Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2014 and Saulog sa Tagbilaran 2014

• Geraldine Topsnik: Mutya sa Tagbi 2014

• Performers fascinate Saulog crowd

Was the right woman crowned?

Fifteen of the city’s loveliest ladies assembled in Tagbilaran City last Monday (April 28) for the come-back of Mutya sa Tagbilaran (formerly Miss Teen Tagbilaran, Miss Young Tagbilaran and Miss Tagbilaran) competition of beauty, brains — and, of course, bikinis (provided by Hanz Coquilla)!

Miss Dampas Geraldine Topsnik wear the Mutya crown -- er, tiara -- atop her perfectly coiffed head. Courtesy: Ric Obedencio (RO)

There were top five... and then it came down to Miss Poblacion 2 Rizalee Rose  Razo (who became first runner-up and  Miss Talent and Best in Evening Wear) and Miss Cabawan Karen Rossana Llorente (who was second-runner-up and Best in Production Number and Best in Swimsuit) and Miss Dampas  Geraldine Topsnik who ended up taking home the crown!

The 17-year-old Topsnik, a half-German half-Filipino, describes herself as a “full Filipina and a true Boholana” and aspires to become a successful businesswoman.

Topsnik (wearing another crown)  with her runners-up during the Saulog Parade. RO

In her Mutya official video on Youtube, Topsnick said she loves pansit. “My favorite food is pansit.  Because I believe that pansit is one of the simple dishes that is present in every family.  Come to think of it, when you think of pansit it is very simple. I think it’s complexity and the simplicity of pansit truly describes Filipina beauty and taste.”

“Success is having a goal in life,” said Topsnik. “As long as you tried your best to achieve your goal, and no matter what happen you are contented of what you have.”

It was a night of thrills and surprises.  Beauty watchers who watched Topsnik during the pageant night said that it was her overall aura and stage presence made her a winner.

“She was also great in her early interview,” said VRS who likes beauty pageant.

Miss Bohol Sandugo 2005 and Bb. Pilipinas –World 2006 Anna Maris Igpit (who also trained the ladies how to walk) was on hand to host the big event with TV host and eventologist Tim Yap. 

The judge's panel included Bohol’s first lady Pureza Chatto, 2014 Miss Tourism International Angeli Dione Gomez, GMA-7 Network talent center head Ida Henares, ABS-CBN entertainment anchor, TV host and fashion/commercial model Phoemela Baranda, actress, model and music video director Bianca King Bianca King, Mister International 2013 4^th runner-up Gil Wagas, fashion designers Cary Santiago and Charina Sarte and pageant designer Mark Tenchavez.

Meanwhile, the roving VRS (who is also a veteran beauty pageant watcher) also shared the sidelights and highlights of this year’s Mutya sa Tagbilaran:

It was a star-studded event with TV personalities. The stage design and decoration was bongga to the highest level.

The official color of the night was green, also Mayor Baba Yap’s official party color during the campaign period.  I and other watchers are not buying the explanation that green was for St. Joseph and the environment.

The ladies were gorgeous women in bikinis designed by Hanz Coquilla. Daniel Matsunaga made the girls and pa-girls “kilig” as he shared his singing skill to the big event serenading the girls.

While the contestant was walking on the stage, the entire screen projected the face and name of the  gown designer. I wonder why fashion designer Maximiel Tallo didn’t participate to design a gown for a contestant in this year’s search?

Speaking of the trophies and awards, the face of the beloved Mayor was plastered on the plaques. It occupies one-fourth of the green plaque.  It would be better if the face of the girl is on her own plaque to remind her that she was once a Mutya contestant. It’s like having Donald Trump’s face on the Miss USA and Miss Universe trophies.

And another one, the committee chairman and Tagbilaran first lady Jane Censoria Cajes-Yap should have refrained from being the one-woman panel for the closed door interview.  She could invite media people or panel of interviewers to select the darling of the press or the best in interview.

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For the second time, the Saulog festival last Wednesday was a blast. It colored the street as it was smooth--the weather was cooperative and perfect.

The Festival King and Queen lead dancers during the Saulog dance parade. -LPU

Along with me on the streets were my friend Emerson Pinos and my nephew Jerwin Jala to witness the performances of the 14 contingents.

Julia Park, a 30-year-old Korean visitor, said she was amazed to watch the Saulog because it was vibrant and colorful.

