BALANGA CITY — Ateneo De Manila University professor Christian Jil Benitez will be conferred with the Makata ng Taon accolade by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) in a ceremony in Orion town on April 2.
In a statement, KWF said Benitez will receive a trophy and Php30,000 cash from KWF for his poem titled “Sapagkat Pag-ibig ang Tuod sa Pinakamahabang Bugtong sa Kasaysayan.”
His works were also recipients of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature, Maningning Miclat Poetry Awards, and Loyola School Awards for the Arts.
Meanwhile, Aldrin Pentero placed second and will be receiving Php20,000 while Paul Alcoseba Castillo ended third and will take home Php15,000.
“The poems were judged by a panel composed of Palanca Awardee Michael Coroza, three-time Makata ng Taon Awardee Louie Jon Agustin Sanchez, and Don Carlos Awardee Enrique Villasis,” KWF added.
The awarding ceremony will be held at Orion Elementary School and will coincide with the birth anniversary of Francisco ‘Balagtas’ Baltaza who is regarded as the “Prince of Tagalog of Poets.” (CLJD/MJSD-PIA 3)