Nationwide storytelling competition supports literacy while inspiring children to discover the joy of books
For children, a good story can be more than something to read—it can be an invitation to imagine, create, and see the world from a different perspective.
Lampara Books continues to nurture that love for stories through Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista 2026, a nationwide storytelling competition that gives young readers a platform to share their creativity and passion for literature.
The competition culminated in its Grand Finals on September 12, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center Manila in the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. The event brought together the top three finalists in two age categories as they competed for the championship.
More than just a competition, Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista forms part of Lampara Books’ broader efforts to promote reading literacy among Filipino children. The initiative complements the literacy priorities of the Department of Education’s ARAL Program, which provides systematic intervention for learners who need additional support in key academic competencies, particularly reading.
Making reading more engaging
Lampara Books has long supported reading development through programs such as Magbasa Tayo! (Marungko Approach) and Let’s Read! (Systematic Phonics).
Together with Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista, these initiatives reflect the publishing house’s continuing efforts to make reading more accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for children.
The winners of this year’s competition were announced during a special segment of the Manila International Book Fair.
Category A – Grades 1 to 3
- 1st Place: Catriona Xia C. Gacutan
- 2nd Place: Zander Skye H. Saplagio
- 3rd Place: Ameera Estelle E. Incognito
Category B – Grades 4 to 6
- 1st Place: Czarina Sophia L. Hinanay
- 2nd Place: Ma. Daniela C. Mejos
- 3rd Place: Alamela G. Cacho
The young storytellers were evaluated by a multidisciplinary panel composed of 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 Professor of Reading Education and children’s author Portia Padilla; and Philippine Educational Theater Association senior member Csairus John Habla.
Giving young voices a wider stage
The 2026 competition attracted 416 participants from 139 schools nationwide, with 45 percent coming from cities and provinces outside the National Capital Region.
Online submissions helped make the competition more accessible to children from communities across the country, allowing them to participate without having to travel to Manila during the early stages of the competition.
For Segundo Matias Jr., co-founder and president of Lampara Publishing House, Inc., one of the most memorable aspects of this year’s competition was the children’s natural approach to storytelling.
Rather than simply delivering rehearsed performances, many of the young participants brought their own personality and creativity to their interpretations.
“Hindi maikakailang malikhain ang mga bata,” Matias said, describing this year’s participants as natural and highly creative. Their spontaneity, he noted, gave the performances a refreshing quality and allowed each child to put a personal touch on the material.
Keeping the love for reading alive
With children growing up in an increasingly digital world, encouraging them to continue discovering the pleasure of reading remains an important challenge.
The rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) brings new opportunities for learning, but initiatives like Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista emphasize the importance of keeping books, stories, and reading at the heart of a child’s development.
For Lampara Books, the goal is not to keep children away from technology, but to make sure that technological progress goes hand in hand with a lasting appreciation for reading and literature.
“Ang Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista ay isang inisyatibo para lalo pang matutong magbasa ang mga bata. Hindi tayo dapat magpabaya. Gusto ihatid ng Lampara Books na mas masaya ang pagbabasa, kaya ginawa itong pagtatanghal para lalo pang mapalaganap ang pagbabasa,” Matias said.
Through storytelling, young readers are given more than a chance to compete. They are encouraged to express themselves, explore their imagination, and discover that reading can be an experience worth coming back to—one story at a time.
