MEET MISS SAN GABRIEL, LA UNION

“My mother is my biggest role model it is because being a single parent was not really easy and raising us - her daughters in a brood of 3 was definitely a tough responsibility. And surpassing all the trials that we had in years made me realize that my mom was really one of a kind and by that i wanted to be just like her someday when i'll be having my own family.”

San Gabriel’s Representative Olivia Kaye Bang-oa, to the “Mutia ti La Union 2013” beauty pageant looks like a Latina. She is even said by some to be a dead-ringer of a former Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera. This young lady is creating so much buzz not only because of her immense height but also her endearing beauty and acumen.  I took a peep of her posted application form for the contest and it says that she is a Nursing graduate at the La Union College of Nursing Arts and Sciences (LUCNAS) with Latin Honors (Cum Laude). She seemed poise to be the front-runner in this years’ pageant.

This young lady is HOT. Honest, Optimistic and Trustworthy. She believes that one must have integrity and probity. In essence to be such one must approach it with sincerity and candor.  She is also optimistic. She says that despite the difficulties that we meet in our everyday life, we should always be hopeful and confident of the future. There is always a solution to a problem and therefore we must not lose hope. And lastly, she said is trustworthy. A secret will always be kept as a secret by her. She is always a reliable person.

When asked if she is given the chance to change a part of history, she said that she will choose nothing because our nation would not be as strong and as determined as what we are today without those problems that we have encountered. And based on her belief, God will not make anything happen without a very good outcome.  

THE "MUTIA TI LA UNION 2013" BEAUTY WATCH (Series 2 of 4)

Caba, Luna, Rosario, San Fernando City and San Juan

By Jetset Alejandro

CABA’S Ella Avena Ramos is a student at the University of Cordilleras and is a very competitive candidate among local and regional pageants. She is a known habitué in bikini competitions and as such she has that body to flaunt during the swimsuit competition. She was simply overpowering in their school competition at the College of Technology Olympics at DMMSU-MLUC. She was a hit among pageant watchers in the San Benito Sur and San Simon East Bikini Opens and she competed head on collision with other beauties in an invitational beauty pageant in Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union. Her utmost personal characteristics are being hardworking and independent. Added to those characteristics, she considers herself pretty and smart enough. It is no wonder that when it was the time to compete for the title of her hometown she was ready to show her killer moves and the aura of a winner emanated from her from the start of the pageant till she was crowned Miss Caba 2012. Here’s wishing her good luck to the Mutia ti La Union 2013. 

LUNA’s JEWEL is Michell R. De Guzman. And from some personal accounts of those who have watched the pageant, she stomped the pageant with her commanding presence and answer to the final question. She would therefore typify the adage that what separates the chaff from the grains is wisdom. And she exudes that wisdom coming from the young. With her innate charms and chic presentation Michell will surely slug it out with the other hopefuls for the Mutia ti La Union 2013 crown. 

ROSARIO’s bet for this year is CHRISTINE JOY PICARDAL who had been Agoo’s representative in 2011. She was semifinalist in that edition and she hopes to comeback with a bang! Christine is a medical technology student at St. Louis University and is in her senior year. She is also turned into a volleyball coach for their team on account of her outstanding capability as a player and tactician. If by any standards, she is said to be crossover candidate like Miss Aringay, Bauang and Agoo. Will her star shine brightest this time? Will she make it to a Top 5 position? Well, here’s wishing her the best of luck.

SAN FERNANDO CITY’s representative KASHMIR HERNAEZ is a student of Lorma Colleges is a multi-awarded beauty pageant participant. She has joined Miss Magic 2009, Miss Virginia Tobacco 2009, La Union Surfing Bodies 2011 and Baggak ti Begnas 2011 for which she had been a major winner if not the title holder. It is no surprise therefore that she won the title of Miss San Fernando City 2012 over the other contenders. With a very famed history in beauty pageants, I will not doubt if she will be one of the front-runners in this La Union pageant edition.

SAN JUAN’s KRYSTEL MENGOTE is a student of the University of the Cordilleras taking up BS Tourism Management. She is a known homebody. But mind you, she is of fun and high spirit because when she gets to be with people she shows how bubbly her personality is. She loves listening to music and on occasion she watches mostly American TV series in the boobtube. She speaks fondly of the triumph Miss USA Olivia Culpo as the new Miss Universe because not so tall girls are given the chance to shine and be crowned as winners in the beauty pageant arena.

MEET MISS SAN JUAN, LA UNION

“My biggest role model is King David. The time when Israel needed a king to replace King Saul the people expected a tall, handsome and strong king but God chose David, a small young boy who was talented and wise. I see myself as a small young girl, equally talented and having a teachable heart that can make me victorious as long as I believe that God would help me.”

Krystel Mengote, San Juan, La Union’s representative to the “Mutia ti La Union 2013” always felt that people of shorter stature are always at the other receiving end most specially in beauty pageants where the taller ones lord it over in the runway and even in the awards. During the Miss San Juan 2012 Beauty Pageant, she thought it was all the same expectations again but she won the crown and got the opportunity to represent her town in this years’ La Union search. Her hopes have been amplified lately because Miss USA who is known for her short stature but very beautiful and enigmatic face won the title of Miss Universe 2012. Hope springs eternal for this young lady as she spoke of her chances in winning the crown. She said is not going to be jarred from the veterans in the competition because she does not only possess a pretty and smiling face but she is full of immense talent. Height or no height, she will give her best to represent San Juan, La Union which is known to have the a Miss Young International, second runner-up in the person of Cita Avecilla (Miss Young Philippines, 1970).

