Talisay City’s dancer is Sinulog Festival Queen 2018

CEBU, Philippines — Talisay City’s star dancer Shaila Mae Rebortera won this year’s Sinulog Festival Queen competition, besting 11 other candidates Friday night at the Cebu City Sports Center.

 “I really feel so blessed. I’m just grateful right now. Thank you so much Sto. Nino,” said Rebortera, a Miss Cebu 2016 second runner-up and Miss CESAFI 2014 winner.

Rebortera moved with grace as she elegantly tilted her body while carrying the Holy Child.

A fifth year dentistry student at Cebu Doctors University, Rebortera said that she had been rehearsing her dance routines since December.

“Thank you to my team because they really believed in me,” she said. “They told me to just dance for Sto. Nino and I’m really grateful for that.”

Rebortera received P100,000 cash, PLDT and Smart premium items and a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Aside from the crown, she also nabbed the lion’s share of awards such as Miss Novelino, Miss Skin Magical, Cignal’s Miss Awesome, Miss Air Asia, Miss PLDT, Miss Pioneer Adhesive, Miss SKYGO, Miss Magnolia Pambansang Manok, Mang Inasal Queen and Miss Casino Femme.

Rebortera’s court includes first runner-up Mary Faith Libres of Catbalogan, Samar; second runner-up Bianca Willemsen of Carcar City; third runner-up Isabel Luche of the Municipality of Daanbantayan; and fourth runner-up Maerylle Blauta of Abuyog, Leyte.

Viral costume

The festival costume which went viral over social media worn by Tribu Kandaya’s Isabel Luche of Daanbantayan was also named as Best in Festival Costume.

She was wearing an ensemble with a countryside concept highlighted by native huts, rice fields, coconut trees and their heritage church.

Luche expressed her gratitude to the people of Tribu Kandaya who conceptualized her costume’s catchy design. Its creator, Barry Luche, was also named Best Designer.

According to Sinulog Foundation, Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros, each candidate was interviewed by the pageant’s corporate sponsors, while the candidates featured their towns in the “My Place in 60 seconds” segment – firsts in the annual contest.

 “We saw how articulate they were and how they promoted their hometowns,” Ballesteros said.

Among the event’s performers were Cebuana online sensation Karencitta who performed her hit song ‘Cebuana’, Sinulog Idol 2017 winner Aian Vincent Uba and dance troupe Dong Juan. Photos by Yasunari Ramon Taguchi