“The performers beautifully arranged their dance,” she said.

Dancers paying homage to St. Joseph the Worker.- LPU

“Saulog Tagbilaran is our artistic expression of paying homage to our patron saint, Saint Joseph the worker,” said Fiel Angeli Araoarao-Gabin, the city information officer. “It is our way as Boholanos and Tagbilaranons to move on despite the calamity that had struck us in 2013. This is big reason to have a big celebration hence it is called Saulog Tagbilaran.”

Unlike last year’s celebration, the contingents didn’t perform a dance ritual in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral. They just proceeded to perform in two stations (City Square-BQ and Wregent Hotel).

The flow of the crowd worsened, particularly at the City Square-BQ Mall, one of the judging stations of the street dancing.  It was the same last year that there was no crowd control and it didn’t bar people from spilling to the streets where the contingents performed.  Photographers swarm like locusts in every contingent winding toward the CPG Sports Complex. My poor Jerwin and other people (including yours truly) could not watch the performance of the dancers because the photographers barred us from watching the performances with their SLR cameras and bazooka of lenses. But in the end, I shrugged off the idea.  I’d joined the other photographers to take pictures. After all, I wasn't really there for the contest.

Colorful costumes -LPU

The crowd cheered for their favorite contingents. Only two contingents carried an effigy of San Jose during the street-dancing. There was no float to add attraction.

This year, the Saulog committee also introduced the Festival King and Queen who were lead dancers of the contingents/baragays they were representing. They were spectacles on the streets plunged in vibrant costumes meticulously ornamented. There were Poseidon, Batman and mermaids. Unlike the festival queen in Sinulog in Cebu, the festival kings and queens (Fiel, I like to call them Rajah ug Hara sa Saulog), I’d noticed they were not holding a small statue of St. Joseph while dancing.

I like this year's Saulog, but contingents need to draw inspiration from our roots and traditions instead of from foreign concepts.

A Festival Queen candidate during the dance parade. LPU

Celebrities from tinseltown added glitz to the Saulog as GMA talents Mark Herras and Yasemin Kurdi joined the event at the CPG Sports Complex.

The event ended with colorful fireworks. After all, the essence of the Saulog is celebrating and thanksgiving to Señor San Jose.

(Winners: 1^st- Ubujan, 2^nd –Taloto, 3^rd –Manga. Ubujan also won seven awards: best colorful group, festival queen first runner-up, best in musicality, best in choreographer, best in production design, best in costume and best in field performance. Festival Queen: Poblacion 3; Festival King: Poblacion 2)

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Pit Señor sa Bohol kini!

Wake-uppers:

Scene: From Charina Aumentado of Las Vegas this info: The first Boholano NBI Director-from the Mendez Clan. According to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima from "clergy loss to NBI gain" referring to newly appointed NBI Director Virgilio Loquellano Mendez. Born from a humble beginning, "Dodong" as fondly called by his inner family circles entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) in his secondary school years in Taloto, at the outskirt of Tagbilaran originally to enter priesthood. Born from family who depended much of the farm produce and a teacher, Dodong opted to take up law courses after finishing prelaw course at the same school in Tagbilaran City- the Divine Word College (now Holy Name University) and passed the Bar. His father, the late Diomedes Mendez, a full-time farmer and from Ubay, Bohol acquired farms lots in Bayongan, San Miguel, Bohol while her mother, Carolina Loquellano from Dauis teaches kids in the local public school. Dodong rose from the ranks in the NBI as agent, then to provincial and regional top NBI positions in northern Mindanao areas until his appointment as deputy director and lately to the top NBI post.

Gen. Art  Mendez Evangelista (right) with his cousin new NBI director Atty. Virgilio Mendez. Courtesy: Charina Aumentado

Scene: From Bohol’s seasoned host Raul Philipp Gatal: Beauche International is joining the 2014 Sinulog Grand Parade in Cebu City this Sunday, January 19. Already acknowledged as one of the country’s leading names in beauty and skin care perfection nurtured by Former Carmen Mayor  Madame Conchita “Che” Toribio De Los Reyes, Beauche International will have its own float to be graced by the recently- crowned 2013 Miss Beauche International Anne Mabel Ubando of Dagupan City. Her court of honor composed of Miss Manila Patricia Ramos 1st RU, Miss Baguio City Alyssa Ashley Calimlim 2nd RU, Miss Quezon City Lynne de Mesa 3rd RU and Miss Zamboanga City Jovilyn Gavan 4th RU will be joining the beauty queen & Beauche product endorser in the spectacular parade.

