They all descended. Mostly accomplished ladies, with some supportive gentlemen. Everyone was eager to marvel at the acrylic, oil and watercolor paintings exclusively created by female artists from all over the archipelago to celebrate National Women’s Month.

The event was the Sining Filipina awarding ceremony, and the theme was “Women Power.” The hosts were Zonta Club of Makati and Environs Foundation Inc., the SM Supermalls and BDO Unibank Inc., and the venue, SM Aura Upper Ground Level Atrium. The attendees were ambassadors and diplomats, business and civic leaders, champions of worthwhile advocacies, art connoisseurs and enthusiasts.

The national art competition, which attracted 732 entries from across the islands, was divided into two categories: Figurative and Non-Figurative.

Declared top awardees were Hanna Joy Sayam for her Pira-Pirasong Tela ng mga Marias for the Figurative category and Maria Gemma San Jose for Layers of Experience for the Non-Figurative category. Both received P250,000 cash prizes. Other winners for the Figurative section were Luckyshia Jenielou Canonigo for Gabay na Ilaw, second place, and Maria Christina Baltero for Kula, third. Completing the list of honorees for the Non-Figurative category were Maria Melissa Sangoyo for She’s not that complicated, second, and Isabelita Rodillo for The Power of Many, third. Cash prizes for the second and third place winners were P150,000 and P100,000, respectively.

The esteemed panel of jury was kept hidden from competitors and the public to prevent any biases and influences. This stellar lineup included two artists — Julie Lluch, internationally renowned multi-awarded sculptor and a master of clay and terracotta; and Mark Justiniani, a painter known for his socio-politically illustrative fueled works. They were joined by industry experts, who are movers of their respective museums: Kenneth Esguerra, senior curator and head of Conservation of the Ayala Museum; Tina Colayco, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila president, professor and former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts; and Victoria T. Herrera, Ateneo Art Gallery director and chief curator, former Cultural Center of the Philippines Visual Arts and Museum Division director, and UP Baguio Museo Kordilyera Curatorial consultant.

The awarding program, which marked the launch of the exhibit, showcased the six winning entries and those of the 72 finalists.