A PROFESSOR from the University of the Philippines-Visayas won her 4th Carlos Palanca award in the short story category.

Prof. Early Sol Gadong, who teaches Math at the UP High School in Iloilo, placed second for her short story titled “Malipayon nga Katapusan.”

Gadong 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 returned this year after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic.

This year, the literary works of 59 writers were recognized. Twenty-eight of them were first-time awardees.