An image of the “Mud People Festival” in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines was declared a Prize Winner in the 2020 International Photographic Contest in Commemoration of Prince Naris Day in Thailand.
The Prize-winning photo depicts the celebration of Mud People Festival on June 24 shot by cruise photographer Jophel Ybiosa, the only Philippine entry to receive the award.
Mud People was adjudged one of the 15 Prize Winners announced on January 31, 2020 from among 76 pieces of the Finalists that passed into the Final Round Selection for the Naris Day contest. The tilt is organized by the Silpakorn University in Bangkok, in cooperation with the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand and Narisaranuvattivongse Foundation.
The Filipino photographer will receive a cash prize, the H.R.H Prince Naris Medal of Distinction, and his piece will be part of the official catalogue and international exhibition.
In 2019, Ybiosa was given an Honorable Mention in the same contest.
Ybiosa writes about his prize winning Mud People: “Devotees wear dried banana leaves and cover themselves with mud while offering prayer or paying homage to Saint John the Baptist. According to a local legend, the Japanese soldiers were about to execute the villagers of Aliaga during World War II. But in the midst of downpour, Japanese soldiers suddenly change their minds. Afterwards, the villagers celebrated by rolling around the muddy ground. There´s a belief that being saved from the execution is a miracle of Saint John the Baptist.”
Asked by Good News Pilipinas about this new award, Jophel Ybiosa said, “The prestigious H.R.H. Prince Naris Medal of Distinction is unique and meaningful to me as a Prize Winner of International Photographic Contest. Since I’m also advocating our distinct Philippine culture and tradition thru the art of Photography, I decided to submit a different image of Mud People Festival in line to the contest theme, ‘Celebrate’.”
Jophel Botero Ybiosa, a Master Photographer/Platinum Artist of the Princess Cruise Lines, will receive his 9th Ani ng Dangal Award from the Philippines this February 2020 in celebration of the Philippine National Arts Month.
Another shot of Mud People was named the 1st Place Winner in the Events Photography Competition of The Society of International School and Event Photographers in the United Kingdom and won a Gold Award, and another shot won in the 2019 Chromatic Awards International Color Photography Contest, the first Filipino to receive the award.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS to Jophel Ybiosa and the people of Nueva Ecija for this new international recognition!
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