iKalinga writer wins first prize in the 2025 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

Tabuk City, Kalinga – An iKalinga soldier and writer has won first prize in the prestigious 2025 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, bringing honor to her community and showcasing the rich literary talent emerging from her roots.

Air Woman First Class Joan Saga-oc, who hails from Upper Uma, Lubuagan, Kalinga, received an invitation on October 19, 2025, to personally accept her award at the Main Lounge of the Manila Polo Club, Makati City, scheduled for November 26.

Her essay, “Echoes of Life in a Kalinga Village: Past and Present,” earned her the first prize in the Essay category.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, the soldier-writer shared that she was both shocked and overjoyed when her win was confirmed on Monday.

“Well, some winners announced their awards on Sunday evening, so I thought I'd missed out. I couldn’t sleep and felt dejected. Then Monday's news came as a shock, truly. I didn't believe it at first—I had to catch my breath and manage my heart rate. I was overheating. Then I cried,” she said.

The winning piece

When asked how long it took her to write the entry, Joan said it took about 10 months.

“It draws three strands of our experiences together, and I started them at different times. So, from the basic outline to the final, final, final edit—it took about 10 months,” she shared.

Joan’s stories highlight Kalinga’s culture, values, and resilience, emphasizing the importance of preserving traditions amid challenges and loss, especially for younger generations.

The iKalinga writer added that through her winning piece, she wanted to convey that as traditional ways fade, the iKalingas must continue to remember their roots, even when it’s difficult.

“Our old ways are dying, getting lost, or being given up—and there is a tragedy for the whole of the Philippines in that disruption. I have a deep personal love and affinity for our village way of life and all the amazing things we experienced growing up. It's hard even for Kalinga kids these days to understand that,” she added.

Joan further shared that she has three more projects underway, including a folk tale collection by Uma Elementary School students and another project on village life, which requires research and interviews with elders.

The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, established in 1950 in honor of Carlos Palanca Sr., aims to develop Philippine literature by encouraging writers to produce their most outstanding literary works.