The Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize for the Novel went to University of the Philippines alumnus and Ateneo de Manila University faculty member Allan Alberto N. Derain for his Ang Banal na Aklat ng Kumag.
UP alumna Maria Victoria Soliven Blanco won for her entry "In the Service of Secrets."
The coveted Palanca Novel division is open only once every three years.
Derain now has three Palancas. His first was in 2006 when he won Third Prize for Ang Regalo ng Taong Ibon in the Short Story for Children category. The following year he won the First Prize for Maikling Kuwento for his short story Paputian ng Laba.
Blanco has got two Palancas. Her first was for the short story Chun in 1992.
Derain’s and Blanco’s winning entries came from a pool of 57 works, 84 percent more than the number of novels submitted in 2008.
According to the Palanca Foundation, records were also set for the Kabataan Essay division, for which authors submitted 65 entries —109 percent more than last year’s entries. The Kabataan Essay division is open to young writers 18 and below.
This year's Kabataan Essay theme for the English category was "What is the most valuable lesson I learned from the Internet?" and "Ano ang pinakamahalagang aral ang aking natutunan mula sa Internet?" for the Filipino category.
The various categories in the Filipino Division and the respective winners are:
Dulaang Pampelikula
1st- Lemuel E. Garcellano for “Tru Lab"
2nd- T-Jay K. Medina for “Huling Isang Taon"
3rd- Helen V. Lasquite for “Emmanuel"
Dulaang Ganap ang Haba
1st- Rodolfo Vera for “Paalam Señor Soledad"
2nd- Liza Magtoto for “Tamala"
3rd- Joshua L. Lim So for “Panahon ng Sampung Libong Libo"
Dulaang May Isang Yugto
1st- Remi Karen M. Velasco for “Ondoy: Ang Buhay ng Bubong"
2nd- Layeta P. Bucoy for “El Galeon De Simeon"
3rd- Bernardo O. Aguay, Jr. for “Posporo"
Kabataan Sanaysay
1st- Mary Amie Gelina E. Dumatol for “Ang Makulit, ang Mapagtanong, at ang Mundo ng Kasagutan"
2nd- Abegail Joy Y. Lee for “Nang Maging Mendiola ko ang Internet Dahil Kay Mama"
3rd- Ma. Bettina Clare N. Camacho for “Isang Pindot ng Kamalayan"
Tula
1st- Enrique S. Villasis for “Agua"
2nd- Rosmon M. Tuazon for “Mga Nakaw na Linya"
3rd- Christopher B. Nuyles for “Ilang Taga Hinngil sa Daangbakal at iba pang tula"
Tulang Pambata
1st- Marcel I. Milliam for “Ako ang Bida"
2nd- Eugene Y. Evasco for “Isang Mabalahibong Bugtong"
3rd- John Enrico C. Torralba for “Manghuhuli Ako ng Sinag ng Araw"
Maikling Kwento
1st- No Winner
2nd- No Winner
3rd- Michael S. Bernaldez for “Metro Gwapo"
Maikling Kwentong Pambata
1st- Segundo Matias for “Alamat ng Duhat"
2nd- Joachim Emilio B. Antonio for “Sa tapa ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban"
3rd- Christian Torcedicillas for “Si Inda, Ang Manok at ang mga Lamang-Lupa"
Sanaysay
1st-Bernadette V. Neri for “Ang Pag-uwi ng Alibughang Anak ng Lupa"
2nd- Rosario Torres-Yu for “Nagbibihis na ang Nanay"
3rd- Nancy Kimuell-Gabriel for “Kubeta" In the English Division, the categories and the respective winner are:
Full-length Play
1st- Joshua L. Lim So for “A Return Home"
2nd- Peter Solis Neri for “If The Shoe Fits"
3rd- Jonathan R. Guillermo for “Freshmen"
One-act Play
1st- Floy C. Quintos for “Evening at the Opera"
2nd- No Winner
3rd- No Winner
Short Story
1st- Asterio Enrico N. Gutierrez for “The Big Man"
2nd- Alexis A.L. Abola for “Disappearance"
3rd- Johannes L. Chua for “Prodigal"
Short Story for Children
1st- Georgina Veronica (Nikki) Alfar for “Tom Yum"
2nd- Georgianna R. de Vera for “Tatay, Through Wind and Waves"
3rd- Benjamin Pimentel for “Gagamba, the Spider from the Islands"
Pimentel is a blogger with GMA News Online and a columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Poetry
1st- Eliza A. Victoria for “Maps"
2nd- Lourdes Marie S. La Viña for “Stones and Other Poems"
3rd- Simeon P. Dumdum, Jr. for “Maguindanao"
Poetry for Children
1st- Cynthia Baculi-Condez for “The Universe and Other Poems"
2nd- Peter Solis Nery for “The Shape of Happiness"
3rd- Kris Lanot Lacaba for “The Shaggy Brown Chicken and Other Poems for Children (and for chickens of all ages)"
Essay
1st- Jennifer Rebecca L. Ortuoste for “The Turn sa Punoan ng Nangka sa Hinablayan"
2nd- Jeena Rani Marquez-Manaois for “The River of Gold"
3rd- Rosario Cruz-Lucero for “The Stain and Blackberries"
Kabataan Essay
1st- Mariah Cristelle F. Reodica for “The Golden Mean"
2nd- Scott Lee Chua for “Of Pixels and Power"
3rd- Leo Francis F. Abot for “Gods of the Internet" In the Regional Division, categories and the respective winners are:
Short Story (Cebuano)
1st- Richel G. Dorotan for “Ang Tawo sa Punoan ng Nangka sa Hinablayan"
2nd- Errol A. Merquita for “Isla Verde"
3rd- Macario D. Tiu for “Black Pearl"
Short Story (Iluko)
1st- Ariel S. Tabag for “Saddam"
2nd- Juan A. Asuncion for “Ayuno"
3rd- Norberto D. Bumanglag, Jr. for “Ti Agdamdamli"
Short Story (Hiligaynon)
1st- Peter Solis Nery for “Donato Bugtot"
2nd- Alice Tan Gonzales for “Kahapunanon sa Laguerta ni Alberto"
3rd- Kizza Grace F. Gardoce for “Pabalon"
— ELR/VS
