In celebration of Filipino Values Month, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) held a digital poster-making contest, recognizing beautiful artworks made by Filipino students.
The contest featured Heneral Tuna, the witty and fierce blue alien cat from NCCA’s eponymous animated and book series. It showcased artworks done by Filipino high school and college students, with each poster interpreting the theme Filipino Values for the Common Good in their own mode and style.
This year’s competition is a little different from last year’s fan art contest, which featured traditional and digital artworks, but nevertheless became a vibrant showcase of talent and creativity among young Filipinos. This year’s contest was held from November 12 to 27, 2023, and attracted 220 entries from young Earthlings representing 56 cities and provinces throughout the country.
Young Boholano artist Anna Rina Oncog won first place with her interpretation of Filipino values imbibed by the different sectors of society. Oncog weaves Heneral Tuna into the unique elements of Filipino culture such as the jeepney and pagmamano while highlighting the aspirations of being Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Maka-bayan, and Maka-kalikasan.
Winning entry from Anna Rina Oncog of Bohol
Second place went to Lorenzo Angelo Maranan of Baguio City, whose monochromatic color scheme complemented by golden figures underline the realistic depiction of Heneral Tuna and the Earthlings of Barangay Hiraya. In selecting the Filipino values to portray in his poster, Maranan draws inspiration from the animated series, where each of the seven episodes show how values can weave together a community’s fabric.
Lorenzo Angelo Maranan’s thematic art comes in at second place
Receiving third place is Khem Mary Abalos of Antipolo City, who portrays Heneral Tuna as full-fledged member of Barangay Hiraya. In this digital poster, Heneral Tuna lives out the traditions and values he has learned and finds himself immersed in the day-today lives of his neighbors.
Third place winner Khem Mary Abalos shows how our blue alien cat has embraced Filipino values
With the wealth of talent shown by the number of entries received, it was a tough job for the NCCA and its panel of judges to choose just three winners. Some of the equally fantastic artwork include:
Oncog received a cash prize of PHP10,000 for her grand prize-winning entry while Maranan and Abalos received PHP7,500 and PHP5,000 respectively. The winners also received a certificate and special tokens from the NCCA to recognize their achievement.
The contest is one of the many activities included in the NCCA’s celebration of Filipino Values Month, which is held every November to promote the adoption of Filipino values in our daily lives. This year’s celebration was extra special with the launching of the Heneral Tuna children’s book series, published by the NCCA and Aklat Alamid, and a new partnership with the Knowledge Channel to air the Heneral Tuna episodes.
The Heneral Tuna animated and picture book series shows how Filipino Values are woven through daily life via stories that are entertaining yet meaningful. Sharing Filipino Values through animation and literature is NCCA’s way of upholding, instilling, and promoting these values to a new generation of Filipinos.
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