Palanca Awards Hall of Famer Peter Solis Nery continues his winning streak, securing a third-place prize for his work “13 Ways of Looking at Books” in the Poetry Written for Children category of the 72nd Palanca Awards.

Once referred to as “the Pulitzer Prize of the Philippines”, the Palanca Awards, established in 1950, is the country’s most prestigious and longest-running literary competition.

The contest took a two-year break during the pandemic (2020-2021) but resumed its annual schedule in 2022. That year, Nery won two more awards: his 10th first prize for “Ang Macatol kag ang ‘Queen of Relief’”, a Hiligaynon short story, and second prize for “Picnic, Symphony, and Other Concepts a 4th Grader Needs to Know” in the children’s poetry category.

The following year, Nery won his 11th gold medal, taking first prize in the Maikling Kuwento (Filipino short story) category with his masterpiece “Ang Tariktik.”

“13 Ways of Looking…” is Nery’s sixth collection of poetry for children in English that has won the Palanca. Previously, he has won first prizes in the category for “Punctuation” (2012), and “The Rainbow Collection” (2015); second prizes for “The Shape of Happiness & Other Poems” (2011), and the previously mentioned “Picnic, Symphony…” (2022); and third prize for “Those Colorful Parts” (2014).

Crossing over to the Filipino language category, Nery also won second prize in Tulang Pambata (children’s poetry) for “Sa Mundo ng mga Kulisap” in 2012.

This year’s win further solidifies Nery’s reputation as a poet for children. It also brings his award collection to 22 competitive Palancas; or 23 career Palancas including the Hall of Fame which he received in 2012.

The Hall of Fame is an honorific award given to a multiple Palanca winner who has posted five first prizes. 

This year’s Palanca Awards will honor the 2024 winners and welcome four new Hall of Famers at the awards ceremony at the historic Philippine International Convention Center on November 22.