Cebuana beauties to lead Sinulog 2015 grand finale

CEBU, Philippines -It will be a suffusion of Cebuana beauties during the Sinulog on January 18, as seven beauty queens will lead a thousand dancers and artists in performing the finale of the grand parade.

Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros said Aliwan Festival Queens Steffi Aberasturi (2014), Angeli Dione Gomez (2012), Rogelie Catacutan (2011), Rizzini Alexis Gomez (2010), Sian Elizabeth Maynard (2009), and Jamie Herrell (2013); and Miss Intercontinental 2nd runner up Kris Tiffany M. Janson will top-bill the Sinulog finale.

Herrell is also the reigning Miss Earth 2014.

Ballesteros said now is the time to give honor and pride to Cebuana beauties who placed Cebu City in limelight last year in prestigious pageants in the country and in the world.

He said now is the time to give time to these Cebuana beauties the opportunity to express their gratitude to the Holy Child.

Last year, Sinulog Festival Queen and Miss Tourism International Rizzini Alexis Gomez graced the finale.

Ballesteros said Rizzini will still dance this year even though she is currently suffering from an ailment. He said Rizzini will be offering the dance to the Holy Child for her fast recovery.

With this year's Sinulog 2015 themed "Sto Niño: Hope of the People," the P2.5-million grand finale will feature the finding and discovery of the Sto. Niño.

This year is also the 450th Anniversary of Kaplag, 450 years of Augustinian presence in the country, and the 50th Anniversary of the Santo Niño Church as "Basilica Minore."

The Cebu City government has spent this year P2.5 million for the backdrop of the Sinulog stage.

The backdrop will depict the historical finding of the miraculous image of the Holy Child.

Ballesteros said the finale will feature a "travelogue" on the presence of Augustinian fathers in the country even before the Spanish era.

The beauty queens will be part of a classical drama and musical play on the discovery of the Holy Child during the 1565 Spanish expedition led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, whom the Order of Saint Augustine missionaries who accompanied the voyage tasked to celebrate the discovery of the image.  (FREEMAN)