Tree Festival, birth photography contest ends

From the twenty photographs of birds taken around Baguio-Benguet and the Cordillera region, three winners were selected; that of Arnulfo Gabilo, top photo with cash prize of P9,000, brothers Brian Carlo Layugan, second prize with P7,000 cash and Steven Bruce Layugan, third prize with P5,000 cash.     

Thus ended the “Titit” amateur photography contest which was launched as part of the Saleng Tree festival, celebrated from June to September, this year as second.

“Titit” is a generic term for birds; as they were photographed as various species, of different shapes and sizes; single or multi-colored, banded, mottled; common and exotic, blended with or in contrast with trees and grasses, in various modes. Prints were then previously exhibited at the city hall lobby.

The leisure activity of “birding,” that of wild birds being stalked and photographed, started as a physical education subject in 2013 at the University of the Philippines College Baguio, under Doctor of Philosophy and Human Kinetics Professor Jocelyn Floresca who is with the leadership council of Wild Bird Photography of the Philippines, an environment advocate, an avid bird photography and outdoor enthusiast.

The group of Baguio-Benguet bird enthusiasts or birders have grown to include bird watchers from other provinces, Bulacan, Metro Manila and as far as Cagayan de Oro, According to Prof Floresca, Baguio was recognized as “Birding hotspot” in 2020.

Judge of the bird photographs, Former Department of Education (Dep-Ed) Undersecretary and hobbyist Alain del Pascual also stepped in with his Lahing Makulay, a joint painted artwork and photography project. An experimental visual aesthetic, photographed birds are artistically blended in through paintings of colorful threads or fabric design from a chosen cultural community.

The paintings were also showcased at the city hall lobby.

Other similar activities are planned for the next Saleng festival. – Julie G. Fianza