MANDAUE City’s Steffi Aberasturi clinched the Binibining Cebu 2018 crown, besting 52 other candidates during the coronation night held on October 19 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
She succeeded Binibining Cebu 2017 Apriel Smith of Badian.
During the final question and answer portion, the Top 12 candidates answered two questions.
The first question was given in a casual interview where the candidates were given seconds to answer.
The question given was, “What makes you blush?”
Aberasturi answered, “What makes me blush to be honest is every time I see my boyfriend. It always reminds me of first love of sight. That makes me blush.”
For the final question, all candidates were given 60 seconds to answer.
The question was, “What quality of a Binibining Cebuana is important to you and how can you use it to make Cebu a better place?”
Aberasturi answered, “For me the best quality of being a Cebuana someone who has the compassion. I believe that I can make a difference not just in my life but to the thousands and millions of people out there. I can make a difference through touching them, inspiring them, generating love. That is important for me, compassion. Through compassion, I can help many people. That is the main reason why I am here.”
Aside from the Binibining Cebu crown, she also received P500,000 cash and P300,000 in kind plus P200,000 for the municipality.
An early favorite, the 24-year-old English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher is not a newbie in beauty pageants.
She was Ms. Sinulog 2011, Ms. IPI 2012, Ms. Mandaue 2013, Reyna ng Aliwan 2014, and Ms. Beauche International 2015.
Winning the crown of Binibining Cebu Tourism 2018 is Kim Covert of Alegria, succeeding last year’s winner, Samantha Lo of Asturias.
She received P300,000 cash prize and P100,0000 in kind with P150,000 for the town.
The Binibining Cebu Charity 2018 title was won by Tracy Maureen Perez of Madridejos, succeeding Binibining Cebu Charity 2017 Maria Gigante.
Perez won P200,000 cash prize and P50,000 in kind plus P100,000 for her town she represents.
Winners of the new titles given this year are Binibining Cebu Heritage 2018 Lou Piczon of Ronda and Binibining Cebu Ecology 2018 Isabela Deutsch of Borbon.
Piczon received P100,000 cash prize plus P75,000 for the municipality while Deutsch won P50,000 cash prize plus P50,000 for the town.
Completing the Top 12 are Sharon Angel (Ginatilan), Kristine Gillamac (Minglanilla), Dianne Padillo (Cebu City North), Maria Lequin (Bogo City), Ivy Tapic (Naga City), Sheena Balansag (Medellin), and Princess Paraiso (San Francisco).
Last night’s judges were Anson Or, executive director of Yahoo! Philippines; Yong Larrazabal, president and Chairman of the Board of Cebu Doctors’ Group of Hospitals; Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 first runner-up Gabriela Palma; Jacqueline Tan-Sainz, President of First Standard Finance Corporation; international fashion designer Francis Libiran; Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” and Arnold Vegafria, president and chief executive officer (CEO) the ALV Group of Companies.
Performers last night were the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra, Bogo Rondalla, Lupon Anduyo Percussion Ensemble, Oh! Caraga, Jewel Villaflores, Luke Mejares, Missing Filemon, and Primiero Acapella Group.
The pageant was hosted by Ms. Earth 2008 Karla Henry and KC Montero.