Umpil honors literary luminaries at 51st National Writers Congress

THE Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Umpil) or the Writers’ Union of the Philippines, the country’s largest organization of creative writers, honored distinguished literary figures during its 51st National Writers Congress.

This year’s Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, a lifetime achievement award given to Filipino writers for their significant contributions to Philippine literature, was conferred upon writers in different categories.

Christine Bellen-Ang was awardee in Children’s Literature in Filipino; Isidoro Cruz, Literary Criticism in English; Maria Fres-Felix, Fiction in English; Jun Robles Lana, Screenplay in Filipino; Joel Manuel, Fiction in Ilocano; Marian Pastor Roces, Essay in English; Al Santos, Play in Filipino; and Joel Toledo, Poetry in English.

The lifetime achievement award for educators in Philippine literature, or the Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez, was awarded to Shirley Lua of De La Salle University.

Ing Akademyang Kapampangan Inc. received the 2025 Gawad Pedro Bucaneg, an award that recognizes literary and cultural organizations for their outstanding efforts in promoting Philippine literature and culture.

Celebrated anthropologist and literary researcher Alicia Magos of the University of the Philippines Visayas delivered the keynote lecture.

This year’s congress carried the theme “Paggigiit ng Katutubong Wika at Panitikan sa mga Karunungang Pandaigdig” (Asserting

Indigenous Languages and Literature in Global Knowledges).

The 51st National Writers’ Congress was made possible through the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts or NCCA, the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters, the Ignacio B. Gimenez Foundation, the UP Press, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. or FFCCCII and the Philippine Soong Ching Ling Foundation.

Renowned visual artist Manuel Baldemor designed and donated the trophies.