Photo contest focuses on Quezon

Photos that portray Quezon province’s rich culture and traditions, colorful fiestas, alluring places and pristine natural environment have kept on coming at the provincial tourism office in Lucena City as entries to a local government-sponsored photography contest.

“We’ve received more than 50 captivating photos and we’re expecting more entries from the influx of late queries of interested photographers. Choosing the winners will be difficult for judges,” said Alberto Bay, head of the provincial tourism office.

The contest, dubbed “Quezon in Focus,” started in April and will end on Aug. 27. It aims to promote the province as tourist destination for Filipinos and foreigners.

“One best way to show these captivating scenes and beautiful sites is through colorful photos,” Bay said.

The contest is open to all photographers. Winners will receive cash prizes.

Gov. David Suarez said blown-up photographs of winning photos would be displayed along the Quezon section of the Maharlika Highway and other major roads in the province, transforming them into a virtual stretch of photo studio. “Scenic photos are refreshing sights for motorists,” he said.

He said the project would also help transform the image of the province as it would reveal the unexplored and alluring side of Quezon.

The competition has five categories: “hidden treasures” (natural attraction that has the potential to be prime tourist destinations); “Quezon cuisine” (food and delicacies authentic to the province); “historic landmarks/sites” (areas declared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) or any other government agency as historical or protected); “private tourism establishment” (any enterprise that caters and provides services to tourists and customers); and “people/festival” (interesting shots of people/individuals that are local and depicts traditional life and culture of Quezon province).

Kelly Bautista, tourism operations officer, said all entries would be used in the agency’s promotion campaign. Winners will be included in a coffee-table book that the provincial government will put out.

A special category, called “It’s more fun in Quezon,” will also be open. “The photo subject could be anything that will best describe why it is more fun in Quezon,” Bautista said.

Interested photo enthusiasts may contact the Quezon-PTO (0922-9491145; [042] 3737510) for details of the contest.