In the mood for poetry? Join these KWF poetry contests

2026-03-03 - 12:03

The following is a press release from the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. Ready, verse, go! Filipino poets are encouraged by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) to join its poetry contests in support of National Literature Month in April. The three contests are Talaang Ginto: Makata ng Taon, Tula Táyo, and Timpalak sa Tulang Senyas. Talaang Ginto: Makata ng Taon started in 1963 considered to be the oldest existing poetry contest solely for the national language. Luminaries who have won Talaang Ginto include national artists Virgilio S. Almario, Cirilo Bautista, and Bienvenido Lumbera. For poetry enthusiasts who take pleasure in writing every day, Tula Táyo is a daily poetry contest on KWF’s Facebook page that features the Filipino indigenous forms of dalít, diyona, and tanaga. On the other hand, Timpalak sa Tulang Senyas enjoins the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) community to contribute their poetic pieces for a more inclusive celebration of National Literature Month. Now in its 11th year, National Literature Month provides an opportunity for Filipinos to celebrate and advance Philippine literature in all its forms and articulations. This year’s theme is “Bekët Panitikan / Para sa Katwiran at Kalikasan.” An indigenous word for unity, “bekët” is borrowed from the Agutaynëns of Palawan. All three contests come with cash prizes and winners will be recognized at the KWF’s Araw ng Parangal on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. For more details, visit their website or Facebook page. – Rappler.com