That fire burned bright at the 58th Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC), where more than 2,200 entries poured in from campuses across the Philippines. Held at the Ayala Museum in Makati, the awarding ceremony honored 15 student-artists whose works stood out for turning “Alab” into deeply personal, sometimes quiet, and often powerful stories of youth, purpose, and hope.

This year’s theme was not just about flames and sparks. “Alab” became a lens through which young artists explored what fuels them. For some, it was childhood imagination. For others, it was memory, struggle, community, or the simple act of dreaming despite uncertainty.

Across categories, the winning works showed how varied that inner fire can be.

In watercolor, first prize winner Jonnas Almazar of Bataan Peninsula State University took viewers on an imaginative journey with “Odyssey of the Scrap Mariner.” What starts as a child’s toy boat made from scraps becomes a grand vessel through the power of imagination. Irish Fernandez’s “Two-Big,” which won second place, used a figure in yellow to symbolize hope and the pursuit of a brighter future, while Keth Byonnsey Estilo’s “Kinsesas” honored a welder father, with flying sparks standing in for love, sacrifice, and dreams for his daughters.

Digital fine arts winners leaned into everyday realities. Adam Martin De Leon of UE Caloocan won first place with “Sagwan Math-tatag!,” a work inspired by his own workplace and the country’s ongoing struggle with math education. Sofia Frances De Guzman’s “This Flame Remembers Me” came from a more personal place, using a single flame as a reminder to return to one’s purpose when motivation runs low. Rounding out the category, Amos Ulang’s “Moving Stories” captured the poetry of daily commutes, where shared spaces quietly shape creative lives.

Photography winners proved that “alab” does not always roar. Sometimes, it glows softly. Jerry Balanay of Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology won first place with “Alab: A Burning Vision of Hope, ” a candlelit image of an artist creating in darkness. Jason Mendoza’s “Hangga’t May Liwanag,” shot on a busy street in Gubat, Sorsogon, found warmth in a lively barbershop scene, while Shainne Maica Ayap’s “The Flame Within” framed a reader between bookshelves, bathed in golden light that hints at an inner fire.

In sculpture, emotion took solid form. Ivan Joysen Del Rosario of Rizal Technological University earned first place with “Pinagtagping Piraso,” a moving portrayal of a grandmother with Alzheimer’s, stitching together fragments of memory as an act of love. Jusun Joshua Estoce’s “0.02g” focused on a single grain of rice to reflect the heavy realities faced by Filipino farmers, while Gian Paolo Marchadesch’s “Paglayag Tilupad” turned a paper boat into a symbol of fragile but determined Filipino dreams.

Oil and acrylic entries brought the theme full circle. Ruth Cenas of UP Mindanao won first place with “Usok na Nagiging Buhay,” showing a young artist sketching by candlelight as smoke rises to form the painter she hopes to become. Don Ace Rabbon’s “Raniag ni Maskbayan (The Light of Futurity)” highlighted the role of family and community in shaping future leaders, and Vilia Crestene Gelaga’s “The Flame Within” reflected on her younger self, holding onto a spark that continues to drive her creativity.

For Abdulmari “Toym” D. Imao Jr., dean of the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, “Alab” goes beyond fleeting passion.

“We all carry that moment when an inner voice tells us we have something to share with the world. But Alab is more than passion—passion fades. Alab is the purpose. It is when your art becomes testimony, when every line, frame, and gesture speaks to something bigger than yourself. In that moment, you are not just creating art; you are shaping culture,” he said.

That idea sits at the heart of Shell NSAC, which for over 70 years has served as more than a competition. It is a platform, a community, and a movement that encourages students to dream boldly and create meaningfully.