Cebuana beauties for Reyna ng Aliwan 2023
CEBU, Philippines — Three years after shifting into a virtual format via the Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen, the Aliwan Fiesta’s Reyna ng Aliwan competition returns post-pandemic this week with two Cebu delegates in a roster of 18 candidates.
Reigning Sinulog Festival Queen Kiara Liane Wellington, 21, is representing Cebu City’s world-renowned Sinulog Festival, while Melanie Grace Gillamac, 22, is the delegate of Bantayan Island’s Palawod Festival. Both belong to Cebu’s Stacy’s Model Management.
This is Wellington’s second national tilt. Last year, she also represented Cebu City at Miss Philippines Earth. “It was a stepping stone for me. It gave me more confidence to speak and to realize that I can do it,” she told THE FREEMAN.
“Experience is the best teacher. No matter what life hits me, I just keep moving forward, only to look back to see how far I have come and say that it was a beautiful memory.”
Wellington suffers from dyslexia: a learning condition where one has trouble processing words and numbers, but intelligence is not necessarily affected.
“Reading is such a challenge. I still have a hard time reading but I’m changing that to strongly push myself to conquer my fear. And I won’t be scared of reading anymore,” the Fil-Brit beauty said.
Her goal is “to prove to whoever thinks less of me that I am an empowered woman and I’m stronger than ever.”
“It hurts being called names and laughed at for something which is beyond your control. But it didn’t stop me from fighting for my dreams and to prove that I can do it,” she added.
Gillamac, meanwhile, is a Biology major at Velez College. The commercial and runway model placed first runner-up in Miss Bikini Philippines 2021.
She said she feels “at ease” that Wellington is her co-candidate in Reyna ng Aliwan. “We’re like a companion to each other. Kiara is my very good friend so it made this whole competition a lot easier and a fun experience too,” Gillamac said.
The Reyna ng Aiwan 2023 finals is happening Friday, July 14, in Pasay City. Cebu has been hailed a Hall of Famer in the tilt for having the most number of title-holders, the most recent being Nicole Borromeo in 2019. — Maritess Lomosad CNU Intern (FREEMAN)
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