The entries for Cebu Pacific’s Wandering Juan photo contest have been trimmed down to the final 15, and it’s up to you to help determine which three best depict the Filipino travel spirit.
Hundreds of photos were submitted to the competition, which provided travelers an online venue for showcasing their adventures through photos featuring a pair of tsinelas—the trusted companion of most Pinoy travelers.
For finalists like Ariel Chua and Celi Cieri, the motivation went beyond the prizes.
“The chance to share the beautiful places I have visited through Cebu Pacific encourage[d] me to capture the very best of every [destination] I visited,” proclaimed Chua.
“It is typical for Filipino travelers to travel with their tsinelas,” said Cieri. “The contest reminds me of the lakwatsero and lakwatsera in us Pinoys.”
Meanwhile for Karen Katherine Gonzales, it was about highlighting a place—in her case Iloilo—and featuring its fun-loving people and rich culture.(more below)
The contest had three categories: Sights for photos with a tsinelas featuring landmarks and other scenery; People for photos with a tsinelas and interesting people; and Travelogue for a series of five photos with a tsinelas, telling a story. According to the finalists, it was amusing to shoot their entries for the various divisions.
“It takes courage to bring out a tsinelas from one’s backpack and place it on the railings of the grand canals of The Venetian, the main lobby of the Sands or the steps in the ruins of St. Paul’s,” relayed Al Rodriguez, who shot his entry in Macau. “It [was] funny at times, especially when other tourists walked up to me and asked what’s with the slippers being the subject of the shoot.”
“I really wanted to incorporate the tsinelas as part of a concept and not just as a subject with a background,” explained Michael Angelo Fabian. “I was really pleased when I found this opportunity to make it seem like I was bartering my tsinelas with a Singaporean trader statue.”
The final 15 travel photos and series feature interesting twists because of the tsinelas in every shot.
For Arnold Jumpay, the experience provided an interesting travel epiphany. “Taking a photo of my own tsinelas is like taking my self-portrait,” he shared, revealing how the tsinelas mirrors his traveler’s spirit.
Said Miko Martelino: “Getting to shoot a perfect sunset along the white beach [of Boracay] was the most memorable thing about our visit. I am thankful that I was able to capture that breathtaking moment and now share it with everyone.”
These finalists, along with eight more, will compete for your vote in order to win one of only three prize travel packages. Up for grabs are roundtrip tickets for two to Singapore, Bangkok, and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia courtesy of Cebu Pacific; an EOS 1000D kit, Powershot SX200 digital camera, and VIXIA FS100 flash camcorder from Canon; and three Load Warrior luggage bags from Travel Club.
To check out their photos and those of the other finalists, visit www.WanderingJuan.com and vote for the tsinelas photo that touched you, your family and friends the most. Voting period is only until December 20
