THIS year’s candidates for Miss Lapu-Lapu City were presented to the media by the city government on Tuesday.
The pageant, which is now on its 17th year, will have 16 candidates this year, according to Dr. Marcelita Dignos, the over-all chairman of Lapu-Lapu City Fiesta Executive Committee 2017.
Dignos said there will be a lot of “first times” in this year’s pageant, including holding the coronation night for the first time at the city’s Hoops Dome. The pageant used to be held at the auditorium of Barangay Poblacion.
Of the candidates, only nine made it to the media presentation held at the Mactan Islas Hotel and Casino in Barangay Agus, since the other contestants were either in school or at work.
The candidates had been to Olango Island and Caohagan islet for a feeding program, visited their sponsors, paid courtesy call to Mayor Paz Radaza, done their talent night, and poolside presentation, said Dignos.
The pageant night will be staged on November 20 starting at 8 p.m. General admission is free but tickets at P100 and P75 will be sold for those who want to occupy the venue’s lower and upper box areas.
Mayor Radaza said the Miss Lapu-Lapu will be the city’s ambassadress during her year-long reign.
The pageant was a brainchild of former Lapu-Lapu City mayor and now Rep. Arturo Radaza. The pageant’s committee was headed by the city’s Department of Education (DepEd) supervisor, Dr. Rodulfo Berame, for 16 years until his retirement recently. It is now chaired by Dr. Ronald Ferrer, the city new DepEd head.