A SECOND-YEAR hospitality management student from Mariano Marcos State University successfully defended his championship in photography at a national tourism competition.

Mark Ashley Dela Cruz retained his crown in the Tourism Photography Contest during the 5th National Tourism and Hospitality Students’ Olympics, impressing judges with his striking image of the Botanical Garden.

Other MMSU students also claimed podium finishes. Fourth-year BSHM students Kate Garnacha, Christian Jezrel Tolentino, and Steven Calivo won silver in the Front Office Skills Dream Team event, while second-year BSHM student Sarah Soriano earned bronze in Travel Feature Article Writing. Additional participants included Renz Queja, a first-year tourism student who joined the photography contest, and Cyrill Duane Marcos and April Sahara Fernandez, who teamed up for the Tourism Quiz Bee. Berna Salacup competed in the Local Virtual Guiding category.

The delegation’s combined achievements secured MMSU a shared 2nd runner-up overall finish alongside Pangasinan State University in the annual national skills competition hosted by the University of Baguio School of International Tourism and Hospitality Management.