Revised rules for 65th Palanca Awards

CEBU, Philippines - The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (CPMA) announces that it has revised the rules governing the 65th year contest.

In a message, CPMA Director General Sylvia Palanca-Quirino said, "The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature [has announced] the revised rules for the 2015 contest, superseding the rules earlier published for this year's contest.

"The revisions address the concerns raised by members of the literary community, whose opinions CPMA highly values, on the rules regarding the assignment of "moral rights" and the retroactivity to past award-winning works which had been provided in the superseded rules. These two matters have accordingly been deleted.

"CPMA reiterates its primary objective to promote the growth of Philippine literature, through a platform that will encourage our writers to write, and their deserving works given due recognition by their peers and made available to the public through its library of the award-winning works."

For the revised rules, Rule #16 shall read: "Published/produced works which were first published or first produced between 01 May 2014 to 30 April 2015 and/or unpublished/unproduced works, may be entered in the contest. For contest years in which the NOVEL/NOBELA categories are open, published works which were first published within a period of two (2) years prior to 30 April of such contest year, and unpublished works may be entered in the contest. Only unproduced works may be entered in the DULANG PAMPELIKULA category."

The complete list of categories for the 65th Palanca Awards is as follows:

.           Novel and Nobela                               categories

.           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, Tulang                       Pambata, Dulang May                                    Isang Yugto, Dulang                                    Ganap ang Haba, at                            Dulang Pampelikula;

.           Regional Languages                            Division - Short Story-                        Cebuano, Short Story-                        Hiligaynon, and Short                                     Story-Ilokano.

Students less than 18 years of age are also encouraged to participate in the Kabataan Essay and Kabataan Sanaysay categories. This year's Kabataan Division theme is, "How Can Philippine Literature Cultivate National Unity?" for the English category and "Paano Mapag-iisa ng Ating Literatura Ang Bansa?" for the Filipino category.

Interested participants may submit only one entry per category. The revised 2015 contest rules and forms are available at any of the Palanca Foundation offices, or may be downloaded from the official CPMA website at www.palancaawards.com.ph.

Entries may be submitted through any of the following means: (1) through the official CPMA website; (2) by mail; or (3) directly to the Palanca Foundation offices, either at Unit 603, 6th Floor Park Trade Centre Bldg., 1716 Investment Drive, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City or at Unit 3G, OPL Bldg., 100 C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Winners will be announced on September 1, 2015. Participants may contact the CPMA Administrator Mrs. Leslie Layoso through the website or at (632) 511-0003, +639108878552 or +639255560457 for assistance. (FREEMAN)