A SHOPPING mall in Clark hosted a bonsai display and competition over the weekend.

SM City Clark hosted the Philippine Bonsai Society Inc., (PBSI) North Luzon Summit "Pamiyagum keti king Amianan" display and competition.

The competition featured about 200 bonsai creations by affiliate clubs across the country.

According to PBSI president Bobby Gopiao, the Northern Summit is their second national show this year.

An earlier bonsai show called "Sanib Pwersa" was held at SM City North Edsa in April this year.

The judges were graduates of PBSI's master class, the first course outside of Taiwan focusing on international standards of judging bonsai competitions.

Master Yen Zi Jing, former president of Taiwan Bonsai Judges Association, conducted the class from September 2018 to April 2019, and was the head of the panel of PBSI master class judges.

All of the judges, from different affiliate clubs, are members of the Philippine Bonsai Judges and Instructors Association.

Also present during the opening ceremonies and competition were SM City Clark mall manager Jerwin Jalandoni; assistant mall manager Alan Dale Parungao; Din Vihn Cuong, Asia Pacific (Aspac) committee; Hoang Ny, president of Vietnam Bonsai; Angelito Pangilinan, PBSI head of marketing and publicity; the 91-year old Fely ‘Mama Bonsai’ Gupit, a Suiseki master; and members of the Pampanga Bonsai Association.

The exhibit and competition ran until Sunday, October 18.

International bonsai masters including Master Yen Zi Jing from Taiwan, Master Lam Ngoc Vinh from Vietnam, and Romy Dino from the Philippines also held bonsai-making demonstrations on October 19 to 20.

PBSI is set to organize a huge delegation to Vietnam to attend the Aspac Convention in November.

"We are trending to hit our target of sending 80 delegates from PBSI. And it is in Vietnam where we will make our presentation for our bid to host Aspac in the Philippines in 2021," Gopiao said.

Gopiao also said they are organizing a group to attend HwaFong, the national show of their sister club, the National Bonsai Association of Taiwan.