KALILANGAN: Queen of Mindanao Festivals

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Febraury 26, 2010 the first Queen of Mindanao Festivals Pageant was done at Robinsons Place Gensan. This is a pageant not only of beauty queens but also the festival she represents.

I was one of the judges for this unique and colorful pageant together with Chattee Lara, Ria Jose, Dulce Lada, Romarie Cunanan, Johnny Abad and Avel Manansala.

Like i said this was no ordinary pageant. Beauty queen title holders from different festivals all over southern Mindanao are buying for this very first "Queen of Mindanao."

This was participated by Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Saranggani, South Cotabato and General Santos. The pageant started with the festival attires. Each queen wore customs that best described the festivals they represent. A very colorful, rich in culture and lively attires. This caught the attention not only of the renowned designer Johnny Abad but also us, the judges and crowed who witnessed the event. Even though we live in Mindanao not all of us have the luxury of time and money to visit these festivals.

The festival director, Orman Manansala is the genius behind this unique event. A really great way to present a festival with in a festival. It is an eye opening event for me. It was like i went to (7) seven different festivals but only in one venue. It was perfectly coordinated and directed by Dino Veloso.

The atrium of Robinsons Place Gensan roared with the drum rolls of different kinds of drums and gongs when it was time to present different dance numbers for each festivals. Each queens performed a dance number.

Then it was time for the formal gown my most awaited portion. A back and white gown designed by Johnny Abad brought out the beauties of the queens.

They were serenaded by Gensan's Pop idol, Jun Jimenez.

A simple yet very informative question and answer was done. Each queens described and explained the respective festivals they represent.

And before i forget Noynoy Aquino dropped by together with Ruffy Biazon and Guingona.

This event also was televised through live streaming a genius work of Lyle Santos and Avel Manansala. Generals all over the world witnessed the event.

This was the first Queen of Mindanao Pageant and I hope this will be the beginning of a new era of festival and beauty pageant.

Crowned 2nd runner-up is Christina Bona Juanico of Sarmiento’s Buklod Festival.

Bagging the 1st runner-up is Petal Cagape of Tampakan representing Tamfaken Lum-a-lay Festival.

In the end the beauty of Gensan's Tuna Festival Queen, Madonna Galang stand out. And she was declared the first Queen of Mindanao Festivals.

(beauty queen judges hahahaha)

(Me, sir DINO and Romarie)

(Davao and Gensan Bloggers, Lakan at Lakambini finalist with MADONNA GALANG 1st Queen of Mindanao)

(wacky shoot!!!)

ALL PHOTOS courtesy of BRIAN DAN CONGSON

Sinulog 2010 Experience

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Me and my family are a huge devotees of our little Christ or better known as "Senior Sto. Nino." We have been taking part of our annual fiesta in our baranggay, "Bula" for more than two decades now. It was a dream of mine to go to the place where it all started in Sugbu, Cebu City. I was planning this Sinulog trip for over 2 years now and my cousins who live in Cebu keep on inviting me to experience the ultimate in Sto. Nino devotion which is the "Sinulog." Thankfully I DID IT! this year. My mom bought me my ticket!

We were planning to meet up with Avel and Orman Manansala at Cebu but their Cebu Trip was suddenly cancelled but HEY!! still, sir Avel was with us during our flight. He was featured in the inflight Magazine of Cebu Pacific.

Anyways, We went to Cebu January 15, 2010 Friday. Our first day we spent it in Ayala to meet Leilani, Emman's friend . Thanks to her we got a good and cheep pension house to live while in Cebu. After we settled in our pension house we went back to Ayala and met Earl we had dinner at Sbarro and went to Outpost Bar for a night out. There we met old and new friends. Outpost is really a good place to chill. All the people who go there are friendly and they support the local bands and let them play their masterpieces their very own compositions. and Oh!! it was raining.

(Emman & Leilani)

(Ayala Active Zone)

(Earl, Me and Emman at Outpost)

(Earl's Friends)

(Carl on drums)

(Me, Carl & Emman)

January 16, 2010 Saturday. It was the day of the procession. We went to Tabuan first to buy Cebu's famous "bulad" dried fish. Than we went to Basilica de Sto. Nino and I was really overwhelmed with the huge crowd waiting to join the procession, going to mass or just passing through to light a candle. We decided not to join because 1. It is raining and we do not have an umbrella. 2. We do not know where to go there were people all around us. We were really close (as in cheek to cheek close) We kept on walking to see the basilica but decided to go to Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel otherwise known as Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral . I was amazed by its architecture of the church.

(Tabuan's "bulad" dried fish)

("BULAD")

(outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel)

(outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel)

(inside OurLady of Guadalupe Chapel)

January 17, 2010 The BIG DAY!! the day of the Grand Parade. We went to mass at 4:00 am the first mass thinking that lesser people will join that certain mass but, NO it was same large crowd. During the mass it rained, too bad we don't have an umbrella we just used our jackets to cover our heads from the rain. After the mass the roads are closed. We walked back to our pension house and decided to rest and wait for the parade to arrive near where we lived. When we heard the loud drum thumping it was our cue to go out the streets and watched the Grand Parade. I was glad that the weather condition changed the sun was up. And behold the colorful, festive, energetic and enthusiastic participants was dancing in front of us. And also adjacent to the street are the vendors and huge crowd of spectators and we are one of them. As the sun rose directly to us it was time for lunch. We ate at the carenderia near us. We walk and walk and walk Jones Street, Mango Street, Fuente Circle, back and fort, because aside from the participants i was also amazed by the flock of people who went out in the streets and doing the same thing as we do WALK (hehehehehehe). We saw floats, artist, politicians, giant mascots and also the whole barkada of JOLLIBEE (weeeeeeee, felt like a child agian hehehehehehe). The rain fell hard at about 5 in the afternoon. We went to Ayala Grounds to watch the Grand Fireworks Display. And it really live up to its title GRAND! it was the first time in my life that I have seen such big, colorful, long, and plenty of fireworks. I think it lasted over 30 minuets. It was really worth the wait and the LOOOOONG walk back and fort.

(Basilica de Sto. Nino crowd 1st mass 4:00am)

(Sinulog parade participant)

(Sinulog parade participant)

(Me and a participant)

(Sinulog parade participant)

Sinulog 2010 was a blast for me and I'm definitely coming back!!! Hopefully next year!! :)