Chinoy envoys take the spotlight

It’s the turn of the Chinese beauties, male and female, to take the spotlight tomorrow night, Sept. 2, as reigning Mr. & Miss Chinatown Jacob Munez and Joy Wu crown their successors at the Mall Of Asia (MOA) Arena at the culmination of this year’s search for the perfect Chinoy Ambassadors.

“Pageant aficionados have been eagerly following this year’s delegates since the screening,” said Funfare’s “beauty expert” Felix Manuel. “A total of 28 delegates are competing.”

Here are Felix’s “most likely” (to win) picks:

Male

1. Jason Dy Tan (Dagupan), basketball varsity player and vlogger;

2. Lawrence Chua (Quezon City), UST Legal Management graduate and motorcycle enthusiast;

3. Matthan Yu (Manila), basketball varsity player;

4. Brian Gochico (Binondo), K-Pop fan and break dancer; and

5. Marc Ferdinand Gan (Manila) who is proud of his humble beginnings

Female

6. Sabrina Ng (San Juan), cheerleader and photography enthusiast;

7. Carly Chua (Davao), events host;

8. Patricia Tan (Quezon City), volleyball player;

9. Marie Que (San Juan) who loves to sing and dance; and

10. Rachel Tan (Parañaque City), racing enthusiast

Predicted Felix, “Win or lose, these personalities will surely join the growing roster of Chinoy achievers that includes, among others Xian Lim, Kim Chiu, Carlene Aguilar, Dennis Trillo, Nicole Cordovez, Chris Tiu, David Licauco, Joyce Ching, Say Alonzo, Slater Young, Enchong Dee and Paul Jake Castillo.”

Another grand prize for UP Singing Ambassadors 

The University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors wins the Grand Prize at the 66th International Choral Competition Polifonico Guido d’Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy.

The University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors (UPSA), under the baton of Dr. Ed Manguiat, won the Gran Premio Città di Arezzo (Grand Prize) at the 66th International Choral Competition Polifonico Guido d’Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy on Aug. 25.

The choral group also won first prize in four out of seven categories: Compulsory Program, Sacred Music, Secular Music and Monographic Program. 

They received the Guido d’Arezzo trophy by Alessandro Marrone and 6,000 euros cash prize (2,000 euros for the Grand Prize and 1,000 euros each for the four categories).

The UPSA earned the right to compete in the most prestigious choral competition, the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing from April 12 to 14, 2019.

Since the start of the competition in 1989, the Philippines has won only once in the European Grand Prix when the Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the Grand Prize in 2007.

While in Europe, the UPSA performed in free concerts in Bologna, Italy (Aug. 10 and 17), Florence, Italy (Aug. 12) and St. Nicholas de Flue, Switzerland (Aug. 28).

Last July, the UPSA won two Grand Prix awards in the 64th Certamen Internacional de Habaneras y Polifonia (International Choral Contest Habaneras and Polyphony) in Spain and in the 1st Sing Berlin! International Choir Festival and Competition in Germany.

The UPSA commemorated its 38th anniversary last Aug. 12 hoping to thrive for another 38 years and beyond. — Celso de Guzman Caparas

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)