Asturias teen wins Sinulog Festival Queen runway competition

Ivy Tapic, 18, of Asturias, Cebu, wins the runway competition of the Sinulog Festival Queen 2017. (CDN PHOTO/MOREXETTE ERAM)

Ivy Tapic, 18, candidate 1, of Asturias, is the Sinulog Festival Queen 2017’s runway competition winner. She bested 12 other candidates to win the top spot in this year’s runway event.

Bagging first runner up was Marla Pino Alforque, Candidate No. 9, from Carcar City. Second runner up was candidate No. 10, Luzenne Sanchez Jones. She also won SM City Cebu’s Sinulog Queen 2017.

There are 13 candidates in this year’s competition from here and outside of Cebu. The participants from outside of Cebu include: Angelyn Gawayen from Tangub, Misamis Occidental; Samar Bondounjki of Catbalogan City, Samar; and Marilee Cortez of Lanao del Norte.

Reigning Sinulog Festival Queen Cynthia Thomalla and the executive director for the Sinulog Foundation Inc. Ricky Ballesteros also unveiled the new crown for this year’s Sinulog Festival Queen. The crown, named Inang Dahli, was designed by internationally renowned couturier Cary Santiago.

“This is just a teaser for tomorrow evening, which will be the final and official big event. All of our judges are international judges. We have one from Canada, Australia, from San Francisco and Sacramento, USA, and South Korea,” said Ballesteros.

Among them are Australian-based fashion designer Matthew Salem; Doug Vincent, who received a Queen of England Silver Medal for Philanthropic Work; South Korean art director and actor Woong Ki Wam; and Bam Abella for SM City Cebu.

Tonight, around 800 people attended the runway event. Ballesteros said they will expect more for tomorrow evening’s coronation night.

“The judges for this event will also be the ones to judge in the final event,” he added.

The final competition will take place on Friday, January 13, at 7:30 pm at the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC).