IN a another international award-giving body, world-class Filipino artist and nine-time National Council of Arts Administrators (NCAA) Ani ng Dangal awardee Jophel Botero Ybiosa once again made Filipinos proud.
Ybiosa had won another international award from the Master Photographers International (MPI ) photo competition held on December 24.
Ybiosa’s masterpieces bagged 50 prestigious awards in the different competitions only this year.
The famous “The Mud People,” photo which was taken during the Aliaga Festival in Nueva Ecija on June 24, 2018 was the most that brought honor to the Philippines.
It shows the devotees wearing dried banana leaves and cover themselves with mud while offering a prayer to Saint John the Baptist.
According to a local legend, Japanese soldiers were about to execute the villagers of Aliaga during World War II when in the midst of downpour, they suddenly changed their minds. The villagers celebrated by rolling around the muddy ground.
There’s a belief that being saved from the execution was a miracle of Saint John the Baptist.
The black and white image of “The Mud People “ won a gold award last December 14 in the Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA) feat in Hungary.
Ybiosa was the first Filipino to bring home the bacon in this kind of artwork.
In November 202 , the colored version of the photo won 1st place and Gold Star award from the Neutral Density Photography Awards (ND Awards) competition.
Ybiosa, a cruise photographer of Princess Cruise Lines, was an alumni of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Ybiosa’d 2020 international achievements include the following: Gold Award – New York Photo Fair (U.S.A.), Best in Class Award – Master Photographers International Image Challenge (Canada), Main Category Winner in Events – Umbra International Photography Awards (United Kingdom), 1st Place Winner in People and Culture Category – PPAC International Photo Awards (Hong Kong), 1st Place and Gold Star Award in Editorial Category – ND Photography Awards (United Kingdom).
He was also a Gold Winner in Events Category – Budapest International Foto Awards (Hungary), Gold Winner in Events Category – The Societies International Image Competition (United Kingdom), Gold Winner in Events Category – Moscow International Foto Awards (Russia), Winner in Wildlife Photography – Images of Asia Monthly Photo Contest (Singapore), Prize Winner – International Photographic Contest (Thailand), Silver Award in Street Photography – Master Photographer International Image Challenge (Canada).
Ybiosa also made the country proud for winning the 2nd Place and Bronze Award in Smart Phone Landscape Category – PPAC International Photo Awards (Hong Kong), Silver Award – PPAC International Photo Awards (Hong Kong), Silver Award in Sports Category – WPE International Photo Awards (France), Silver Award in Street Category – WPE International Photo Awards 2nd Half Competition (France), Silver Award in Street Category – WPE International Photo Awards Final Competition (France), 2nd Place Events Photographer of the Year – Moscow International Foto Awards (Russia), 2nd Place Winner in Portrait (Children) Category – Umbra International Photography Awards (United Kingdom), 2nd Place Winner in Culture and Heritage Events Category – Umbra International Photography Awards (United Kingdom), Bronze Winner in Smartphone Photography – Paris Photography Prize (France), and Bronze Award in People and Culture Category – PPAC International Photo Awards (Hong Kong).
He was a 3rd Place Winner in Traditions and Cultures Category – International Photography Awards (U.S.A.) and got Bronze Award in Street Photography – Master Photographer International Image Challenge held in Canada.