Creative Minds

Call for entries to the 73rd Palanca Awards

The Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc. is now officially accepting entries to the 73rd Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards).

The most prestigious literary competition in the Philippines, the Palanca Awards invites all Filipino citizens or former Filipino citizens of all ages, whether based locally or abroad, to participate. Authors are allowed to submit only one (1) entry per category:

● English Division – Short Story, Short Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-act Play, and Full-length Play;

● Filipino Division – 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 Division – Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano;

● Kabataan Division – Kabataan Essay (English) and Kabataan Sanaysay (Filipino)

The Kabataan Division, dedicated to young writers under 18 years old, is also now accepting submissions in its two categories. Entries should consist of informal, personal essays on the theme: “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?” for Kabataan Essay (English) and “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?” for Kabataan Sanaysay (Filipino).

Works eligible for the contest include those that were first published or produced between 1 June 2024 and 30 June 2025, as well as unpublished or unproduced works. For the Dulang Pampelikula category, only unproduced works are eligible. Entries that have received a prize in another contest before midnight of 30 June 2025 are not qualified.

Submissions must be done online through the Palanca Awards website at . The Carlos Palanca Foundation will not accept printed or email submissions for any categories.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES IS ON 30 JUNE 2025.

For the official contest rules and forms, visit the Palanca Awards website. Inquiries and other concerns may be directed via email at or landline at +632 8478 7996 and look for Ms. Ester Alfaro. You may also call or leave a message at this mobile number +63917 828 2762 (+63917 828 CPMA) to ensure that your inquiry is acknowledged and addressed in a timely manner.

All winners will be honored in a special ceremony later this year. Stay tuned for further announcements by following the CPMA website and CPMA Facebook
http://www.palancaawards.com.ph/index.php

I couldn't imagine how I was able to pen the pain in this poetry 10 years ago.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒈𝒆

𝑇𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝐵𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑒
𝐴𝑠 𝐼 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙
𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑.

𝐼𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑
𝐼𝑠 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡
𝑌𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓
𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑔 𝑜𝑢𝑡,
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙
𝐵𝑒 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑑;
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠
𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑒
𝑇𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑
𝑂𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑠
𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙
𝑉𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒.
𝐴𝑣𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎.

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑦
𝑆𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑚
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢,
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒,
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡.

"𝐴𝑣𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎," 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑠 𝐵𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒.

𝐴𝑣𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎.
𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝑑𝑖𝑒
𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢
𝐴𝑠 𝐼 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒
𝐴𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑠
𝑇ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑦
𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛
𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑒 ---
𝐴𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑒
𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝑂𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒,
𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢
𝐴𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒.
𝐴𝑣𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎.

c 2014. All rights reserved by June Mijares

It is timely to say that the best teacher is one who teaches us the good and bad of our past, of our history.