Illustrated by Asa Montenejo
Writer-Teacher Wins 2026 Salanga Grand Prize
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) awards the 2026 PBBY-Salanga Grand Prize to Genaro R. Gojo Cruz for his story, Tinamaan Ako ng Galing! Inspired by a popular Filipino expression, this story highlights the importance of family, friends, and caring for others.
Gojo Cruz is an award-winning writer who teaches at the Literature Department of De La Salle University and serves as an Associate in Children’s Literature at the university’s Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center. He has written over 150 children’s books to date.
PBBY also awards Honorable Mention to Rhandy Diaz Santos for Atsarang Papaya; Shane Orlene T. Malinay for Ayaw Kong Magpalda; and John Patrick F. Solano for Sayaw ng mga Kamay ni Nanay.
The winners will be awarded in a ceremony to be held on National Children’s Book Day on July 21, 2026.
For inquiries about the contest, contact the PBBY Secretariat at secretariat@pbby.org.ph
Established in 1984, the PBBY-Salanga Prize for writers (formerly known as the PBBY Writers’ Prize) is an annual competition on the best stories written for children in either English or Filipino. The award was renamed to honor the memory of Alfrredo Navarro Salanga, a founding member of PBBY and a revered journalist, fictionist, poet, and editor.
Each year, the winning story becomes the subject of competition for the PBBY-Alcala Prize for illustrators.
Through the Salanga Prize, the PBBY encourages the creation of original stories intended for the Filipino child. To date, 33 children’s stories have won the Salanga grand prize and almost a hundred stories are on its honor list. The contest has led to the publication of well-loved Philippine children’s classics such as Bru-ha-ha-ha, Bru-hi-hi-hi (Corazon Remigio); Chenelyn! Chenelyn! (Rhandee Garlitos); and Ang Pambihirang Buhok ni Raquel (Luis Gatmaitan).
The contest is co-sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Library of the Philippines (NLP).
