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Philippine Literature

The Palanca Awards are prestigious literary awards in the Philippines that have been held since 1950. They recognize works in several categories, including short stories, plays, poetry, and children's literature in both English and Filipino. During the 1970-1972 period of activism in the Philippines, many prominent writers produced works addressing the political turmoil and lack of freedom of expression at the time. Writers like Jose Lacaba documented the events in books, while groups like the Philippine Center for International PEN advocated for greater artistic freedom and an end to censorship. The period saw impassioned pleas from writers and journalists against oppression and for causes like amnesty for political prisoners.

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855 views4 pages

Philippine Literature

The Palanca Awards are prestigious literary awards in the Philippines that have been held since 1950. They recognize works in several categories, including short stories, plays, poetry, and children's literature in both English and Filipino. During the 1970-1972 period of activism in the Philippines, many prominent writers produced works addressing the political turmoil and lack of freedom of expression at the time. Writers like Jose Lacaba documented the events in books, while groups like the Philippine Center for International PEN advocated for greater artistic freedom and an end to censorship. The period saw impassioned pleas from writers and journalists against oppression and for causes like amnesty for political prisoners.

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AlejandroGonzaga
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Rizal Technological University

Philippine Literature

Chapter 8: Period of Activism (1970-1972)

Gonzaga, Alejandro

LIT1

1:00p-3:00p
Palanca Awardees for Literature in English

Palanca Awards

The Palanca Awards or Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature are
literary awards of the Philippines. The Manila Standard called it the Pulitzer Price of
the Philippines in terms of prestige. Unlike works acceptable as nominees for the
Pulitzers, however, entries to the Palanca competition are previously unpublished
pieces in their manuscript form. The Palanca Awards, organized by the Carlos Palanca
Foundation, is one of the Philippines' longest-running awards programs.

History

The Palanca Awards was established in 1950 to inspire and recognize Filipino writers,
including poets, playwrights and screenwriters, and writers for children. In the 1960s,
the Palanca Awards Committee started to fund the publication of Palanca Award-
winning plays, and production funds were committed in 1975. In 2009, it added a
category for poetry for children, in both Filipino and English.

Categories

Starting on the 60th awards year, for which the call for submissions opened on March 1,
2010 (ended April 30, 2010), contestants could submit one entry each in the following
categories:

English Division

Short Story
Short Story for Children
Essay
Poetry
Poetry Written for Children
One-act Play
Full-length Play
English Short Story
1970
First Prize THE RITUAL Cirilo F. Bautista
Second Prize BEAST IN THE FIELDS Resil Mojares
Third Prize CHILDREN OF THE CITY Amadis Ma. Guerrero
1971
First Prize THE ARCHIPELAGO Cirilo F. Bautista
Second Prize FIVE POEMS Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez
Third Price FROM MACTAN TO MENDIOLA Federico Licsi Espino, Jr.

English Poetry
1971
First Prize THE TOMATO GAME N.V.M. Gonzales
Second Prize THE APPOLO CENTENNIAL Gregorio C. Brillantes
Third Prize AFTER THIS, OUR EXILE Elsa Martinez
1972
First Prize BATIK MAKER AND OTHER POEMS Virginia R. Moreno
Second Prize THE EDGE OF THE WIND Artemio Tadena
Third Prize TINIKLING (A SHEAF OF POEMS) Federico Licsi Espino, Jr.

English One-Act Play

1970

First Prize THE GROTESQUE AMONG US Maiden Flores

Second Prize AGE OF PROMETHEUS Jesus T. Peralta

Third Prize OPERATION PACIFICATION Alfredo O. Cuenco, Jr.


Writers During This Period

Jose F. Lacaba, in his book DAYS OF DISQUIET, NIGHTS OF RAGE; THE FIRST
QUARTERS STORM AND RELATED EVENTS, wrote of the tragic and tumultuous
moments in our countrys history.

Describing this period, he writes: That first quarter of the year 1970It
was a glorious time, a time of terror and of wrath, but also a time for hope. The
signs of change were on the horizon. A powerful storm was sweeping the land, a
storm whose inexorable advance no earthly force could stop, and the name of the
storm was history.

Lacabas book is truly representative of writers who were eyewitnesses to this


time of terror and wrath.

Other writers strove to pour out their anguish and frustrations in words
describing themselves as gasping for the air, thirsting for the water of freedom.
Thus, the Philippine Center for the International PEN (Poets, Essayists, and
Novelists) held a conference centering on the writers lack of freedom in a
climate of fear.

For a day they denounced restrictions on artistic freedom and passionately led a
plea for freedom. Among the writers in this group were: Nick Joaquin, S.P.
Lopez, Gregorio Brillantes, F. Sionil Jose, Petronilo Daroy, Letty Jimenez-
Magsanoc, Mauro Avelina, and Jose W. Diokno.

People in the other media participated in this quest for freedom.


Journalists Jose Burgos Jr., Antonio Ma. Nieva,; movie director Lino Brocka, art
critic Anna Leah S. de Leon were battling head on against censorship.

They came up with resolutions that pleaded for causes other than their own like
the general amnesty for political prisoners, and other secret decrees restricting
free expression.

They requested editors and publishers to publish the real names of writers in
their columns. It called on media to disseminate information on national interest
without partisan leanings and resolved to be united with all causes decrying
oppression and repression.

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