USC’s Kylah Mae Dela Peña and Caitlin Martinez. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Carlos (USC) celebrated a momentous achievement after claiming both the college and high school titles at the Miss Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) 2024 pageant, held on Saturday, September 21, at the Cebu Coliseum.
Out of 25 contestants, USC’s Kylah Mae Dela Peña and Caitlin Martinez emerged victorious, securing the coveted crowns in their respective divisions.
Dela Peña, a tourism student, triumphed over 11 other candidates to win the college division, while Martinez, a 12th grader, competing against 13 other hopefuls, took home the high school title.
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“This victory is not just for us but for the entire University of San Carlos community. Winning both crowns was completely unexpected,” Dela Peña said.
“All the girls were very pretty, and we felt immense pressure from the USC community to live up to their expectations,” she added.
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Martinez, overwhelmed with emotion, reflected on the dedication required to secure her title in the high school division.
“I can’t help but be this emotional because of the hardships and sacrifices we had to go through to prepare for Miss Cesafi,” Martinez said.
Adding to their accolades, both winners are seasoned pageant competitors.
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Martinez holds the title of Miss Teen Cebu City 2023, while Dela Peña previously placed as second runner-up in the Miss Mandaue 2024 pageant.
The top 3 in the college and high school divisions of the Miss Cesafi 2024. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal
In the college division, Irene Kyle Salutan of the University of the Philippines Cebu finished as first runner-up, followed by Crisha Mae Romarate of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) in third place.
For the high school division, Bianca Codilla from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) claimed first runner-up honors, with Jasmine Lim of USJ-R finishing as second runner-up.