Prof. Early Sol Gadong, a Math teacher from UP High School in Iloilo, Division of Professional Education, personally received her award during the 70th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature awarding ceremony held at the Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City on 30 Nov. 2022.
Gadong won 2nd prize in the Short Story-Hiligaynon category for her work titled “Malipayon nga Katapusan.” The 1st prize was awarded to UPV alumnus Peter Solis Nery for his work titled “Ang Macatol Kag ang ‘Queen of Relief.’” Ritchie Pagunsan bagged the 3rd prize for “Esperanza.”
“Malipayon nga Katapusan” is Gadong’s fourth Palanca award. She won her first Palanca in 2016 for her Hiligaynon short story “Nagakaangay nga Panapton,” which won 2nd prize.
In 2018, she won two awards in the Hiligayonon short story category: “Sa Lum-ok Sang Imu Suso” (1st prize) and “Maraming-Maraming-Marami” (3rd prize).
The 70th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is the longest-running and most prestigious literary contest in the Philippines. It went on a two-year hiatus as a result of the pandemic.
This year’s explosive comeback recognized the exceptional literary works of 59 writers. Twenty-eight of them are first-time awardees. (UPV IPO)
