The HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2025 and the Filipino Spirit That Captivated the World

With everything happening in the world, especially in the Philippines, it feels like the bad news never stop. From the unraveling flood control corruption to the destruction of properties brought by the recent earthquakes and typhoons. Minsan parang ayaw mo na lang manood ng balita kasi puro bad news!

Filipino Strength Beyond the Headlines

But these negative stories do not define us. And despite the appearance of a few bad apples, the Philippines has always been an underdog that doesn’t easily back down from a fight. From Manny Pacquiao to Hidilyn Diaz, we have proven that the Philippines can go toe-to-toe with any country, in any competition.

In the midst of the ongoing political crisis we’re facing, 5 of our fellow kababayans just gave us a reason to celebrate by winning in the recently concluded 2025 HUAWEI XMAGE Awards held in Paris, France. Imagine, out of over 743,000 submissions from 78 different countries and regions, five of our kababayans emerged victoriously!

The World, You and Me as a Testament to Humanity

Brought together under the theme “The World, You and Me,” HUAWEI managed to not only showcase what their XMAGE technology can do, they’ve also managed to present a rich tapestry of human experience, shot not with professional grade equipment, but with the King of Mobile Photography, which anyone can buy.

We were a bit bummed out when we learned that from the 5 Filipinos that won, only 2 were able to make it out to the awarding ceremony. These two were Mark Linel Padecio with his entry “Muddy But Happy” and Rhon Velarde with the “Glimmer of Hope.

We’ve talked about the entries that won in detail in our article “From the Philippines to Paris: Filipino Visionaries Illuminate the HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2025,” but if you haven’t read that we’d be happy to discuss a bit about the two entries that made it to the awarding.

• Mark Linel Padecio’s “Muddy But Happy”: Starting off with Mark’s winning shot that was captured in rural Cebu using the HUAWEI nova 10. The image captures two children rolling happily in the mud, a sight that usually comes unnoticed, but Mark masterfully captured the raw and genuine spirit of the scene. Reminding us of that trademark Filipino resilience and finding light in simplicity.

• Rhon Velarde’s “Glimmer of Hope”: We’re still a bit amazed at how a 5-year-old HUAWEI P40 Pro was able to produce such a beautiful shot. Just goes to show how durable and timeless HUAWEI smartphones are. Going back to Rhon’s entry, “Glimmer of Hope” offers a different yet equally emotional take on the spirit of perseverance that resonates deeply with us Filipinos.

XMAGE as a Celebration of Human Creativity

Are we even surprised? I mean this is the same phone maker that brought us the Pura 80 Ultra which has received the highest DxOMark score, eight points higher than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. It continues to dominate the leaderboards, making the Pura 80 Ultra the clear number one for users who wants the best camera in any condition.

The HUAWEI XMAGE Awards isn’t just a competition, it’s a celebration of the human spirit using the smartphone as a powerful vehicle for culture, identity, and connection. Proving once and for all that you don’t need an expensive equipment to capture the beauty in life, all you need is a HUAWEI smartphone in your hand.

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