Meet Cebu’s representative to Reyna ng Aliwan 2020

Phoebe Godinez | Photo by Ayeng Salupan

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Will another Cebuana make history in Reyna ng Aliwan 2020?

Cebuana beauty queen Phoebe Godinez is set to join Reyna ng Aliwan 2020 representing the Sinulog Festival.

This was confirmed by her handler Jonas Borces of Kagandahang Flores (KF) Cebu to CDN Digital on Saturday night, February 22, 2020, after Aliwan Fiesta released Godinez’s photo on its Facebook page.

Borces explained to CDN Digital how Godinez was chosen by Sinulog Foundation to be the sash wearer for Sinulog Festival.

“But since the girl nga nakadaog sa Sinulog Festival Queen kay dili taga Cebu so they asked Jesselle Saniel to represent but she turned it down due to her school schedule,” Borces said.

(Since the Sinulog Festival Queen 2020 is not from Cebu, they asked Jesselle Saniel to represent but she declined because studies is her priority.)

Last January, 17-year-old Monika Afable of Borongan City was crowned as Sinulog Festival Queen 2020.

Saniel, who represented Talisay City, was named as her runner-up and Jane Genobisa as second runner up. But Genobisa has decided to pursue a modelling career in Manila.  Godinez, who won as second runner up in the Sinulog Festival Queen pageant in 2019, was picked to represent Sinulog Festival in this year’s Reyna sa Aliwan.

Phoebe Godinez | Photo by Ayeng Salupan

So who is Godinez?

She is a 21-year-old student taking up Mass Communication Major in Film Media at the Cebu Normal University (CNU).

Godinez was also the country’s delegate to the Youth Model ASEAN Conference held in Singapore in 2019.

She is not a newbie in the pageant industry. In fact, she has several titles under her belt.

Godinez placed second runner-up in Sinulog Festival Queen 2019 when she became the lead dancer for Talisay City contingent. She was also named as the Miss Philippines Association of State Universities and Colleges National Competition (National PASUC) 2018, Miss CNU 2018, and Binibining Toledo 2017.

In a message sent to CDN Digital, Godinez said that she is aware that Cebu continues to bring strong competition to Reyna ng Aliwan pageant as it is proven through numerous wins.

“Through the act of selecting me as Cebu’s representative, I believe in my capacity as a beauty queen just as strongly as my handlers and the Sinulog Foundation do,” she added.

Godinez feels the pressure but she thinks that it is the perfect fuel to fire up her spirit to train harder.

“This will be my second national pageant, and my confidence will stem from preparation,” she added.

Reyna ng Aliwan is one of the highlights of Aliwan Fiesta, a gathering of all festivals in the country which is slated from April 23 to April 25, 2020 in Pasay City.

Beauty queens from Cebu who took home the Reyna ng Aliwan title were Marla Alforque (2017), Miss Eco International 2018 Cynthia Thomalla (2016), Steffi Aberasturi (2014), Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell (2013), Miss Tourism International 2014 Angeli Dione Gomez (2012), Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2015 Rogelie Catacutan (2011),  Miss Tourism International 2012 Rizzini Alexis Gomez (2010), and Sian Elizabeth Maynard (2009).

Supposedly, Nicole Borromeo got the crown for 2019 but she was dethroned after joining another national pageant, where she was named as Miss Millennial Philippines 2019.

The Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 crown instead went to Roi Neeve Comanda of Baguio City’s Panagbenga Festival. /elb

— This is the second version of the same article to reflect a correction that Phoebe Godinez won as second runner up in the Sinulog Festival Queen 2019 and not this year, 2020.