The
capacity crowd was on fire, with supporters from the province’s 21
municipalities and two cities rooting for their respective candidates. I have
not seen an Ilocano crowd—usually hard to please—so vibrant since Daniel
Padilla’s mini-concert in the same venue last year.
All
the candidates showed their best and glided elegantly on stage. They were
trimmed down, with only the fairest surviving, from 23 to twelve, and then
five. In the end, Laoag City’s Czarina Marie “Yna” Viloria Adina bagged the
title.
The
newly crowned queen is a real beauty: flawless, charming, smart, and this is
the best part: she is really Ilocana. It is a bonus for me and other proud
Laoagueños that she comes from our city.
There
was excitement in immense proportions. Maybe we have forgotten how such
experience feels? The most anticipated and biggest funded beauty pageant in
this part of the universe has been Miss Laoag, but for some reason, and in the
guise of internationalization, organizers opened the pageant to everyone, and
since then, most Miss Laoag winners are actually not from Laoag. We had a Miss
Laoag from La Union in 2012, Miss Laoag from Isabela in 2013, and a Miss Laoag
from Baguio this 2014.
Nice
feeling
“It’s a nice feeling, noh?” says Mary Jane “Mahjang” Pascual-Leaño,
who had practically reigned in all major beauty pageants in Ilocos Norte
(except Pasuquin’s Sunflower Gay Festival, of course). As Miss ABC Laoag 1999,
Miss Laoag 2000, and Miss Ilocos Norte 2001, Mahjang sure knows how good it
feels to be supported by fellow Ilocanos. But it feels even better for me and
her other faithful subjects to know that this beauty, over a decade after her
reign, continues to serve Ilocandia in every good way, unlike most Miss Laoag
candidates, many of whom are professional Bikini Open contestants who hop from
one beach, pool, bar, town, and province to the other.
Due
to the barrage of comments you, dear karikna, have made on articles I
have previously written on this issue, and also on account of my conversations
with various stakeholders, I am sure that most Laoagueños really wish that Miss
Laoag is from their city. I even say that we have a right not just to request
for it, but to demand so, because the city government spends our taxes for the
expensive event. In March last year, during the campaign period for the local
elections, I personally handed to mayor Chevylle Fariñas a printed copy of
comments you left on my blog. I have also talked about this with Miss Laoag
production head Randy Leaño and creative consultant Ianree Raquel—both of whom
I highly respect and admire on account of their artistic genius—but the former
seemed resolute in keeping the pageant open to everyone so long as they meet
the physical requirements.
When
the finalists were announced towards end of the Miss Laoag search held last
February, the crowd was silent, unexcited. There was no loud cheering, no
revelry. For how can you honestly root for anyone you don’t really know? How
can you lend the distinction of being your city’s muse to some person who will
leave a day or two after the pageant and who will only comeback to turn over
her crown?
Yna
Adina represented Laoag City though she has never donned the crown of Miss
Laoag. A tourism graduate of MMSU, she is a real looker. “Artistahin,” is what
people say of her. Not only is our new Miss Ilocos Norte beautiful; she is also
well-mannered, good-natured, and proudly Ilocano. As pageant winner, Yna is
signing a one year contract with the provincial government as ambassadress of
goodwill. This means we will be seeing her around for the entire duration of
her reign.
Other
winners were Maria Khrissa Parado (Dingras), first runner-up; Princess Raihanie
Salleh (Bacarra), second runner-up; Sheena Bolaños Dalo (Burgos), third
Runner-up; and Lyka Mari Bumanglag (Bangui), fourth Runner-up. Among them, it
seems to me that Dalo has the biggest chance to make a name in modeling. I am
writing a separate article about this 5’11” stunner from Burgos.
‘Fast
paced, finished early’
The audience, both those who trooped to the arena and homebodies
who watched the television coverage, were surprised that the pageant ran for
only two hours (8:30-10:30 p.m.). This is a breakthrough because other pageants
could last five hours and end at near dawn.
It
was a breathtaking quickie, indeed. There were no long speeches, no
intermission numbers, and, true to the Miss Universe format, only the top five
were subjected to the Q&A portion. The board of judges included Miss
Tetchie Agbayani, a versatile actress and the first Filipina to pose for
Playboy Magazine. She hails from Vintar and Dingras.
Finely
crafted videos
Another revelation was the quality of the video presentations that
featured each of the top 12 finalists. World-class both in form and content,
the video segment showed in amusing ways the real life personas of the
candidates. Miss Burgos, who is probably the most economically challenged among
the candidates (she had worked as a househelp for years), was humorously shown
cleaning up the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, a landmark of her hometown.
The
videos, by the way, were prepared by EM Productions. EM stands for the first
names of Eric Cayetano and Marianne Pasion, two persons passionate with their
work, but not as much as they love each other.
That
feeling
It really felt good, dear karikna, to celebrate the beauty
and talent that are truly our own. We hope mayor Fariñas felt it, too.
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