Miss Mandaue 2013: A clash of Sinulog Festival Queens?

CEBU, Philippines - We first perused this year’s 12 official Miss Mandaue candidates during the first anniversary celebration of Insular Square mall in Mandaue City, and it didn’t take long to pinpoint two stunners in this batch as early crowd favorites.

No surprise here, as these two – both Sinulog Festival Queen title-holders and belonging to the same modeling agency – will find it difficult to take a backseat or blend in any pack what with their height, catwalk skills and head-turning looks.

First on our radar is Sinulog Festival Queen 2011 and Ms. Campus Femme 2012 Steffi Rose Aberasturi, touted by pageant enthusiasts online as an Erich Gonzales look-alike. She is the younger sister of Miss Mandaue 2011 first runner-up Crystal Star Aberasturi. Will she do better than her sibling by clinching the local title, or will another beauty edge her out?

Her ‘sister’ in Danny Booc’s roster of Ozar Models and another formidable Miss Mandaue 2013 bet is Apriel Smith, a Fil-Am teen who was crowned Sinulog Festival Queen 2012 and Miss Milo Little Olympics 2010. This runway wonder has graced print ads and had once participated in Manila’s Philippine Fashion Week.

That’s not to say it’s a toss-up just between the two. There’s also Eva Psychee Patalinghug among the finalists, a member of the Models Association of Cebu and Natasha Angela Manuel who has won a runway modeling contest.

Completing the list of Miss Mandaue 2013 hopefuls are Kristine Alexandra Sy, Victoria Mae Generalao, Aiko Rachelle Caraan, Mhonn Therese Menaling, Karen Kate Ting, Marie Michelle Puche, Kristine Jane Hidalgo and Princess Jayme.

The ladies took part in a fashion show during Insular Square’s anniversary, parading the creations of Cebuano designers Bree Esplanada, Ronald Enrico, Maria Elena Gabaya, Marichu Tan, Arcy Gayatin and Ditas Rodriguez.

The top three who will vie for a special award called “Face of Insular Square” was later on announced, and these were Patalinghug, Smith and Aberasturi. Supporters can help any of the three earn the award by ‘liking’ the Insular Square Facebook page and then voting for their preferred candidate. The winner, to be revealed on coronation night, will be rewarded with a cash prize, a gigantic Insular Square billboard and a one-year membership at the mall’s Hot Rocks Gym.

This year’s pageant theme is “I Am Mandaue,” which according to Miss Mandaue pageant director Jojin Pascual is actually a tagline of the city’s soon-to-be launched program.

“It is a branding initiative that aims to instill pride of place among Mandauehanons and to allow the people to define themselves as to who a Mandauehanon is, his ideals, values and ethics. Each candidate will stand for something along that line,” Pascual said.

If 2012’s opening production number had candidates wowing the audience with their Urban Guardian Angels-inspired costumes, this year’s initial salvo will be an all-black-and-white affair. This time around, the girls will flaunt hats inspired by the Ascot Gavotte scene from the movie “My Fair Lady.”

Before the awaited night, contestants will be kept busy with a heritage tour, industrial tour, lectures and seminars.

Coronation night will be on May 7 at the Heritage Plaza, located in front of the Mandaue City Hall. It will be open to the public with no entrance fees.

Miss Mandaue, one of the main activities of the city’s fiesta next month, has become a starting point of sorts for aspiring beauty queens who hope to compete in Miss Cebu or national beauty tilts.

Just a few of Miss Mandaue winners and runners-up who went on to win in Miss Cebu or other national and international tilts are Stephanie Siñeres, Sarah Katrina Miñoza, Anna Maris Igpit, Nicole Schmitz, Louise Angelique Tan, Karla Henry, Sian Maynard and Rizzini Alexis Gomez. (FREEMAN)