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The Philippines is a predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Nearly all Roman Catholic homes and businesses in the Philippines own and display a statue of Sto. Niño, a representation of the Christ Child.  

The Sto. Niño de Cebu ("Holy Child of Cebu") is a celebrated statue of the Christ Child venerated by Filipino Roman Catholics.  Similar to the Infant of Prague, it is claimed to be the oldest religious image in the Philippines, originally given by Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon and his wife Juana in 1521.

The Sto. Niño de Cebu statue is permanently housed under bulletproof glass at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City. It is one of the most recognizable cultural images in the Philippines found in many secular and religious areas.  

Panglao Mayor Nila Montero

Unknown to many, Panglao Mayor Leonila Paredes-Montero, a devotee of the Sto. Niño, has a collection of religious icons and paintings of the Sto. Niño.

Sto. Niño icons of different materials can be seen at the Montero resort in barangay Tawala, Panglao.

The Montero collections range from centuries-old heirlooms to newly carved Sto. Niño pieces, paintings, and statues bought within and outside the country.

In one of her travels, Maam Nila asked me to accompany her to check some Sto. Niño religious icons and paintings in Manila antique shops.

So far, no one in Bohol can match the collection of Maam Nila. Those who know her say that she can well afford expensive art pieces. Her family owns the Alona Tropical Resort in Panglao.

Well, that is Maam Nila’s expression of her spirituality.

Incidentally, the Panglao contingent will perform in today’s Sinulog grand parade in Cebu City.

At dawn last Thursday, the contingent from Panglao arrived in Cebu City. They are composed of 100 dancers and 50 props men and instrumentalists with Anthony Ceniza as choreographer.

After a six-year absence, Panglao contingent is joining the free interpretation (FI) category. Their presentation is about the earthquake, the damage it caused to Panglao, and their dance of gratitude.

But to their members, it’s not about winning or losing this year’s competition. They just want to perform as a way to give thanks to Señor Sto. Niño for sparing Bohol from heavy damage.

It can be noted that Panglao earned the fourth and third place in the FI category in the Sinulog 2006 and 2007.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Tagbi’s Saulog beat

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The researchers conducted a survey involving students from selected public and private high schools in Tagbilaran City. Out of 1300 respondents mainly students who regularly ride tricycles as a means of transportation in going to school, 83% answered that they have often been charged with fares higher than the mandated tricycle fare, with respect to the distance of their flag-down location to their school, meaning, overpricing of fares is a common experience for high school students in the City. Project Citizen, an international program being implemented in sixty (60) countries committed to active citizenship, is being implemented by PCCED, a non-government organization which promotes good citizenship and participatory democracy through education. The TCSHS group were chaperoned by Geraldine Doron, TCSHS Araling Panlipunan teacher, and Marina Salamanca, Education Program Supervisor of the Tagbilaran City Schools Division.

 

Scene: There were no international participants in the 2nd Dragon Boat Competition-First Bohol Challenge. Spotted during the event was Sev Lubigan, a corporate trainer and training coordinator of the Asian Gaming Academy. He is also a freelance fitness personal trainer.

 

Seen: Spotted in Bohol last week was Kapamilya Star Melissa Ricks. She visited Bohol Bee Farm, Tarsier Botanika and other beauty spots. She also went diving in Balicasag Island.

 

 

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Tagbilaran City, the city of friendship, was unmistakably the top destination over the weekdays.

 

St. Joseph Cathedral

After lunch at The Buzz Cafe at Galleria Luisa along Gallares Street, Tagbilaran City, my nephew Jhelmar Jala and I went to BQ Mall to buy some cranberry juice. That’s where we watched and took pictures of the first Saulog Festival, a cultural event in honor of Saint Joseph the Worker, the City’s patron saint, featuring the contingents and floats (carrying Kapuso star Angelo Ilagan of Munting Heredera fame and Ramp Models Association of Bohol or RMAB models). Highlights include a dance competition among groups from the city’s different barangays in elaborate costumes, all of them honoring Señor San Jose.

