2026 PBBY-Alcala Prize: Call for Entries
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2026 PBBY-Alcala Prize. The winner shall be given a cash prize of PHP25,000.00, a medal, and an opportunity to be published. Prizes will be awarded at a ceremony to be held during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day (NCBD) on July 21, 2026.
DEADLINE: Entries must be submitted via the entry form by March 20, 2026.
The contest rules are as follows:
Open to all Filipino citizens of all ages except those who are related to any PBBY member up to the third degree of consanguinity.
Entries must be based on the 2026 PBBY-Salanga Grand Prize winner, Tinamaan Ako ng Galing! by Genaro R. Gojo Cruz. A copy of the story may be downloaded here.
All entries must be original, unpublished illustrations that have not won in any previous contest and must be sole property of the entrant.
All entries must consist of three (3) illustrations that are of the same size, two of which are colored and in sequence. The third spread should be a rough sketch of any other part of the story. These may be digitally rendered or traditionally done artwork that may or may not have been digitally enhanced. Any work created or modified by AI (artificial intelligence) will not be accepted. The artworks should be 72 dpi.
Contestants are free to determine how to distribute the text for their spreads, bearing in mind that the interaction of art and text is an important criterion of the contest.
All three illustrations should be compiled in one PDF. The total size of the PDF should not exceed 10 MB. The PDF file name should follow the format: 2026ALCALA_PenName.
The artist’s name, pen name, or signature should NOT appear on the entry file.
A contestant may send in more than one (1) entry. Please note that one form submission = one entry and must be submitted under different pen names.
Contestants must submit their full name, address, contact numbers, a short literary or artist bio, and a statement vouching for the originality of the entry and for the freedom of the organizers from any liability arising from the infringement of copyright in case of publication, and affirming that the entry or any variant thereof has (a) never been published and is currently not for consideration in any publication nor (b) won any other contest i.e. that it has never won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, honorable mention in any other contest or otherwise been awarded a medal, a citation, or included in a publicized list of meritorious entries.
All entries must be submitted via the entry form by March 20, 2026.
Winners will be announced no later than May 15, 2026.
For more details, interested parties may contact PBBY at secretariat@pbby.org.ph.
