A hardware cashier, pageant repeater, athlete, and a woman living in one of Bacolod City’s resettlement areas are among the 15 candidates vying for the crown in this year’s Miss Bacolod MassKara (MBM) who were presented to the press at SM City Bacolod on Sunday, October 1.
The 15 candidates were officially sashed and answered questions from the media and Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, the festival organizer.
The 15 candidates are Georgette Ysabelle Millan, Therese Pira-an, Tracy Mae Sunio, Marianel Tan, Geralyn Joy Basto, Allona Nejar, Jada Biaxyl Celeste, Janine Cabrillos, Cailah Jhane Delarma, Elli Rose Elola, Rose Mariel Sansing, Kyle Santillan, Ma. Ericka Panganiban, Crizwin Claire Española, and Yvonne Catamco.
The girls were introduced through a video presentation where they shared a glimpse of their lives and aspirations, as well as some of the interesting facts about themselves.
Cabrillos, 22, who works as a cashier at Bacolod Triumph Hardware, was hailed as the “Darling of the Press” during the event.
She is the daughter of a puto-kutsinta vendor and a construction worker.
Cabrillos was asked how she could convince everyone that the puto-kutsinta of her mother is the best in the Philippines.
She said that it is the best version of puto-kutsinta as she grew up eating it and without it, she would not be standing on the pageant stage.
“It is the best and it is a testament of who I am right now,” Cabrillos said.
With her award as darling of the press, she received P5,000 in cash.
Eleven other candidates are still studying while the rest are already working.
Pira-an, one of the candidates, also shared that she lives at the Arao Resettlement Area in Brgy. Mansilingan.
“I consider myself a trailblazer in my community. I am from Arao Relocation Site and it is a huge step to have a representative of the women from my community” at the pageant, Pira-an said.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, in his speech, said aside from the MBM there are a lot of activities slated for this year’s MassKara Festival, and that a K-Pop group from Korea is also expected.
He hopes that the new batch of MBM candidates will have a chance to represent Bacolod in national and international pageants.*