12 vie for Miss Iloilo Paraw Regatta 2008
Twelve young ladies will compete for this year's Miss Iloilo Paraw Regatta. The beauty pageant is part of the activities for the 36th Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival slated on February 15-17 along the Arevalo shoreline.
The candidates are April Sheen Bernas, 17 years old of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University; Caress Jane Lacson, 21, of the West Visayas State University; Melinaire Jalipa, 23, of the University of Iloilo; Natalie Grace Roberts, 16, of the Iloilo National High School; and Sarah Kate Luceno, 18, of the University of Perpetual Help-Laguna.
The other contestants are Mary Raymond Velez, 17, of the Western Institute of Technology; Psyche Parcia, 21, of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University; Winlove Dupit, 19, of West Visayas State University; Abigail Alejandro, 19, of St. Therese-MTC Colleges; Sherenel Ann Danieles, 21, 0f the University of San Agustin; Mary Kirnette Gallenero, 20, of West Visayas State University; and Rubi Marie Tonogbanua, 19, of John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University.
Prior to the pageant proper on the evening of February 15, there is a prejudging and selection for the Darling of the Press morning of the same day. The search for the Darling of the Press is lead by the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps.
The 12 contestants were chosen from among the 40 hopeful young ladies to replace the reigning Miss Paraw Regatta Christy Joy Camohoy. She was adjudged as first runner-up in the 2007 search for Miss Tourism in Western Visayas.
The Paraw Regatta Queen will receive P30,000 in cash, crown, bouquet, sash and a Department of Tourism trophy. All major and minor award winners will receive the coveted DOT trophies.
The first runner-up with receive P15,000, crown, bouquet and sash; second runner-up with P10,000 and crown; third runner-up with P7,000 and crown and fourth runner-up with P5,000 and crown.. All non-winners will each receive P1,000 as consolation prize.
Other prizes include corporate and special awards are Miss Negros Navigation Princess and Miss Diet Coke. Minor awards include Miss Friendship, Miss Photogenic, Most Talented, Best in Festival Costume, Best in Swimsuit, Best in Gown and Best Public Speaker.
The Iloilo Paraw Regatta is the fourth tourist festival calendared by the city government to liven up its tourism industry. The first was the Dinagyang festival, feast of the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Jaro and Chinese New Year.
Iloilo Paraw Regatta was selected as the third top tourism event in the country by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP).