MAKATI CITY, Philippines—Making his debut on the national stage, Christian Ver Labana, a second-year Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering (BSECE) student, earned second place in the Digital Fine Arts Category of the 57th Shell National Students Art Competition (Shell NSAC), held at the Ayala Museum, Friday, November 15.

Labana’s winning artwork, titled “Bayan, Bayanihan,” marks his debut in a national arts competition, where he competed against some of the most talented student-artists in the country.

In an interview, Labana revealed the meticulous process he underwent to prepare for the competition, dedicating over a month solely to brainstorming and conceptualizing his entry.

“So yung ginawa ko po is nag-take time talaga ako sa preparation stage, need ko isipin nang mabuti yung magiging output ko. So nag-take ng isang month sobra sa brainstorming pa lang,” he shared.

Labana drew inspiration from the Filipino tradition of Bayanihan, a communal act of helping one another, especially during difficult times.

“Since lumaki ako sa Calbayog, lagi kong nakikita yung mga tricycle na de-padyak, so instead po na bahay yung binubuhat ng mga tao, sirang tricycle po yung nilagay ko,” the second-year student explained.

Growing up from a family of artists, Labana expressed he was more than proud of himself for being able to finally have his triumph in the national stage. 

“I joined, won some contests, and also lost countless times. So now, nung nalaman ko na second-placer ako, super happy ko po talaga kasi naka experience na ako ng panalo sa national stage. Pero, siyempre, at the end of the day, I always remind myself that an artist is always an artist kahit may title man o wala,” he expressed.

Despite struggling to solidify his concept, submitting his entry at the last minute, and nearly losing hope of making it to the finals after missing the expected notification date, Labana’s efforts ultimately paid off, earning him recognition among the country’s best young artists.

Article by Princess Anne Adona