Rommel Joson wins 2025 PBBY-De Jesus Wordless Book Prize

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) proudly announces Rommel E. Joson as the winner of the 2025 De Jesus Wordless Book Prize for “Alikabok sa Liwanag.”

Rommel Joson is an illustrator and painter. He has illustrated children’s books from various Philippine publishers and has participated in two international comics anthologies. In 2015, his children’s book "Isang Harding Papel" with Augie Rivera won the Filipino Readers Choice Awards for Best Children’s Book. In 2018 he won the Komura; Creator’s Grant to self-publish the zine anthology Takatak Komiks. He is currently a full-time faculty member at the UP College of Fine Arts where he is also taking up his postgraduate studies.

Joson will be awarded with a medal, a cash prize worth twenty thousand pesos, and the opportunity to be published.

PBBY also recognizes Al Estrella, Dani Go, and Ray Sunga as the Honorable Mention Awardees.

This year is the first time the award will be given in honor of Ruben “Totet” De Jesus since his passing in 2023. De Jesus was a founding member of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), served as sectoral representative for illustrators of PBBY, and was a beloved professor at the UP College of Fine Arts. His award-winning illustrations have received international recognition from the Noma Concours for Children’s Book Illustrations in Tokyo, Japan, and the New York Showcase Exhibition and Competition of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

The winners of the 2025 De Jesus Wordless Book Prize will be awarded at the 42nd National Children’s Book Day ceremonies on July 15, 2025 at Museo Pambata.

For inquiries about the contest, contact the PBBY Secretariat at secretariat@pbby.org.ph.