STAR lensman wins World Press Photo tilt

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine STAR photographer Michael Varcas emerged victorious in the 2024 World Press Photo competition, along with 23 other regional winners, for his winning piece on the West Philippine Sea.

The World Press Photo announced the results on April 3, with Varcas being one of the awardees selected by an independent jury under the Southeast Asia and Oceania stories category.

Titled “Battle for Sovereignty,” his entry featured 10 single-frame photographs captured during his
 coverage in September 2023, revealing the struggles of Filipino fishermen amid the Chinese Coast Guard’s aggression in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, off Zambales.

“I was happy when I found out that we were able to participate because although the issue is being reported by the international media, we were able to get a spotlight on the international scene because of this contest,“ Varcas remarked.

Serving as photographer of the STAR for nine years now, Varcas has covered day-to-day social issues across the country, including former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At least we did our role to poke the international community regarding what is happening in our country,” he added.

Through his photo essay, the jury lauded Varcas’ “commitment to the story” about defending sovereignty and rights to natural resources, a looming conflict not only in Southeast Asia but also in other regions.

“The photographer’s commitment to the story is evident in their ability to overcome the significant barriers faced by regional journalists to access these scenes from non-military vessels. Furthermore, the strong composition of the images [portrays] the ongoing Chinese aggression in the disputed islands which draw links to other acts of globalism ongoing globally,” the jury further commented.

Regional winners chosen out of this year’s 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries will receive a cash prize of 1,000 euros or around P60,000. They will also be included in the annual World Press Photo yearlong worldwide exhibition.

From the 24 regional awardees, the jury will choose four global winners of World Press Photo of the Year, the World Press Photo Story of the Year, the World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award, and the World Press Photo Open Format Award, to be announced on April 18.

World Press Photo is an annual contest recognizing the “best photojournalism and documentary photography” that sheds light on the most pressing current issues.