It's no secret that Filipinos can absolutely slay anything they set their minds to, and two phenomenal Filipina photographers just proved it yet again! Let's give a big round of applause to Hannah Reyes Morales and Kimberly dela Cruz, who totally rocked the Southeast Asia and Oceania category of the World Press Photo Contest's 66th edition! They've shown us that Filipinos can dominate any field with their talent, creativity, and sheer determination.
The World Press Photo Foundation recently announced the winners of its 66th edition, and the 24 winners and six honorable mentions are nothing short of mind-blowing! These talented individuals covered a wide range of topics, from the front lines of conflict and cultural identity, to migration and memories of the past. With over 60,000 submissions from 127 countries, it's no small feat that these 24 winners and six honorable mentions came out on top. It's truly amazing to see so many people from different backgrounds and parts of the world coming together to showcase their talents and stories. Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions - you're an inspiration to us all!
The Golden Gays
Hannah Reyes Morales' photographs for the New York Times story Home for the Golden Gays won an award in the Stories category for Southeast Asia and Oceania. The portrayal of the Golden Gays' warmth, joy, and dignity in Reyes-Morales' artwork received praise. She focused on the elderly LGBTQI+ citizens of Manila who have been supporting one another for years due to their long-term living arrangements.
The Photographs by Hannah Reyes Morales have appeared in a variety of publications, including The New York Times, National Geographic, and Al Jazeera. Her work has won awards, including the 2020 Infinity Award for Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism from the International Center of Photography. She was born in the Philippines and now lives and works throughout Asia. She received a commission to present an exhibition of Maria Ressa's work in 2021 as the Nobel Peace Prize photographer.
Death of a Nation
Dela Cruz's project, titled "Death of a Nation," which marked the past administration's bloody "war on drugs," received the prize for "Long-term projects." She began as a photojournalist for The Philippine Daily Inquirer after which she made contributions to The Washington Post, Time Magazine, and Buzzfeed. In 2016, she began capturing the drug war by collaborating with the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism to co-produce the children's book "Si Kian," which was based on the drug war's killings of minors.
“Selecting these arresting winning images from tens of thousands of entries was a huge task for our independent jurors, all of whom demonstrated profound care, expertise and passion in reaching their decisions, delivering a stunning and globally balanced view of the past year,” said World Press Photo Foundation executive director Joumana El Zein Khoury of the 2023 competition.
She added, “In a world where dozens of journalists are still killed in the line of duty every year, I could not stop thinking about the journeys and risks these photographers – and often, their subjects – take to bring us these images of our world.”
According to the World Press Photo Foundation, the winning entries will be featured in an annual traveling exhibition visible to over 4 million people, shown in over 100 locations worldwide, and posted on its website and social media platforms for its over 2 million followers. They'll be printed in the yearbook as well.
Additionally, each of the 24 regional winners will receive €1,000, and the four global winners will receive an additional €5,000. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Amsterdam on April 20.
On the World Press Photo Foundation website, a complete list of the regional winners is accessible. We can't wait to see what other amazing feats the Filipino community will achieve next!
