Filipino photojournalist who won at 2025 World Press Photo Awards couldn't attend after visa was denied
Filipino photojournalist Noel Celis lamented how he was unable to personally receive his award at the 2025 World Press Photo awards after his visa was rejected.
On his Facebook page, the seasoned photographer revealed that he was denied his visa due to his being a freelancer, making him unable to attend the prestigious award show in Amsterdam that honored him for covering the overlapping 2024 typhoons that devastated the Philippines.
"[Dito] lang ako sa Pilipinas habang nangyayari yung awarding ceremony ng World Press Photo sa Amsterdam. Kasi, freelancer ngayon, walang papers na maipakita na empleyado ako sa Pilipinas na kailangan umuwi, baka daw mag TNT [tago ng tago] ako dun sa Amsterdam," he wrote.
TNT is a term used for Filipinos who are undocumented or have overstayed their visas, often working or living in a country without legal status.
"Hindi naman ako nag-apply para maging tourist dun, sila nagpadala ng invitation para pumunta ako dun," Celis said.
He said that the WPP will still send him the Golden Eye Award given to winners as well as the photo book containing his entry “Four Storms, 12 Days,” which showed Filipinos carrying their things as they braved through the flood waters to evacuate. His photo was shot for the Associated Press.
These were taken back when four typhoons—namely Yinxing (Marce), Toraji (Nika), Usagi (Ofel), and Man-Yi (Pepito)—were simultaneously active near the country in 10 days in November 2024.
Despite not being able to go to the award show in person, Celis assured that he is still content, as his primary goal was to help draw attention to the challenges being faced by Filipinos at the time.
"Hindi [ako] mahilig sumali sa mga photo contest. Yung unang WPP, opisina ang nagsali ng picture. Itong pangalawa, kinumbinsi o pinilit ng mga kaibigang photojourn. 'Yung naka kumbinse sa akin, ang sabi, 'Gamitin mo yung WPP para mas makita ng buong mundo 'yung problema sa Pilipinas na kinunan mo ng picture,'" he recalled.
"Oo nga. Ayun nasa isip ko. Hindi para i-angat ang sarili, para makita nang mas madami yung pictures. So, sa isang banda, doon pa lang ay kuntento na ako. Makita ng mas buong mundo yung pictures, dun palang, accomplished na yung goal ko," he continued.
Celis was among the 42 regional winners selected by the jury out of 59,320 entries by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries.
He previously worked as a photo correspondent for Agence France-Press in 2009, but has since become a freelancer tapped by Greenpeace Philippines and the Associated Press.
