Bulletin scribes bag Palanca awards anew

Two staff writers of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. — Richel Dorotan (left) of Bisaya Magazin and Ariel S. Tabag (right) of Bannawag — receive their awards at the Palanca Memorial Awards last night, September 1, 2010. (Photo by MICHAEL VARCAS)



Two staffmembers of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation (Bulletin Group) have once more brought home prizes from the 60th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature which held its awarding ceremonies Wednesday night.

Leyte resident Richel Dorotan, 36, a staffwriter of Bisaya Magasin, the Bulletin Group’s magazine in Cebuano, bagged the 1st prize in the Short Story-Cebuano category.

Although he had won 2nd place in 2006 and 2009 in the same category, it was the first time for him to clinch the top prize.

In his winning entry this year near does not necessarily mean being physically close.

Dorotan said that winning an award like a Palanca is only his secondary motive in joining a literary competition: “A writer creates his works not for prizes or livelihood, but as a part of his life. I write because I feel the need to unleash the ‘demon’ within – the passion to write.”

Another writer from the Bulletin Group, Ariel S. Tabag, editorial staff of Bannawag, the Iluko (Ilocano) equivalent of the Liwayway magazine, also published by the Bulletin Group, bagged for the fourth time the 2nd prize in the Short Story-Iluko category. He also won 2nd prize in the same category in 2003, 2008 and 2009.

His winning entry this year entitled “Voice Tape” is the story of a man who had hoped for a better life for himself and his family but did not succeed. One day, his wife, who went abroad for greener pastures, has sent a voice tape to confess an ill-doing which left the man distraught. He eventually met a tragedy and died.

Tabag said the story is based on the life of his uncle whose death, they speculate, may have not been an accident but a suicide.

As for his winning, the Cagayan-born writer said that he is always glad to win a Palanca.

But Tabag said, “although I join Palanca yearly to gain recognition for my stories, the main goal for my writing is still to make my fellow Ilocanos happy upon reading my works.”

For six decades now, the Palanca awards have been enriching the country’s cultural heritage by recognizing the best works from thousands of entries all over the country. What started as a small yet potent collection of six stories in 1951 has now grown into a wide and deep treasury of Philippine literature.

At present, the Carlos Palanca Foundation has, in its collection, 514 short stories, 360 collections of poetry, 202 essays, 340 one-act plays, 176 full-length plays, 60 teleplays, 51 screenplays, 142 stories for children, 34 futuristic fiction stories, 71 student essays, 34 novels, and 10 collections of poetry for children. These works are compiled and made available to all researchers and lovers of literature at the Foundation library.

The collection of literary masterpieces include the works of Philippine National Artists for literature, namely Francisco Arcellana, Virgilio Almario, N.V.M. Gonzales, Amado V. Hernandez, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, Bienvenido Lumbera, and Edith L. Tiempo.

This year’s winners include:
Filipino Division:
Dulang Pampelikula
1st – Kristoffer G. Brugada (Patikul)
2nd – Jerry B. Gracio (Magdamag)
3rd – No Winner
Dulang Ganap ang Haba
1st – No Winner
2nd – Liza C. Magtoto (Rated PG)
3rd – Christian R. Vallez (Kapeng Barako Club: Samahan ng mga Bitter)
Dulang May Isang Yugto
1st – Nicolas B. Pichay (Isang Araw sa Karnabal)
2nd – Floy C. Quintos (Suor Clara)
3rd – Allan B. Lopez (Higit Pa Dito)
Kabataan Sanaysay
1st – Christopher S. Rosales (Gulayan Klasrum)
2nd – Marianito L. Dio Jr. (Ang Aking Pangalan, Ang Aking Kababata at ang Mithing Tilamsik para kay Third)
3rd – No Winner
Tula
1st – Carlos M. Piocos III (Guerra Cantos)
2nd – Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. (Parokya)
3rd – Mark Anthony S. Angeles (Engkantado)
Tulang Pambata
1st – No Winner
2nd – No Winner
3rd – Will P. Ortiz (May Puso Ang Saging)
Maikling Kwento
1st – No Winner
2nd – Rommel B. Rodriguez (Toxic)
3rd – Thomas David F. Chavez (Sa Kabilang Lupalop ng Mahiwagang Kaharian)
Maikling Kwentong Pambata
1st – Christopher S. Rosales (Si Berting, ang Batang Uling)
2nd – Renerio R. Concepcion (Ang Kagilagilalas na Paglalakbay nina Mumo at Am-I)
3rd – Bernadette V. Neri (Parada ng mga Alingawngaw)
Sanaysay
1st – Maria Clarissa N. Estuar (Ang Reyna ng mga Tumbong)
2nd – Ferdinand P. Jarin (D’Pol Pisigan Band)
3rd – Mark Gil M. Caparros (Sina Bunso at ang mga Batang Preso)
English Division
Full-length Play
1st – Jay Crisostomo IV (God of the Machine)
2nd – Jorshinelle Taleon-Sonza (The Encounter)
3rd – Lito Casaje (Shooting the Boys)
One-act Play
1st – No Winner
2nd – No Winner
3rd – Peter Solis Nery (The Wide Ionian Sea)
Short Story
1st – Ma. Elena L. Paulma (Three Kisses)
2nd – Ma. Rachelle Tesoro (Waiting for Rain)
3rd – Catherine Rose Galang Torres (Café Masala)
Short Story for Children
1st – Irene Carolina A. Sarmiento (Tabon Girl)
2nd – Hiyasmin Ledi C. Mattison (Little Bear Goes Home: A Love Story)
3rd – Grace D. Chong (I am an Apple)
Poetry
1st – Merlie M. Alunan (Tales of the Spiderwoman)
2nd – Rafael Antonio C. San Diego (My Name in Reverse)
3rd – Joel H. Vega (Latitudes and Other Poems)
Poetry for Children
1st – Duffie Alejandrino H. Osental (After the Storm and Other Poems)
2nd – Patricia Marie Grace S. Gomez (Poems from the Pantry and Prehistoric Times)
3rd – Ma. Celine Anastasia P. Socrates (Playgrounds)
Essay
1st – Miro Frances D. Capili (Vinyl)
2nd – Florianne Marie L. Jimenez (Postcards from Somewhere)
3rd – Corinna Esperanza A. Nuqui (Library)
Kabataan Essay
1st – Miro Frances D. Capili (The Nature of Nurture)
2nd – Anton Raphael S. Cabalza (A Shot at Perfection)
3rd – Catherine D. Tan (Green at Heart)
Regional Division
Short Story – Cebuano
1st – Richel G. Dorotan (Si Tarzan)
2nd – Jonecito R. Saguban (Tinuboang Sapatos)
3rd – Noel P. Tuazon (Patas)
Short Story – Iluko
1st – Sherma E. Benosa (Dagiti Pasugnod ni Angelo)
2nd – Ariel S. Tabag (Voice Tape)
3rd – Joel B. Manuel (Apo Bannual! Apo Bannual!)
Short Story – Hiligaynon
1st – Andy P. Perez (Bayuso)
2nd – Ferdinand L. Balino (Dumdumon Ko Ang Imo Guya)
3rd – Jesus C. Insilada, Ed. D. (Walingwaling)

(Manila Bulletin, September 2, 2010 issue, p.1)