Seven Days In Ilocos

A good photographer will do anything and everything to capture the perfect moment.

Taking this to heart, eight members of the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP) recently trekked all the way up North to showcase the scenic beaches of Ilocos Norte and its Hispanic ancestry.

The Philippine STAR ace photographer Manny Marcelo, who nearly lost his precious camera when he slipped in a river en route to a photo shoot in the town of Adams, says he will never trade the week-long experience.

“The struggle to get there was all worth it,” Marcelo says as he enthuses about the astonishing sight of the virgin forests of Adams, a paradise for nature lovers.

Fellow STAR photographer Andy Zapata gamely took on the challenge of climbing the famous Cape Boreador lighthouse in the town of Burgos to catch a breathtaking view of the ocean facing the lighthouse.

“I felt like I was back in olden times,” an  enthralled Zapata relates.

The fruit of Marcelo, Zapata and their fellow lensmen’s labors will be presented in a month-long photo exhibit at the National Press Club grounds in Intramuros, Manila starting July 25, with a simultaneous exhibit in Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

The exhibit “Seven Days in Ilocos Norte” will feature the best pictures taken by Marcelo; Zapata; Edwin Bacasmas of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Sonny Camarillo of The Philippine Free Press Magazine; Sonny Espiritu of the Manila Standard Today; Revoli Cortez of The Freeman Newspaper; freelancer Jonathan Sulit; and Egay Montana of the Office of the Vice President.

The pictures are printed on 4 x 5 feet special canvas and mounted on all-weather-proof marine plywood.

The project is supported by the Department of Tourism, Office of the Press Secretary, Pagcor, Philip Morris Philippines, Ford Philippines and Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel and aims to raise funds for the PPP. — Chico Ruiz