Kizia Jermaine Maligalig is as fresh as fresh gets if you want a beautiful Filipina who has done her decent share of provincial and national (festival) pageantry for the past two years. She was crowned Mutya ng Atimonan 2018 which elevated her to take part in Bb. Niyogyugan 2018 that gathers the best of the Province of Quezon. She also claimed her spot as the representative of the Tagultol Fishing Festival during Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 where she was named as the well-deserved recipient of the important Miss Photogenic award.
While some pageant watchers might quip that she still needs more training for the bigger national competitions, I can say that Kizia is most ready to prove that she can claim a spot either as a Binibini or Mutya. Or an Earth Angel if you will. And this 2020, she can do just that, especially with the full support of her beloved Atimonan.
Given the expanded landscape of national pageants in the country, we should give every lovely and qualified Pinay the chance to empower herself and shine in the big league.
Kheshapornam Ramachandran is the half Filipina-half Malaysian/Indian Ilongga whose claim to national pageantry was winning one of the crowns during Mutya ng Pilipinas Gold. She won the right to represent the country in Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International. It was supposed to happen during the last quarter of 2018 or early 2019. Sadly, the organizers scrapped the staging of the international contest. Just like Pauline Amelinckx, she was left with no choice but to accept the fate of having an aborted pageant mission. 
Next, let’s head down to Koronadal in South Cotabato for our next potential aspirant. Alayzza Izzabelle Tolimao is the Queen of the Agten Tufi Festival that allowed her to go to Manila and take part in Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 – a national gathering of ladies representing different festivals around the country. While not initially picked as an early contender, she proved her charm and grace in front of the judges (your blogger was part of the panel) all the way to the top where she was named one of three 2nd Runners-Up that effectively included her in the Top 5. 
More than three months after being crowned as Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 during this year’s Aliwan Fiesta, Nicole Borromeo (of Sinulog Festival of Cebu) was stripped of the title when the organizers finally reached a decision to make the bold move when the Cebuana joined Miss Millennial Philippines 2019 – a direct violation of the stipulations in her contract which she and her manager conformed to prior to winning the annual festival-themed national competition last May.
Last night at the CCP Complex in Pasay City, Nicole Borromeo – representing the Sinulog Festival of Cebu – was crowned Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 in the annual competition and automatically became the Festival Queen of All Festivals. She also gifted her province its 9th win, strengthening Cebu’s excellent record in the search. She effectively followed the trail set by the likes of previous titleholders Jamie Herrell, Karla Henry, Cynthia Thomalla, Rogelie Catacutan, Angeli Dione Gomez, Marla Alforque, Steffi Pearson Aberasturi, Sian Maynard and the late Rizzini Alexis Gomez.
Manila Broadcasting Company, Star City and the Cultural Center of the Philippines – in cooperation with the cities of Manila and Pasay – once again celebrate the country’s biggest and most popular festivals the way we Filipinos love it – as a series of visual spectacles now known as the Aliwan Fiesta, which opens to the public on April 25-27 at the CCP Complex.
normannorman.com 