Favorite photographs


"LOOK at that smile. That’s a smirk. Like he’s up to no good,” said Rene Lumawag smiling as he pointed to a photograph. It is his favorite shot of his subject among the 31-piece collection in the “Rody Duterte, Through the Years” the photographic exhibition of the award-winning photographer that recently opened in Abreeza Mall.



Rene Lumawag with Elizabeth Zimmerman by the photographers favorite shot of his subject


Formally opening the exhibition was guest of honor Elizabeth Zimmerman




It comes to no surprise why the same 1987 shot of the young Rody Duterte, the man who would be inaugurated as the President of the Philippine Republic in a few days, was selected for the invitation and the exhibitions main mount.



The artists favorite photograph of Rody Duterte on the event invitation & main mount of the exhibition (below)







“Rody and I are pretty much the same. We love telling jokes,” said the photographer.

Rody Duterte and Rene Lumawag are the men of the hour. This was quite evident on the opening day of the exhibit where a large crowd gathered in support of the veteran photojournalist and to see the president-elect’s past through captured in photographs, who, perhaps, was also expecting for the president to show up.

In support of Tatay Rene, friends from the different sectors arrived in full force on opening day. Beth Zimmerman was the guest of honor, and the crowd was composed of the artist’s fellow lens men from the Camera Club of Davao, businessmen, peers from the Davao media, politicians, family and the national media.



Gracing the affair on a personal capacity, the POOC Secretary Martin Marfori Andanar


Jun Ledesma, Rene Lumawag & Congressman Tony Boy Floirendo


Businesswomen & friends of the artist Gene Bangayan, Susabel Reta with the exhibition's guest of honor


All for one & one for all, the Camera Club of Davao with the man of the hour




I asked Tyrone Lumawag what is his favorite of his dad’s collection and he pointed to “Lost Boy”. The frame captured Mayor Rody Duterte comforting a crying 4-year-old boy named Topher Pore Quijano, who was lost in the crowd during a political event at the Rizal Park sometime in 1990.




Tyrone Lumawag's favorite photograph of the Mayor & the president-elect



Tyrone said, “Everyone knows the mayor as ‘mabunganga’ and fierce, but people doesn’t really see his soft side. It’s the side of him the mainstream media (clearly, referring to the non-Davao media) don’t pick up.”




Always the respectful one. Rody Duterte with his mother, Nanay Soling.




Day two was no different. There was a steady number of people present at the exhibit area, and I’m pretty sure nothing will change until the last day.



Congratulations Tatay!




I dare say, to date this photographic exhibition by Rene Lumawag chronicling 25 years of Rody Duterte is the most successful event the mall has mounted of its kind. Check it out, the show runs until July 6.


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