 

Even under the scorching heat of the sun, locals and visitors alike, including award-winning Boholano director Maryo J. delos Reyes (who told me that he has an upcoming movie “Bamboo Flowers” to be filmed in Anda, Alicia and Maribojoc on May 15-30), lined up the streets to get a view of what was going on.

 

Bool

It took the uncommon streetdancing route from the Old City Hall, Gallares Street, B. Inting Street, CPG Avenue, J.S. Torralba Street, E. Sarmiento Street, then to the long stretch of J.A. Clarin Street leading to the Tagbilaran City Hall where the ritual showcase took place. At least, it was something “new” for the people of Bohol.

 

The first-ever “Saulog Tagbilaran” was held under the auspices of the City Government of Tagbilaran (through the City Council for Culture and Arts) and its partner, the Cathedral  Parish of Saint Joseph, with the support of the participating barangays of Bool, Booy, Cabawan, Cogon, Manga, Mansasa, Poblacion 1, Poblacion II, and Ubujan. Barangay Manga got five of the nine special awards, followed by Cogon with three and Bool with one.

 

Manga

Cebu’s Ricky Ballesteros, Sinulog Foundation, Inc. executive director, along with Ormoc’s Glenn Aparis, Tubigon’s Dennis Walton Balbero, Cathedral Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker’s Msgr. Jeffrey Malanog and City Planning and Development Coordinator and City Council for Culture and Arts chair Paterna Ruiz composed the panel of judges.

 

Our good-friend, the ever-generous US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal of mikeygatal.com, sponsored the 40 white-collared T-shirts with prints used by the working committees during the event. Part of the streetdancing committee were Fiel Angeli  Araoarao-Gabin, Butch Bernas,  Edison Gumapac, Romel Sapid, Jovenal Edquilag, Antonette Bongalos, William Aranilla and Monica Boyboy.

 

Cogon

Oh, what a day when I met some friends— Emerson Pinos, Alexis Cadeliña and Liza Macalandag — you know it was comforting to see old friends.

 

After the dance showdown, we had our pamiesta. Burp! Burp! (That’s what I like during the Merry Month of May, everyone is happy.)

 

Hopefully, Saulog will continue to become a well-sustained cultural activity of Tagbilaran, considering that Tagbilaran’s May 1 fiesta is the opening salvo of the month-long fiesta celebration in Bohol.

 

Take a bow, Maam Pat! Take a bow, Fiel!

 

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Lots of people in Tagbilaran ride bikes for lots of different reasons. It is widely acknowledged that cycling is one of the best ways for people to achieve good health and fitness.

 

It was Nikki Quintia who convinced me to join them in their rides for, you know, health reasons.  

 

“Biking is great for your health, good for the environment and can save you money,” said Nikki.  “It can be done by people of all ages.”

 

Cyclists are a diverse group but Nikki and her hubby Mike are members of the group “Cute 16 Folders” who are using folding bikes, very small bikes that are super cute (Members are also cuties!).

 

Folding bikes come in an increasingly wide variety of shapes, sizes, weights, and “fold-abilities.” In my visit to Nikki’s home at Airport, she showed me her collections of folding bikes.

 

Nikki explained that folders are efficient, economical, healthy, ecological, fashionable and fun transportation.

 

“The difference between a folding bike and a standard bike is that folders are easier to transport and store, said Nikki. “The modern folder is lightweight, versatile and easy to use.”

 

“Cute 16 Folders” members have nightly rides every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For short ride, they have the Airport Road to Manga, Airport to Dauis and Airport to Baclayon.  For long ride, they have the Airport to Cortes, Airport to Panglao and Airport to Loboc.

 

Last November 30, 2012 (Bonifacio Day), the Cute 16 Folders held the "1st Tagbilaran City Folding Bikes Unity Ride” organized by the "Cute 16 Folders" under the leadership of hot couple Nikki and Mike Quintia and Jake Gregorio.

 

Folding bikers from the entire city gathered together for the said event that brought more friendship and camaraderie.

 

The event was participated in by different bike clubs and bike enthusiasts around the city, unexpectedly it reached to about 100 plus bikers. It was sponsored by Mikey Gatal (OMG). OMG shirts were worn by the bikers from the starting point at CPG North Avenue to Baclayon, then a stopped-over in Dauis Bridge where prizes were drawn and given to the lucky winners, then back to Plaza Rizal for the finale group picture taking.

 

Like “Cute 16 Folders” on Facebook to know more of their events.

 

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.