The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) formally opened the second leg of the 2024 PAGCOR Photography Contest Exhibit on Wednesday, November 6, at The Grove at Newport Mall in Pasay City.
Held in partnership with Newport World Resorts (NWR), the exhibit features the 48 grand finalists of the PAGCOR 2024 photo contest to give the public a creative glimpse into the country’s bountiful harvest season.
With the theme “Harvest Time,” PAGCOR’s photo competition this year captured the beauty and richness of the Philippines’ agricultural resources, and the hard work of Filipino farmers, growers, and fishermen through the lens of talented photographers.
“These 48 grand finalists from our recently concluded photo contest are the ones that stood out from over 4,000 photo entries that we received,” said PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco who graced the event’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Each photo on display here is a testament to the incredible talent and creativity of Filipino photographers,” he said.
“The goal of this annual photo contest is to encourage not only professional and seasoned photographers to participate but also to push budding photography enthusiasts to explore their talents, celebrate their creativity, and showcase the country’s unique character, beauty and traditions using photography as a medium,” Mr. Tengco added.
The PAGCOR chief was joined in the ceremony by NWR Chairman Kevin Tan and NWR President and CEO Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez.
For his part, Rodriguez said that hosting the exhibit for the winning pieces of PAGCOR’s 2024 Photography contest is an honor for NWR.
“We at Newport World Resorts have long been advocates of Filipino talent and showcasing the best of the Philippines throughout our properties and our signature brand of service,” he said.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr. Tengco also announced PAGCOR’s photo contest theme for next year: Infrastructure for Economic Development.
“Our theme for next year’s photo contest aims to highlight the vital role of the country’s major infrastructure projects – such as highways, roads, bridges, air, and seaports, among others – as catalysts for the nation’s economic growth and prosperity,” he said.
The NWR exhibit, which will run until January 6, 2025, also features the “Expert Photographers Speak”, a photo appreciation session with seasoned lensmen Jijo de Guzman and Jay Jallorina.
De Guzman’s lecture, “Vision and Voice”, will be held on November 21 while Jallorina’s talk, “Build, Build Capture”, will highlight advanced techniques for photographing cityscapes and infrastructure and will be held on December 6.
Both photography learning sessions are open to the public for free and will be held at 2:00 p.m., 2/F at The Grove Newport Mall.