Catbalogan City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said that she commended the efforts of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) for personally giving the award and prizes to their Sinulog festival queen, Mary Faith Voz Libres.
Libres was declared as winner of the Best in Costume in this year’s Sinulog Festival Queen, almost two months after SFI awarded the same to Daanbatayan festival queen Isabel Luche.
The error was discovered when Catbalogan City officials claimed the cash prize at the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) office on January 21 and discovered that the check amounting to P10,000 was under the name of their festival queen.
Uy-Tan suggested that the organizers and SFI should improve their management of the contest in the next festival.
“As of now, yes, we’re still joining the Sinulog Festival but we’re contemplating on joining an international contest. We’re going to balance things by then,” Uy-Tan added.
The Best in Festival Costume is awarded to the wearer (festival queen) while the Best in Costume Design is awarded to the designer.