's Palanca won't be open to the novel and nobela categories, which are available every two years.
For this year's kabataan division, dedicated to writers under 18, participants must write informal, personal essays on the following themes:
- English – AI is rapidly transforming daily life, revolutionizing how we learn, analyze information and solve problems. How can I effectively use AI to enhance learning while maintaining personal responsibility, independent thought, and ethical integrity?
- Filipino – Mabilis na binabago ng AI ang pang-araw-araw na buhay, binabago ang paraan ng ating pag-aaral, pagsusuri ng impormasyon, at paglutas ng mga suliranin. Paano ko epektibong magagamit ang AI upang mas mapahusay ang pag-aaral habang pinapanatili ang personal na responsibilidad, malayang pag-iisip, at integridad sa etika?
The foundation noted that eligible submissions may include unpublished or unproduced works, if not those that have been first published or produced between June 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
For dulang pampelikula, only unproduced works are eligible.
Entries that won a prize in another contest before midnight of June 30, 2025, are not eligible.
The foundation said submissions must be done online via the Palanca website at http://www.palancaawards.com.ph/index.php/contest/online-submission. It isn't accepting entries via email or print.
The rest of the contest rules, necessary forms, as well as instructions for the proper file names of the entries, can be found on the Palanca website.
A special ceremony for the winners will be held later this year. Winners are set to take home thousands of pesos in cash prizes.
Those who won multiple first prizes in their Palanca participation may earn special awards: the Hall of Fame Award, given to those who won at least five times in the regular categories except the kabataan category, and Kabataan Award of Distinction, given to those who won four kabataan categories.
The Palanca Awards were created in 1950, making it the longest-running literary competition in the country. It was named after businessman and philanthropist Don Carlos Palanca Sr.
Traditionally, the awarding ceremony was held on Sept. 1, the birth anniversary of Palanca Sr., but it has been held on other days in recent years. The 2024 Palanca Awards were held on Nov. 27.
Since 1951, over 2,500 Filipino writers have won Palanca medals and certificates, with over two dozen of them being inducted into the Palanca Hall of Fame.
