Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2014 and Saulog sa Tagbilaran 2014

• Geraldine Topsnik: Mutya sa Tagbi 2014

• Performers fascinate Saulog crowd

Was the right woman crowned?

Fifteen of the city’s loveliest ladies assembled in Tagbilaran City last Monday (April 28) for the come-back of Mutya sa Tagbilaran (formerly Miss Teen Tagbilaran, Miss Young Tagbilaran and Miss Tagbilaran) competition of beauty, brains — and, of course, bikinis (provided by Hanz Coquilla)!

Miss Dampas Geraldine Topsnik wear the Mutya crown -- er, tiara -- atop her perfectly coiffed head. Courtesy: Ric Obedencio (RO)

There were top five... and then it came down to Miss Poblacion 2 Rizalee Rose  Razo (who became first runner-up and  Miss Talent and Best in Evening Wear) and Miss Cabawan Karen Rossana Llorente (who was second-runner-up and Best in Production Number and Best in Swimsuit) and Miss Dampas  Geraldine Topsnik who ended up taking home the crown!

The 17-year-old Topsnik, a half-German half-Filipino, describes herself as a “full Filipina and a true Boholana” and aspires to become a successful businesswoman.

Topsnik (wearing another crown)  with her runners-up during the Saulog Parade. RO

In her Mutya official video on Youtube, Topsnick said she loves pansit. “My favorite food is pansit.  Because I believe that pansit is one of the simple dishes that is present in every family.  Come to think of it, when you think of pansit it is very simple. I think it’s complexity and the simplicity of pansit truly describes Filipina beauty and taste.”

“Success is having a goal in life,” said Topsnik. “As long as you tried your best to achieve your goal, and no matter what happen you are contented of what you have.”

It was a night of thrills and surprises.  Beauty watchers who watched Topsnik during the pageant night said that it was her overall aura and stage presence made her a winner.

“She was also great in her early interview,” said VRS who likes beauty pageant.

Miss Bohol Sandugo 2005 and Bb. Pilipinas –World 2006 Anna Maris Igpit (who also trained the ladies how to walk) was on hand to host the big event with TV host and eventologist Tim Yap. 

The judge's panel included Bohol’s first lady Pureza Chatto, 2014 Miss Tourism International Angeli Dione Gomez, GMA-7 Network talent center head Ida Henares, ABS-CBN entertainment anchor, TV host and fashion/commercial model Phoemela Baranda, actress, model and music video director Bianca King Bianca King, Mister International 2013 4^th runner-up Gil Wagas, fashion designers Cary Santiago and Charina Sarte and pageant designer Mark Tenchavez.

Meanwhile, the roving VRS (who is also a veteran beauty pageant watcher) also shared the sidelights and highlights of this year’s Mutya sa Tagbilaran:

It was a star-studded event with TV personalities. The stage design and decoration was bongga to the highest level.

The official color of the night was green, also Mayor Baba Yap’s official party color during the campaign period.  I and other watchers are not buying the explanation that green was for St. Joseph and the environment.

The ladies were gorgeous women in bikinis designed by Hanz Coquilla. Daniel Matsunaga made the girls and pa-girls “kilig” as he shared his singing skill to the big event serenading the girls.

While the contestant was walking on the stage, the entire screen projected the face and name of the  gown designer. I wonder why fashion designer Maximiel Tallo didn’t participate to design a gown for a contestant in this year’s search?

Speaking of the trophies and awards, the face of the beloved Mayor was plastered on the plaques. It occupies one-fourth of the green plaque.  It would be better if the face of the girl is on her own plaque to remind her that she was once a Mutya contestant. It’s like having Donald Trump’s face on the Miss USA and Miss Universe trophies.

And another one, the committee chairman and Tagbilaran first lady Jane Censoria Cajes-Yap should have refrained from being the one-woman panel for the closed door interview.  She could invite media people or panel of interviewers to select the darling of the press or the best in interview.

***

For the second time, the Saulog festival last Wednesday was a blast. It colored the street as it was smooth--the weather was cooperative and perfect.

The Festival King and Queen lead dancers during the Saulog dance parade. -LPU

Along with me on the streets were my friend Emerson Pinos and my nephew Jerwin Jala to witness the performances of the 14 contingents.

Julia Park, a 30-year-old Korean visitor, said she was amazed to watch the Saulog because it was vibrant and colorful.

“The performers beautifully arranged their dance,” she said.

Dancers paying homage to St. Joseph the Worker.- LPU

“Saulog Tagbilaran is our artistic expression of paying homage to our patron saint, Saint Joseph the worker,” said Fiel Angeli Araoarao-Gabin, the city information officer. “It is our way as Boholanos and Tagbilaranons to move on despite the calamity that had struck us in 2013. This is big reason to have a big celebration hence it is called Saulog Tagbilaran.”

Unlike last year’s celebration, the contingents didn’t perform a dance ritual in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral. They just proceeded to perform in two stations (City Square-BQ and Wregent Hotel).

The flow of the crowd worsened, particularly at the City Square-BQ Mall, one of the judging stations of the street dancing.  It was the same last year that there was no crowd control and it didn’t bar people from spilling to the streets where the contingents performed.  Photographers swarm like locusts in every contingent winding toward the CPG Sports Complex. My poor Jerwin and other people (including yours truly) could not watch the performance of the dancers because the photographers barred us from watching the performances with their SLR cameras and bazooka of lenses. But in the end, I shrugged off the idea.  I’d joined the other photographers to take pictures. After all, I wasn't really there for the contest.

Colorful costumes -LPU

The crowd cheered for their favorite contingents. Only two contingents carried an effigy of San Jose during the street-dancing. There was no float to add attraction.

This year, the Saulog committee also introduced the Festival King and Queen who were lead dancers of the contingents/baragays they were representing. They were spectacles on the streets plunged in vibrant costumes meticulously ornamented. There were Poseidon, Batman and mermaids. Unlike the festival queen in Sinulog in Cebu, the festival kings and queens (Fiel, I like to call them Rajah ug Hara sa Saulog), I’d noticed they were not holding a small statue of St. Joseph while dancing.

I like this year's Saulog, but contingents need to draw inspiration from our roots and traditions instead of from foreign concepts.

A Festival Queen candidate during the dance parade. LPU

Celebrities from tinseltown added glitz to the Saulog as GMA talents Mark Herras and Yasemin Kurdi joined the event at the CPG Sports Complex.

The event ended with colorful fireworks. After all, the essence of the Saulog is celebrating and thanksgiving to Señor San Jose.

(Winners: 1^st- Ubujan, 2^nd –Taloto, 3^rd –Manga. Ubujan also won seven awards: best colorful group, festival queen first runner-up, best in musicality, best in choreographer, best in production design, best in costume and best in field performance. Festival Queen: Poblacion 3; Festival King: Poblacion 2)

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.