MANILA, Philippines - The winners for the best selfie photos showing the country’s rich biodiversity were announced during the celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity. The entries of Rei Gallardo Jr. of Mandaluyong and Andrea Gaurana of Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu won the grand prize in the digital camera and mobile device categories, respectively. Gallardo’s entry entitled “Mt. Pulag†showed the majestic pine trees in Benguet Province while Gaurana’s entry entitled “Dulang-Dulang†featured summit views of Mt. Kitanglad.
Emerging as second and third prize winners in the digital camera category were the entries of Ira Beau Baconguis from Quezon City and Irvin Jethro Velas of Pasig City. In the mobile device category, the entries of Butuan City’s Alexa Percy Bustamante and Davao Oriental’s Erwin Baluro were named second and third prize winners, respectively.
With the theme “Protecting the Reservoir of Life, Selfie for Biodiversity,†the contest was organized by the DENR through the Biodiversity Management Bureau. The federal government of Germany, through Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, sponsored the contest.