Miss Mandaue’s sad fate

Supermodel of the World finalist Nikki Taylor, Miss Lapu-Lapu City Isadora Maidee Gonzales and Miss Southwestern University Dyza Jagna. They are among those supposed to compete against each other on May 7, if only Miss Mandaue 2007 pushes through.

But this spectacle would not happen anymore, after it was decided that instead of holding the said prestigious pageant, it’s the Miss Mantawi that would take its place. This happened after Emmarie Lollipop Ouano Dizon resigned as chairperson of Miss Mandaue, triggered by the suspension of her father Mayor Thadeo Ouano. Miss Lollipop has been in-charge of the said pageant in the last eight years and it has been during these years that winners have made good in bigger beauty contests.

Take for example, Miss Mandaue 2003 Stephanie Señeres, who was 16 at that time, became Miss Cebu in 2006. Her successor Sarah Katrina Miñoza became Miss Cebu 2005 and is now representing Central Visayas in the Miss Earth Philippines pageant in Manila. Miss Mandaue 2005 Anna Maris Igpit went on to become Bb. Pilipinas World 2006, while the keeper of the crown Nicole Schmitz made it to the Top 10 in this year’s Bb. Pilipinas.

Miss Mandaue 2005 1st  runner-up Loise Tan is the reigning Miss Cebu while Miss Cebu 2007 2nd runner-up Ruby Guinto was a semi-finalist in Miss Mandaue 2005, while reigning Miss Tri-medialympics (representing The FREEMAN) Karla Paula Ginteroy finished 2nd runner-up in Miss Mandaue 2005 and landed on the same place in Miss Cebu 2006. This year’s Miss Cebu 4th runner-up Carlise Santos was Miss Mandaue 2006 1st runner-up.

They are just among the so-called successful "alumni" of the second most prestigious beauty pageant in Cebu, as far as I can recall. Of course there are lots of them who made a mark in other beauty pageants, but I’m having some sort of mental block.

Nevertheless, this goes to say, Miss Mandaue has become a jumping board for many beauty title aspirants. It has become a testing ground of sorts—if you make it there, no doubt you will also make it in Miss Cebu or in national competitions. In fact, Wafer Models manager Marlon Wafer told me he wants Nikki to compete this year before she joins a national contest like Binibining Pilipinas or Miss Earth. "It’s different when you have a local title," he told me two weeks ago, when the cancellation of the said pageant broke out.

Chicoy Tomol, manager of Models Association of Cebu, said, "It would be sad to know that Miss Mandaue City organizers are breaking tradition. For years, Miss Mandaue has been producing gorgeous models and beauty queens like Stephanie and Anna."

Marlon also has this to say, "I feel so sad that there’s no Miss Mandaue this year because since I started managing models, Miss Mandaue is considered one of the most prestigious pageants in the province of Cebu. Hope there will be Miss Mandaue next year."

Holding such pageant would need P600,000 worth of donations and sponsorships. Acting Mayor Amadeo Seno was quoted in media reports that Ms. Lollipop has the contacts and there is no way the amount needed could be raised as there is no more time now. I can’t blame Ms. Lollipop. It’s her prerogative—besides, it would be hypocrite of her to continue to sit as chairperson knowing that Seno is an opponent of his brother Jonkie in the mayoralty race. She was right when she said her positions as pageant chairperson as well as secretary to the mayor were approved by her father, and with him suspended she might as well stay away from city hall. Therefore, she is just being real!    Meanwhile, The FREEMAN reporter and good friend of mine, Mitchelle Palaubsanon, told me three days ago that the Mantawi Festival has a budget of P5M. The title has to be changed into such so that it could derive funding from the amount put up by the city government for the festivity. How much then would be allocated for the Miss Mantawi and what can we expect from it as far as the staging of it is concerned?

Of course I’m not underestimating the said pageant but with a tight budget there is no way it could match the spectacle Miss Mandaue has been doing all these years. Earlier, Anna expressed interest in holding a free training workshop for all 20 candidates who were chosen during the pre-screening last April 1. Her purpose then was that even if Miss Mandaue is over, the girls could use what they have learned from the workshop should they venture into modeling or bigger pageants. But the other day, Anna told me she might not push through with her plan at all because she does not know anyone among the Miss Mantawi organizers.

For the Miss Mandaue pageant to be cancelled this year is really a sad fate. Engineer Junjet Primor, a director of world-class caliber, was said to have been tapped to direct it this year but for sure it’s no longer the case now. It would have been fantastic, marvelous and fab to watch veterans strut their stuff at the Mandaue City Sports Complex, because Junjet’s creativity has always left me mesmerized in the annual staging of Miss Cebu. He is simply the best!

Interestingly, this would have been Junjet’s first time to direct this pageant, after the sudden death of topnotch talent as well, Sir Doy Arradaza. I was excited to see what new flavor and fervor Junjet would bring in to Miss Mandaue and how it would be different from his production in Miss Cebu? Sayang!

Another question now is, will those veterans who supposedly qualified for Miss Mandaue join Miss Mantawi? Organizers said it’s up to the candidates, but of course the prizes at stake won’t be that great. To this, Marlon said, "Next year na lang tingali nako paapilon si Nikki," while Danny Booc of Ozar Models, who is manager of Nicole, said "maybe" when I asked him last Thursday if he would still let the 16-year-old 5’8 stunner and daughter of former PBA player Ruel Gomez named Alex join.

Prestige counts. In the case of Miss Mantawi, it still has a lot of proving to do. The challenge then is for the organizers to equal if not surpass the glitter of Miss Mandaue even with limited funds. For the candidates, the message is regardless of how much the prize is at stake, it would definitely be an honor to be crowned as the first-ever Miss Mantawi. And who knows it would be back to Miss Mandaue next year? Therefore, this year’s winner would be listed in the annals of beauty pageant history as the one and only Miss Mantawi. That would surely be something to boast about forever!

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