PETER SOLIS NERY wins his fourth Palanca award for Hiligaynon short story this year with the historical revisionist story “Candido” based on the Katipunan revolutionary Candido Iban who was one of the 19 martyrs of Aklan.
Nery’s previous Palanca honors include last year’s second place for the psychological puzzler “Ang Kapid” (“The Twins”), 1998’s first prize for the magic surrealism story of the deaf-mute “Lirio,” and 2000’s third prize for the science fiction “Ang Pangayaw” (“The Stranger”).
A leading figure in Hiligaynon literature and Panay News’ most interesting columnist until August 2006 before he immigrated to the United States as a Registered Nurse, Nery is also the author of the much publicized “Kakunyag,” a collection of 100 erotic sonnets in the Hiligaynon serialized in Panay News’ sister publication, Hublas nga Kamatuoran, in the first and second quarters of 2006.
With his latest Palanca triumph, Nery promises to persevere in his passion and commitment to elevating Hiligaynon as a language of dignity and intelligence. He is planning to publish “Kakunyag” with translation sin 2008, and possibly a collection of his prize-winning stories.
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is on its 57th year, the longest running and the most prestigious award-giving body for Filipino writers. The awards ceremony was held at the Peninsula Manila on September 1.
© Panay News: September 4, 2007