Photo Courtesy: airwindzone.wordpress.com

This young lady hopes to become a flight attendant after graduation from College as she dreams to explore different parts of the world. When asked if she is given the chance to become a governor of La Union for one day, what kind of executive order will she make to mark that her stay in the position? She answered: “ I will make an executive order that for one whole day, everybody in the whole community of La Union would clean, plant trees and make peace with everybody so that our province would retain its distinction as the "Cleanest, Greenest and Safest" province in Region 1 and hopefully, be the best in the entire country.”

That’s a tall order for everyone but not with this young lady who has only a big heart for service to her community and province.

THE "MUTIA TI LA UNION" BEAUTY WATCH (Series 1 of 4)

Agoo, Aringay, Balaoan, Bangar and Bauang
by: Jetset Alejandro

I always anticipate the Miss La Union Beauty Pageant dubbed as Mutia Ti La Union (Mutya ng La Union) because of its colorful pageantry -from the parade of the town costumes, to the carefully selected and designed evening gowns and to the swimsuit competition. In the final stretch, you will beautiful candidates selected to the Top 5 and are able to espouse their thoughts about issues that affect our everyday lives. The wittiest amongst the 5 becomes the title holder. After the affair, each town reassesses their performance and aim to perform better in the next year.

This year, we have 20 candidates from the different towns. We are featuring the first 5 candidates in the alphabetical order. As the pageant activities unfold, we will be able to bring more information about the candidates and how they are doing at the pageant. For this first part of the series, we will present to you the candidates of Agoo, Aringay, Balaoan, Bangar and Bauang.

AGOO’s candidate is Kimberle Mae Penchon, a 20-year old lass studying at the School of International Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Baguio and is now in her senior year taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management. She is a fashion and commercial model based in Baguio City. Kimberle is a veteran of beauty pageants. In 2011, she was first runner-up in the Miss HRAB 2011 pageant where she competed with different schools in Baguio who are offering Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Aside from being Miss Agoo, she also competed in Baguio City and was crowned as Miss Baguio 2012.  With Kimberle’s credentials at the regional pageant level, will she repeat another win for the Municipality of Agoo?

ARINGAY’S candidate is Justine Kaye Picardal. She is a candidate who had been on the local fashion scene. She is also a local cross-over beauty candidate, a nomenclature for candidates who join the big 4 pageants in the national pageant scene – i.e. Binibining Pilipinas, Miss Philippines-Earth, Miss World Philippines and Mutya ng Pilipinas. Justine was seen to join and compete at the Miss San Fernando City Beauty Search in February 2012. She was not lucky enough. She then, displayed her wares at the Miss Agoo Beauty Pageant last May 2012 and was able to get the 4^th runner-up award. Last December 12, 2012, she capped her perseverance with the Miss Aringay crown. Will she be able to display her finest this March 2, 2013 to give Aringay the 3^rd Mutia ti La Union crown when she has Kimberle Penchon of Agoo and Kashmir Hernaez of San Fernando City to contend with during the pageant? Let us see how she will be able to transform herself and be at par with these two ladies whom she had previously competed with.

 BALAOAN’S candidate is 20 years old Beverly Ann Lucero Moster who eclipsed everyone in her local pageant because of her extraordinary talent and her wit and demeanor. With her refreshing outlook to life, Beverly comes out as a bright and shining person. Her smile catches you the most as her eyes glisten with those smiles. Being a relatively neophyte in the beauty pageant ring, will she be able to hold her candle among the pageant veterans whose lives seem to have been hitched to the pageant arena? Well, with the pageant searches being on the lookout for refreshing and revitalizing beauties, Beverly will surely be at par with the veteran pack in this year’s pageant.

BANGAR’S EVELYN SIBAYAN – considers herself as a simple girl in a normal world. She says life is full of trials and yet she has everything to thank for because there is always her family that gives her whole support whatever life has to offer – be it good or bad. We could see with what she has said that, she has the shades of the Venus Raj drama and charisma. Evelyn, Lyn to many is like a chameleon. She is a simple girl but changes into a different persona when she transforms onstage like any fashion model. Will this charisma be able to catapult her to the front-runner status for Mutia ti La Union? Bangar’s Mutya ng Abel will do her best and perform to the best of her capabilities come pageant night. 

BAUANG’s representative is Mabel Joy Verceles. She is another crossover beauty having competed in the Miss San Fernando City 2012 in March 2012 and then joined other bevy of beauties in the pageant dubbed as Miss Bauang International 2012. Mabel’s very serene countenance made her edge out other candidates in the Miss Bauang Beauty Pageant. Mabel is no novice in beauty pageants. She had been a first runner-up in the Pamulinawen Festival in Laoag, Ilocos Norte where she competed head-on with Mutia ti La Union 2012, Alyanna Camille Mickiewicz.  With her refreshing and vibrant personality, Mabel Joy will surely not be far behind in her quest for the Mutia ti La Union 2013.  

There you are, the first 5 candidates of the Mutia ti La Union Beauty Pageant. Stay tuned for the next 5 candidates.