The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has formally opened its Photography Contest for 2026 by inviting amateur and professional Filipino photographers to capture images of children at play in local communities nationwide.
This year’s contest theme, “Kids at Play (Kids@Play)”, aims to highlight everyday moments that reflect the joy of childhood and the values formed through community play by capturing them through photographs.
“Sa paglalaro nagsisimula ang pangarap. Sa paglalaro rin nahuhubog ang kanilang kinabukasan.
– Alejandro H. Tengco,
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the contest aims to immortalize scenes that show how playing games helps shape a child’s character and aspirations.
“Simple as they may seem, these games help instill discipline, persistence, sportsmanship, and resilience – values that are developed in children during their formative years and which may later serve as a foundation for their dreams, whether in sports or in life,” Mr. Tengco said.
“Sa paglalaro nagsisimula ang pangarap. Sa paglalaro rin nahuhubog ang kanilang kinabukasan,” he added.
The contest features photos under the Conventional, Mobile, and Drone categories
The Conventional Category includes photographs taken with digital cameras, including single lens reflex, mirrorless, compact, point-and-shoot, bridge, and rugged models.
The Mobile Category covers images captured using smartphones, tablets, action cameras, 360 cameras, and similar devices, while the Drone Category features aerial photographs taken using drone-mounted cameras.
PAGCOR will select eight grand winners per category.
Winners in the Conventional Category will receive P100,000 each and a trophy, while grand winners in the Mobile and Drone categories will receive P50,000 each and a trophy.
In addition, 24 non-winning finalists will receive consolation prizes. Finalists in the Conventional Category will receive P35,000 each, while finalists in the Mobile and Drone categories will receive P20,000 each.
Entries must be taken between September 23, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
The contest is open to all Filipino professional and amateur photographers who are at least 16 years old as of January 1, 2026.
Participants whose entries advance to the finals will be required to submit a signed waiver from the child’s parent or legal guardian, authorizing PAGCOR to use the images for contest-related and promotional purposes.
Entries must be submitted through the official PAGCOR Photography Contest 2026 website at https://www.pagcor.ph/photocon2026, where participants are required to register online prior to submission of their entries.
The submission deadline isJune 30, 2026.
