Shell Philippines honoured the country’s emerging young artists on 05 December 2025 as it staged the 58th Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC) awarding ceremony at the Ayala Museum in Makati City. The event celebrated student creativity under this year’s theme, “ALAB”, a call to recognise the passion, hope, and purpose fuelling the next generation of Filipino artists.

A legacy shaping Philippine art

First launched in 1951, the Shell NSAC remains the Philippines’ longest-running student art competition. For more than seven decades, it has provided young Filipino artists with a national platform to share their ideas and contribute to the country’s cultural landscape. Its long history includes nurturing some of the nation’s most celebrated names, among them National Artists Jose Joya, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Ang Kiukok, and Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, as well as contemporary figures such as Ronald Ventura and Leeroy New.

This year, the competition logged 2,232 student registrations from 172 schools nationwide — a strong testament to its continued relevance in Philippine arts education. Beyond awarding prizes, the NSAC supports participants through exhibitions, institutional partnerships, mentorship opportunities, and scholarships that help young artists develop their craft and enter wider creative networks.

A night of performances and reflection

The ceremony opened with a welcome message from Jorell Legaspi, Senior Director for Arts and Culture of the Ayala Foundation Inc. He spoke about the museum’s commitment to promoting young Filipino talent, noting that its partnership with Shell provides artists with opportunities that extend beyond the competition. Student artists enjoy linkages to institutions, professional development, and broader cultural engagement.

The evening then shifted to a vibrant performance by Move to the Groove, a dance troupe from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Their piece fused Filipino traditional clothing and indigenous musical elements with contemporary hip-hop, mirroring the energy and meaning behind the theme “ALAB”. Their fiery, rhythmic presentation set the tone for a night devoted to artistic passion.

Toym Imao on art, humanity, and a shifting landscape

A highlight of the ceremony was the inspirational address from Abdulmari de Leon Imao Jr. (known to many as Toym Imao), Dean of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts and a multi-award-winning artist known for his political and historical installations. Drawing from decades of artistic practice, mentorship, and advocacy, Imao spoke candidly about the challenges confronting today’s artists.

Quoting from his speech, he reminded the audience: “When you weaken the humanities, you weaken the human being.” He raised concerns about proposed removals of Art Appreciation and Contemporary Philippine Arts Across the Region from college curricula in the country, as well as anxieties surrounding AI-generated art and the difficulty of preserving and appreciating the human creative spirit in an age of automation.

Imao emphasised that art not only reflects society but shapes it. At its best, it also fosters empathy, connection, and collective imagination. His remarks resonated deeply with the evening’s theme and underscored the essential role of artists in navigating contemporary social and cultural shifts.

Partners in building a future for Filipino art

The 58ᵗʰ NSAC acknowledged the support of its sponsors, Boysen Philippines, IFEX, and Airspeed, whose contributions help sustain the competition and provide avenues for young artists to showcase their stories. It also recognised a wide network of cultural collaborators, including the Ayala Museum, the National Museum of the Philippines, Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, Arts Geek Manila, Artist Welfare Inc., Orange Project, and several regional museums and galleries.

These partners form part of a broader cultural ecosystem that allows students to access exhibition spaces, artistic communities, and platforms that nurture their confidence and visibility.

Celebrating the winners

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of winners across five categories:

Digital Fine Arts

• 1st Place — Sagwan Math-tatag! by Adam Martin De Leon, University of the East – Caloocan
• 2nd Place — This Flame Remembers Me by Sofia Frances De Guzman, Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna
• 3rd Place — Moving Stories by Amos Ulang, University of the Philippines – Diliman

Sculpture

• 1st Place — Pinagtagping Piraso by Ivan Joysen Del Rosario, Rizal Technological University
• 2nd Place — 0.02g by Jusun Joshua Estoce, University of Santo Tomas
• 3rd Place — Paglayag Tilupad by Gian Paolo Marchadesch, University of the Philippines – Diliman

Watercolour

• 1st Place — Odyssey of the Scrap Mariner by Jonnas Almazar, Bataan Peninsula State University
• 2nd Place — Two-Big by Irish Fernandez, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College – Main Campus
• 3rd Place — Kinsenas by Keth Byonnsey Estilo, Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology

Oil & Acrylic

• 1st Place — Usok na nagiging Buhay by Ruth Cenas, University of the Philippines – Mindanao
• 2nd Place — Raniag ni Maskbayan (The Light of Futurity) by Don Ace Rabbon, University of Northern Philippines
• 3rd Place — The Flame Within by Vilia Crestene Gelaga, Cebu Technological University – Argao Campus

Photography

• 1st Place — Alab: A Burning Vision of Hope by Jerry Balanay, Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology
• 2nd Place — Hangga’t May Liwanag by Jason Mendoza, Sorsogon State University
• 3rd Place — The Flame Within by Shainne Maica Ayap, Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas

The first-place winners received P60,000 in cash, while second-place winners were awarded P40,000 and third-place winners P30,000. All top three also received a limited-edition Shell NSAC shirt and jacket, a certificate, and a trophy, as well as art materials from IFEX. First-place winners additionally received gift certificates from The Moment Group, and their respective schools or universities were granted P20,000 to support faculty development programs.

Keeping the flame alive

Through the 58th Shell NSAC, the country once again witnessed the strength of Filipino youth creativity — rooted in memory, driven by purpose, and destined to shape the future. As the artworks illuminated the Ayala Museum galleries, the theme “ALAB” found life not merely in the pieces displayed, but in the collective conviction that art matters, and that young artists will continue to define the nation’s cultural path forward.