The six Miss Teen Philippines-Central Visayas candidates are Leigh Chanelle Ong (from left), Kaye Rollins, Karla Marie Niere, Kylah Sanchez, Olive May Bihag, and Nicole Borromeo. | Michelle Joy Padayhag
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Six Cebuanas are all set to represent Central Visayas in the Miss Teen Philippines pageant on May 8, 2019 in Manila.
Kylah Sanchez, Nicole Borromeo, Kaye Rollins, Olive May Bihag, Leigh Chanelle Ong, and Karla Marie Niere were chosen to represent Central Visayas after a pre-qualifying round was held at the SM Seaside City Cebu on March 17, Sunday.
Read more: Twenty four young ladies to vie for Miss Teen Philippines-Central Visayas pageant
Miss Teen Philippines will be Sanchez’s third national pageant after winning Miss Hannah’s Tourism Ambassador 2018 and making it to the Top 10 of Miss World Philippines 2018.
“Actually I did not expect this because all of the candidates are fresh, young, and pretty. All of them are really beautiful,” Sanchez told Cebu Daily News Digital.
Sanchez, 17, is a native of Liloan, northern Cebu and a senior high school student of University of Cebu (UC) Main Campus.
Read more: Young Cebuana beauty queen wins Binibining Sibugay 2019
Other titles under her belt are Binibining Sibugay 2019, Miss Grand Chinatown 2018, Panagtagbo Festival Queen 2018, Miss UC Basic Education 2017, Miss Surfing Lanuza-Surigao 2017, Miss Yati Liloan 2017, Miss Tabogon Ecotourism 2017, and Miss Kalunasan 2017.
Borromeo
For Nicole Borromeo, the Miss Teen Philippines pageant will be another opportunity for her to join a national pageant this year.
Read more: Nicole Borromeo of Carcar City: Sinulog Festival Queen 2019
Borromeo was recently crowned Sinulog Festival Queen 2019 that will give her the chance to represent Cebu for Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 and Miss Millennial Philippines 2019.
She said she was happy that this year, she would join one more national pageant after making it to the Top 6 of Miss Teen Philippines – Central Visayas.
“Of course given the fact that I am 18 right now, there is no other time to join. I see this as an opportunity for me, and I will not let it slide this time because growing up, I am really shy,” ashe
A native of Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, the 18-year-old beauty queen is a senior high student of Cebu Doctor’s University. She won several titles in the past like Miss Silka Cebu 2017 and Miss Mandaue 2018 first runner-up.
Niere
For Karla Marie Niere, Miss Teen Philippines 2019 is her second pageant after winning third runner-up in Miss Consolacion 2018.
“I feel overwhelmed. I was not expecting to be part of Top 6,” the Consolacion native said.
Among her preparations were improving her walk and the proper way of delivering her answer.
Niere, 18, is a senior high student at Sotero B. Cabahug FORM of Literacy in the northern town of Consolacion.
Rollins
Kaye Rollins, another Miss Teen Philippines-CV candidate, is not a newbie in the pageant industry.
Read more: South Town Centre encourages women to #BeBoldForChange
She earned several titles like Miss South Town Centre 2016 and Miss Cesafi 2018 first runner-up for high school division.
“I am so proud to be here. I am not in it to win it anymore. I am here to experience the whole thing to meet new people and to live the remainder of my youth to the fullest,” she said.
Rollins, 18, from Talisay City is a senior high school student from University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Basak Campus.
Bihag
For Olive May Bihag, Miss Teen Philippines, will give her more experience in the world of pageantry.
She joined pageants before and won as Miss Casuntingan 2018 first runner-up and Miss Macaba 2017.
“I am happy and grateful because my parents are so supportive. This is an unexpected win because there are a lot of pretty, smart, and talented girls,” the 14-year-old beauty queen said.
Bihag is a grade nine student in Academia del Christifidelis in the town of Liloan.
As she prepares for the national pageant, she will work more on her self esteem.
Ong
Completing the Top 6 is Leigh Chanelle Ong from the town of Alcoy.
This is her first pageant outside of school pageant. She was Miss Cebu Province Technolympic 2016 first runner-up and Miss Interhigh Dalaguete 2018.
“I really did not think that I will be chosen because there are a lot of girls who are suited to be also representatives. I just feel blessed and thankful to everyone that I have the chance to prove myself,” she said
Ong, 16, is a student from St. Mary’s School of Dalaguete.
There were 24 candidates who joined the pre-qualifying round of Miss Teen Philippines – Central Visayas last weekend.
The Top 6 were judged based on intelligence (40 percent), appearance (40 percent), and poise and personality (20 percent).
Judges in the pre-qualifying round were Ferdinand Yu, Marc Ramos, Ritchie Ocampo Sam Hormilosa , and Creslito Nieves.
Full list of special awards:
Hablon de Cebu Festival Teen: Candidate #12 Kaye Rollins
Miss Beauty Affair: Candidate #19 Cassandra Margaret Reed
Miss League Magazine: Candidate #2 Maria Milkhielyn Enriquez
AD Models Discovery: Candidate #22 Christina Maria Schott
Miss Photogenic: Candidate #1 Maria Mercy Bacarisas, Candidate #6 Maria Bethel Rosco, Candidate #8 Den Claire Petralba, Candidate #18 Madelyn Afrifina Smith, and Candidate #21 Skylah Butler /dbs
