BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CARLOS PALANCA MEMORIAL AWARDS

FOR LITERATURE

The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards) was established in 1950.

The heirs of Don Carlos Palanca, Sr. found it most fitting to commemorate his memory through an endeavor that would promote education and culture in the country.The Palanca Awards aims to help develop Philippine Literature by:

1. Providing incentives for writers to craft their most outstanding literary works.

2. Being a treasury of the Philippine's literary gems from our gifted writers and to assist in its eventual dissemination to our people, particularly the students.

62 years ago, the Palanca Awards called on Filipino fictionists to weave their best short story in either English or Filipino. Today, the Awards continue to challenge writers to pour out their creativity in various literary genres:

1950 – Short StoryMaikling Kuwento

1953 – One-act PlayDulang May Isang Yugto

1963 – PoetryTula

1975 – Full-length PlayDulang Ganap ang Haba

1979 – EssaySanaysay

1980 – NovelNobela

1989 – Short Story for ChildrenMaikling Kuwentong Pambata

1990 – TeleplayDulang Pantelebisyon

1994 – ScreenplayDulang Pampelikula

1997 – Short Story – IlukoShort Story – Cebuano

Short Story – Hiligaynon

1998 – Kabataan EssayKabataan Sanaysay

2000 – Futuristic Fiction (English)Futuristic Fiction (Filipino)

2009 – Poetry for ChildrenTulang Pambata

As of September 1, 2012, the Palanca Awards has a collection of 2,111 winning works, which includes 542 short stories, 372 collections of poetry, 214 essays, 349 one-act plays, 188 full-length plays, 60 teleplays, 57 screenplays, 154 stories for children, 34 futuristic fiction stories,83 student essays, 36 novels, and 22 collections of poetry for children.

Instituted in 1995, the Palanca Hall of Fame award is presented to a Palanca awardee who has achieved the distinction of winning five first prizes in the regular categories. TheKabataan Award of Distinction gives recognition to a Palanca awardee who wins four first prizes in this division.

The Palanca Awards continues to pursue avenues that help share these literary gems with the rest of the countrymen, to whom Filipino literature ultimately belongs.

These winning works are continuously made accessible to students, and all researchers and lovers of literature through the Carlos Palanca Foundation (CPF) library and recently, its official website, www.palancaawards.com.ph.

To date, four (4) anthologies of award-winning poetry, short fiction and one-act plays have been published. The first set of the anthology in English and Filipino was printed in 1976, composed of Palanca Awards winning works from 1950-1970. It was then followed by three separate anthologies of one-act plays, short stories, and poetry that won in 1980s, with Filipino volumes issued in 1990 and English in 2000. These anthologies have also been donated to university libraries.

Adding dimension to the Palanca Awards mission of encouraging excellence in literary writing, CPF is supporting a scholarship program for creative writing.The Foundation also seeks to foster the unbounded imagination and creative spirit of the Filipino through creative writing workshops and readings of award-winning works.Citations and awards conferred to the Palanca Awards are:

"Tanging Parangal" in the Gawad CCP para sa Sining in 1992

"Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas" by the Unyon ng Manunulat sa

Pilipinas in 1993

The UNESCO, in the celebration of its 50th year in 1995, included the

Palanca Family and the Palanca Awards in the UNESCO List of Living

Human Treasures of Artists, Writers and Artisans

"Plaque of Appreciation" from the Philippine Board on Books for Young

People in 1995

Anvil Merit Award in 1997

CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts in 1999

"Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi" by the Ateneo de Manila University in 2001

Special Citation for the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards Anthologies by

the Manila Critics Circle in 2001

Appreciation to the Carlos Palanca Foundation for its Scholarship Grant in

Creative Writing by the University of the Philippines in 2002

"Gawad Pagkilala" by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino in 2004

Anvil Merit Award in 2012

Born from a simple dream made 62 years ago to help develop Philippine literature, the foundation holds steadfast to its mission of providing nourishment for the national spirit.