THE Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has officially extended the submission deadline for the 2027 Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda to October 30, 2026, at 5 p.m.
Established in 2015, the Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda is the KWF’s highest distinction recognizing outstanding graduate-level academic research written in Filipino.
The award encourages the publication of original textbooks and reference materials across diverse fields, including history, political science, literature, philosophy, cultural studies, and indigenous disaster knowledge.
The competition features two categories: thesis (Master’s) and dissertation (Doctorate).
One winner will be selected per category, each receiving a net cash prize of ₱100,000, a plaque, and a medal.
The competition is open to graduate students whose theses or dissertations were successfully defended and approved between 2023 and 2025.
Entries must be original works in Filipino, unpublished as books, and compliant with the KWF Manwal sa Masinop na Pagsulat. KWF employees and their relatives are disqualified.
Applicants must submit four anonymous, softbound or ring-bound printed copies of their manuscript, displaying only the title and a pen name.
Identifying details, approval certificates, curricula vitae, application forms, notarized authentications, plagiarism-free research ethics certifications, and recommendation letters from academic advisers, department chairs, and deans must be sealed in a separate brown envelope.
All materials must be compiled in an expanding envelope and submitted to the Board of Judges at the KWF office located on J.P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila.
Mailed entries must be dispatched on or before the deadline.
Winners will be chosen by a Board of Judges whose decisions are final.
The KWF retains the first publication option for winning entries, and any proven plagiarism will result in immediate revocation of the award and permanent disqualification.
All submitted entries are non-returnable.
Interested graduate students seeking further details may reach out via email at timpalak.gawad@kwf.gov.ph.