Pinoy Haiku Writing Contest

A Call for submissions for the All-Filipino Haiku Contest in Commemoration of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Year 2006

Theme: "Pinoy Haiku: Verses for Mother Nature"

Contest Rules:

1. The message of the haiku must deal with appreciation of the environment, love of nature, care for the ecology, or a commentary on the natural world.

2. Contestants should be Filipino citizens living in the Philippines or abroad.

3. Entries may be in Filipino or English.

a. In Filipino, haiku must be in 7-5-7 syllables. The lines may use any of the following rhyme schemes: a-a-a, a-b-a, a-a-b, a-b-b, or a-b-c.

b. The Filipino haiku entry must be accompanied by a free or direct English translation below the page.

c. In English, the 5-7-5 syllables should be observed with or without a rhyme scheme.

d. A maximum of two (2) haiku entries are allowed per contestant.

4. Submissions may be done by mail, e-mail, or fax. Please use the free downloadable Entry Form from http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp for submission through the Embassy of Japan.

a. If submitted by mail, entries should be printed by computer or typewritten (12-point font size) on the Entry Forms. Please accomplish three (3) copies of the Entry Form.

b. If submitted via e-mail, entries must be in a Word Document file and sent as an attachment. A scanned signature is required in the entry form. If this is not possible, send one (1) accomplished Entry Form with your signature by mail or fax.

c. If submitted by fax, entries should be printed by computer or typewritten (12-point font size) on the Entry Forms.

d. Two (2) haiku per Entry Form should be observed. Do not put any distinguishing mark on your entries.

5. Please avoid fancy, hard-to-read typefaces, use the 12-point font size.

6. Please send your entries to:

Japan Information and Cultural Center
Embassy of Japan
2627 Roxas Boulevard Pasay City 1300, Philippines
Fax to: (632) 551-5784
E-mails to: jicc-mnl@japanembassy.ph or jiccmanila@yahoo.com

7. Plagiarized haiku, previously-published haiku or haiku closely similar to previously published haiku will automatically be disqualified. Entries should not be submitted to other contests or publications.

8. Entries will be considered the property of the Embassy of Japan and the organizers and therefore will not be returned. Copyright of the works remain with the author but the latter grants, assigns and transfers into the Embassy of Japan and the organizers the right to publish any of the entries as it may deem at its discretion, without necessity of any payment other than the prize which may have been awarded to the winning entries.

9. The works must show literary merit and social significance. Only haiku entries that passed the criteria for evaluation of the judges will be published. The decision of the Judges is final.

10. Winning entries will appear in "The Japan Bulletin" (The official publication of the Embassy of Japan); "The Booklet of Winning Works, Pinoy Haiku Contest" of the UST press publication; and on the Internet.

Deadline of submission: Not later than Friday, June 2nd, 2006. Your entry must be postmarked or submitted on-line by this date.

Awards: Top three poems and ten honorable mentions.

Prizes: Top three and others will be awarded. Prizes will be announced later.

Announcement of Winning Works: Winners will be notified on Friday, July 7th, 2006. The judges will comment on the winning works at the Awarding Ceremony.

Awarding Ceremony: The ceremony is scheduled on Friday, July 28th, 2006 at the Graduate School, UST, Manila, Philippines.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Japan Information and Cultural Center
Embassy of Japan
2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1300, Philippines
telephone: (632) 551-5710
fax: (632) 551-5784
e-mails: jicc-mnl@japanembassy.ph or jiccmanila@yahoo.com
website: www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp

In coordination with:
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
University of Santo Tomas
Manila, Philippines

Working Committee:
Mr. Rey de Vera, Coordinator, UST Haiku Group reydvra@yahoo.com
Mr. Benjie Torralba, Assistant Coordinator benjie_torralba@yahoo.com