| 59th Palanca Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 1, 2009 |
| Location | The Peninsula Manila, Makati, Philippines |
The 59th Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature was held on September 1, 2009, at The Peninsula Manila in Makati to commemorate the memory of Don Carlos Palanca Sr. through an endeavor that would promote education and culture in the country. According to the Palanca Foundation, 62 percent of this year’s awardees were first time winners. National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera was Guest of Honor and Speaker at this year’s awarding ceremony. This year saw the inclusion of a new category, Poetry Written for Children/Tulang Pambata, in both the English and Filipino Divisions.
Reuel Molina Aguila and Eugene Evasco were this year's Palanca Hall of Fame awardees. Aguila clinched his fifth first prize for “Ngunit Wala Akong Litrato Noong Nasa Kolehiyo Ako” under the Sanaysay category. Evasco clinched his fifth first prize for “May Tiyanak Sa Loob Ng Aking Bag” under the Tulang Pambata category. The said award is given to writers who have won five first places in any category.[1]
The 2009 winners are divided into four categories: