MANILA, Philippines — Divina Marie Villanueva, an aspiring CPA-lawyer from the Municipality of Sudipen, was crowned 2020 Mutia ti La Union (photo, center) during the province’s 170th founding anniversary on March 2.
Villanueva bested beauties from the province’s 19 other municipalities and bagged three special awards: Best in Agri-Tourism Campaign, Best in Socio-Economic Campaign and Mutia Best Fashion Model. She went home with P100,000 cash prize and sponsors’ gift packages.
Villanueva and her court will be the spokespersons of La Union’s agri-tourism campaign and other programs (photo, from left), Roxanne Danielle Sanglay of City of San Fernando (second runner-up and Miss Body Beautiful); Shaira May Soira of Pugo (Mutia ti La Union-Agrikultura, Best in Swimwear and Miss Beautiful Smile); Fe Ladyma Abacco of Rosario (Mutia ti La Union-Turismo and Best in Talent); and Cristine Jan Padua of Balaoan (first runner-up).
La Union Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” Ortega III said, “the Mutia ti La Union pageant affords young women of our province to demonstrate themselves as models of beauty and goodwill ambassadors of our towns. This year, as La Union comes to a historic milestone — its 170th year as a province — the local pageant brings forth a clear view of the real essence of a beauty pageant: A platform to forward causes of local communities for progress and development.”