The Philippine Bonsai Society recently mounted the Northern Summit, a bonsai exhibit and competition at SM City Clark, Pampanga.

More than 200 trees from affiliate clubs in Luzon competed. Judges were graduates of PBSI’s MasterClass, the first such course outside of Taiwan which used correct technical bonsai education and international standards of judging bonsai competitions. Master Yen Zi Jing, former president of Taiwan Bonsai Judges Association, conducted the class from September 2018 to April 2019, and was the head of the panel of PBSI MasterClass judges. All of the judges, from different affiliate clubs, are members of the Philippine Bonsai Judges & Instructors Association.

BONSAI demonstration by Taiwan Master Yen Tsi Xing.

(FROM left) Judges Ogi Uyehara, Richard Tuppil, PBSI president Bobby Gopiao, master Yen Tsi Xing, Dolphy Soriaga, Jeff de Guzman, Apollo Ferrer and Romy Dino.

The exhibit and competition opened on October 18. International bonsai masters conducted demonstrations on October 19 and 20, with. Master Yen Zi Jing from Taiwan, Master Lam Ngoc Vinh from Vietnam, and our very own master from the Philippines, Romy Dino, leading the event.

According to PBSI President Bobby Gopiao, “the Northern Summit was PBSI’s year-end showcase of the best bonsai trees in the Philippines. While the trees on exhibit came mainly from Luzon, Mindanao also sent their trees, while our affiliate club members from the Visayas witnessed the show. Their presence was truly a demonstration of a solid PBSI, the premier bonsai club in the Philippines”