Batang Lampara Batang Kuwentista 2026 Names Six Young Winners at MIBF
Last Updated on September 18, 2026 by Martina Ericka Berania
Batang Lampara Batang Kuwentista 2026 Names Six Young Winners at MIBF
Six young storytellers took the top spots at Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista 2026, a nationwide competition that brought children’s performances to the Manila International Book Fair. The grand finals were held on Sep 12, 2026, at SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, with separate categories for Grades 1–3 and Grades 4–6.
Finalists and winners gather onstage during Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista 2026 at the Manila International Book Fair. Photo still from supplied Over Here Manila event footage; confirm photographer credit before publication.
Alt text: Young winners and finalists holding certificates on the Batang Lampara Batang Kuwentista 2026 stage at MIBF.
Six winners across two grade categories
Lampara Books announced three winners in each division. The results were presented during a dedicated segment at the book fair.
Category A Grades 1 to 3
- First place: Catriona Xia C. Gacutan
- Second place: Zander Skye H. Saplagio
- Third place: Ameera Estelle E. Incognito
Category B Grades 4 to 6
- First place: Czarina Sophia L. Hinanay
- Second place: Ma. Daniela C. Mejos
- Third place: Alamela G. Cacho
A nationwide field of 416 participants
The 2026 competition drew 416 participants from 139 schools across the Philippines, according to the organizer. Forty-five per cent of the entries came from cities and provinces outside the National Capital Region.
Online submissions expanded the field beyond Metro Manila, allowing children to join without travelling to the capital during the early stages. The finalists then performed at SMX Convention Center Manila for the closing round.
Storytelling as part of reading recovery
Lampara Books describes the competition as part of its wider reading advocacy. The publisher says the program aligns with the literacy priorities of the Department of Education’s Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program, which provides intervention for learners who need additional support in reading and other core competencies.
That connection is part of a broader push by the publisher. Lampara also runs the Magbasa Tayo! series using the Marungko approach and the Let’s Read! systematic phonics series.
Earlier in 2026, Lampara reported donating nearly one million books to DepEd as part of a collaborative response to reading gaps in Philippine schools. The competition uses a different route to the same goal: asking children to interpret a story in front of an audience and make the material their own.
The 2026 Manila International Book Fair hosted the competition’s final round at SMX Convention Center Manila. Photo still from supplied Over Here Manila event footage; confirm photographer credit before publication.
Alt text: Manila International Book Fair 2026 sign at SMX Convention Center Manila.
The panel behind the final results
The judging panel combined experience in children’s literature, performance, education and advocacy. It included multidisciplinary artist and children’s rights advocate Pepot Atienza; storyteller, puppeteer and professor Melanie Ramirez; UP Diliman creative writing and literature professor Eugene Evasco; UP Diliman reading education professor and children’s author Portia Padilla; and Philippine Educational Theater Association senior member Csairus John Habla.
Lampara co-founder and president Segundo Matias Jr. said the young performers brought spontaneous interpretations to the material. “Hindi maikakailang malikhain ang mga bata,” he said, pointing to the creativity the contestants showed rather than heavily rehearsed delivery.
The book fair gave the finalists a public stage
The finals placed the contest inside one of the country’s largest annual gatherings for readers, publishers and educators. Over Here Manila’s 2026 Manila International Book Fair guide covers the wider five-day program at SMX Convention Center Manila.
For families and schools, the results also show the geographic reach that online qualifying rounds can add to a children’s literacy program. Nearly half of the participants came from outside NCR, while the final presentation still gave the top storytellers an in-person audience.
The 2026 competition has concluded. Parents and educators interested in a future edition should watch Lampara Books’ official channels for the next call for entries, eligibility rules and submission deadlines.
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