Alaia Doverte
Age: 22
Town: Balamban
Course: BS Management (University of the Philippines-Cebu)
Title: Binibining Balamban 2016 3rd runner up
BINIBINING Cebu 2018 means a lot for Alaia Doverte.
“I never thought that I would be given the opportunity to work towards my goals for constant growth and my advocacy for environmental restoration and responsible tourism in a platform as grand as Binibining Cebu,” she said.
She did not plan to join the screening this year because she wants to finish her studies but she was encouraged by the support of her parents and the local government unit.
Doverte wears the sash of Balamban known as the Ship-building Capital of the Philippines. The town is also popular with Balamban Liempo or a marinated pork belly.
Balamban boasts tourist attractions like the Mt. Mauyog, Mt. Manunggal, Gaas Falls, Gaas cave, Cambuhawe Spring, and Casili Spring.
The town is also rich with agricultural products like dragon fruit, cacao and abaca.
“Balamban has transitioned from a purely agricultural industry to an agri-industrial one, thus making our municipality urbanized, but still with the ‘provincial’ or ‘homey feels’,” she said.
Allison Lo
Age: 21
Town: Asturias
Course: BS Nursing (University of
Cebu-Banilad)
Binibining Cebu 2018 is Allison Lo’s first pageant.
The 21-year-old Nursing student is following the footsteps of her older sister Samantha who joined the pageant last year and bagged the Binibining Cebu Tourism 2017 title.
“The fact that there are other girls here that have joined more pageants than me does not bother me. I prefer quality over quantity. What matters is that we do the job well the first time, the impression or mark that we leave, and that we learn from our mistakes,” she said.
Lo is gearing herself up for the pageant, focusing on her health, brushing up on her knowledge in current events and practicing her walk.
“When it came to learning about pageants, I watched others perform and I also watched my sister. I practice walking whenever I get the chance,” she said.
Just like her sister Samantha, Lo also wears the sash of Asturias.
“In Asturias, we have fresh water in the middle of the ocean and a hot spring by the ocean. We also have a monkey sanctuary,” she added.
She is also proud of Asturias’ “Plant Now Pay Later” program which gives job opportunities to locals.