KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - Officials are certain the winner in Wednesday’s North Cotabato provincial beauty search is a good candidate for the 2016 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, just like Mary Jane “MJ” Lastimosa.
Lastimosa, who was born and raised in Tulunan town in North Cotabato, was crowned 2014 Binibining Pilipinas.
The 19-year-old Jeanebeth Sedavia of Midsayap town emerged as the 2015 Mutya ng North Cotabato during Wednesday night’s provincial pageant.
The contest was one of the highlights of this year’s August to September commemoration of the 101-year founding anniversary of the province.
Sedavia just finished last March an accounting course at the Notre Dame of Midsayap College, a Catholic school in Midsayap, the biggest town in the first district of North Cotabato.
Also crowned along with Sedavia were Kristine Faith Tero as first runner-up, Jeddah Rica Jickain of Midsayap as second runner-up, Jessa Pearl Lopez of Pigcawayan as third runner-up and Venus Jhade Villavicencio of Magpet as fourth runner-up.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, who supported Lastimosa’s bid for the 2014 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, on Friday said Sedavia is a promising candidate for the national beauty title.
“She is beautiful, young and intelligent and so qualified to join in any national beauty pageant,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza’s office is the main benefactor of the yearly search for the Mutya ng North Cotabato.
North Cotabato covers 17 towns and Kidapawan City, the provincial capital.
Officials of the provincial government, including personnel of the media bureau of the governor’s office agreed Sedavia possesses the talents and qualifications to vie for next year’s Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
Mendoza said she will support Sedavia if she decides to try her luck in the pageant.
“I am thankful to the people that helped us organize this year’s provincial beauty contest, including the police and the military for the protection they provided to ensure a safe conduct of the activity,” Mendoza said.