TARLAC CITY – Architecture student Christian Aaron Bondoc placed first in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) On-the-Spot Poster Making contest of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 3 at Tarlac State University (TSU).
He received a Certificate of Appreciation and Php5,000.
In an interview, 23-year-old Bondoc said he came to the contest unprepared, and even without the proper art materials.
“I wasn’t really prepared. I just saw my mates in the venue [of the contest] preparing, so I asked if I could still join. When I found out that I still could, I thought to myself, ‘I’ll take this opportunity now, so I can compete for the last time before I graduate’, then I quickly ran to buy some of the basic materials in poster-making,” he shared.
Titled “ASEAN Torch: Lighting the World”, his winning piece features a torch with people from the ASEAN member states atop, symbolizing the diversity in culture while attaining unity, peace and progress in the economy.
Interestingly, the champion has been a veteran in the field of arts as he has been a finalist in several national tilts, such as Petron National Painting Competition, National Irrigation Administration Contest, and Dong-A National Doodle Competition.
Landing second place was 18-year old Fine Arts student Noel Peter Seña.
He shared that he immediately wanted to join the contest upon seeing the flyers posted by their University’s Student Development Office.
“I joined the contest because I want to become active in art competitions, so as to improve my skills in the arts,” he said.
His artwork, titled “United”, stresses on how the ASEAN brings out the joy of unity in the community through partnership, as portrayed by the two hands shaking.
What’s inspiring is Seña intends to use his Php3,000 cash prize as a means to pay for his tuition.
“I plan to use it to pay for my remaining balance, so as to lessen my parents’ financial burden,” he shared.
Meanwhile, third year Communication student Maria Adelaida Calayag ended third.
“Honestly, I felt scared when I saw that the contest was dominated by males, and especially males from College of Architecture and Fine Arts,” she said.
In spite of the pressure, she chose not to focus on the competition but on the experience she can get from the latter.
“I decided not to think of whether I will win or lose [in the competition]. If I let this [contest] pass, I’d probably end up regretting it for months,” she said.
Rising above male dominance, her piece, although without a title, smoothly resembled how the ASEAN member-states embraced camaraderie through cultural diversity, which got her the cash prize worth Php2,000.
The contest served as an ancillary activity of PIA Region 3’s ASEAN Campus Forum at TSU.
PIA Region 3 will hold similar events this year in Central Luzon State University, Aurora State College of Technology, Bataan Peninsula State University, and Ramon Magsaysay Technological University. (CLJD/JRAA-PIA 3)