After a two-year hiatus brought about by the global pandemic, the longest-running and most prestigious literary contest in the country is back and now accepting entries to the 70th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (CPMA).

CPMA is now accepting submissions to its regular categories 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 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.

The special Kabataan Division for young writers below 18 years of age is also now open for entries in its two categories: English and Filipino. Submissions must be informal (personal) essays on the theme: “Life in the Midst of the Pandemic and Coping in the New Normal” (Kabataan Essay) and “Buhay sa Gitna ng Pandemya at Pagharap sa ‘New Normal’” (Kabataan Sanaysay).

The contest is open to all Filipino citizens or former Filipino citizens of all ages except current directors, officers and employees of the Carlos Palanca Foundation Inc. Authors who wish to join may submit only one entry per category.

The deadline for submission of entries is May 31.

All submissions must be done online. The Carlos Palanca Foundation will not accept printed and email submissions for all categories.

The official contest rules and forms are available at the Carlos Palanca Awards website (palancaawards.com.ph).

Tel. 88438277, 84787996 (Leslie Layoso or Susan Castillo); email [email protected].