It can be said that Filipinos delight in the pageantry of beauty; every momentous festival crowns a beauty queen! The Festival of Festivals, Aliwan Fiesta, is no exception. Always a stunning spectacle of beauty and talent, the Reyna ng Aliwan pageant features contenders who embody the rich culture and unique appeal of regional festivals.
A little throwback
Not even the lockdown could keep Filipinos from celebrating beauty through pageants. Aliwan Fiesta ran Reyna competitions online; after crowning its third Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen, 2023 saw the pageant's return to face-to-face hosting.
The candidates for the crown captivated audiences with their beauty, grace, and charisma. Kiara Liane Wellington, representing Cebu's Sinulog Festival, bested the rest and was hailed the 8th Reyna ng Aliwan.
Coming in second as First Runner Up was Kristine Billy Tabaday of La Union's Ayat Festival; the three Second Runners Up were Patricia Marie Mendiola (Lucena, Pasayahan Festival), Gheneza Marie Muller (Negros Occidental, Udyakan Festival), and Natalya Margaret Amido Lindsay (Quezon, Tagultol Fishing Festival).
Soaring high
Reynas of the Aliwan Fiesta have been known to reach loftier heights in the world of pageantry. Some have gone on to grace international stages.
One is Gazini Ganados, who was 2nd Runner Up in 2015. From representing Cebu, she stepped onto the Miss Universe stage to represent the entire nation. She finished as a Top 20 semi-finalist, and bagged the Best National Costume Award.
Steffi Aberasturi was crowned Reyna ng Aliwan 2014, and in seven years, placed 2nd Runner Up in Miss Universe Philippines 2021.
Alexandra Faith Garcia became the Reyna ng Aliwan's 1st Runner Up in 2015. In 2021, she took home the Philippine's very first Miss Aura International win.
On the thread of first Filipina wins, Cynthia Thomalla claimed the Reyna ng Aliwan title in 2016, and became the first Filipina to triumph as Miss Echo International.
In 2017, Maria Athisa Manalo snagged 2nd Runner Up. In the following year, she was seen on the Miss International stage, where she became the year's 1st Runner Up. This year, she was chosen to represent the country in the first edition of Miss Cosmo World.
Shalia Mae Rebortera, a 2018 Reyna ng Aliwan 2nd Runner Up, earned the Miss Multinational Philippines title.
Aliwan's 2018 Reyna Chelsea Fernandez found her way onto the Miss Globe 2022 pageant, finishing as a Top 15 semifinalist.
Interview: Don't stop dreaming
To preface this year's Reyna ng Aliwan pageant, 2023's Reyna, Kiara Liane Wellington, was interviewed by DJs Shai from Easy Rock and Rico Panyero from Yes! FM.
Wellington, who adores sunflowers and advocates for dyslexia awareness, shared that among the things which made the pageant memorable for her was being crowned, a sure highlight; having been in the company of the other beauty queens, which she described as being "so amazing." Most of all, she loved travelling to get a feel of various festivals herself. Public Relations and Promotions Officer Susan Arcega and her daughter Gina's guidance helped teach the Reyna more about Filipino culture and what it has to offer.
Wellington couldn't believe she had, through her hard work and prayers, been able to inspire young girls "to be in my heart, a Reyna ng Aliwan." She found this one of the most fulfilling parts of being Reyna, and which brought her joy. She spoke fondly of Arcega, whom she said had given her confidence.
"I'll miss her dearly with everything that she did throughout my reign, throughout my journey," Wellington said.
When asked how the Reyna would like to be remembered as she passes down the crown, she recalled that Arcega had called her bubbly, smiley, and "a bit quirky."
"She was just one tremendous woman that I admire so much. I cannot believe that I'm going to be her last Reyna ng Aliwan, and it's such a big, big honor, and I'm going to dedicate this to her."
She would like to tell the aspiring Reynas not to stop dreaming, to pour their dedication, perseverance, and love into what they believe in and the festival they represent.
"Always have that pride in you, that you can do it--that you have the mind, the heart, and the love for everything. And hopefully you'll become a Reyna ng Aliwan," the beauty queen added.
Kiara Liane Wellington will be present in the festivities to crown her successor.
What's new
The organizers behind Aliwan Fiesta's yearly success are always looking to outdo themselves. Much work has been put into streamlining the program's flow, which Stephinie Locsin, one of MBC Media Group's event specialists and head of the team overseeing the Reyna candidates, talked about in an interview.
Locsin told DJ Shai and Rico Panyero that the past week had kept her very busy, and this week even more so with Aliwan just around the corner. Of sleep, she said two hours a day was "enough."
"Kasi siyempre madami kaming learning lesson last year. Kasi last year, from pandemic, bumalik ulit kami (to face-to-face), so madaming adjustment," the Reyna team head said.
("Because of course we had a lot of lessons learned last year. From the pandemic, we went back to [face-to-face] again, so there are a lot of adjustments.")
Locsin and the team had come up with a checklist of these lessons to apply as improvements to this year's pageant. One such improvement was moving it indoors, into the Aliw Theatre. The rain drove them inside, where the setup looked better.
Moreover, the team now has to tackle many of the tasks Susan Arcega, former Public Relations and Promotions officer, had previously been taking care of. Fortunately, they were able to enlist additional manpower.
"Teamwork kasi talaga siya," Locsin emphasized.
("It really is teamwork.")
This year's preparations are "intense" as the pageant is set to level up.
"It's like wine--it gets better and better," Locsin promised.
Locsin revealed that the criteria for judging contestants was as follows:
- Personality 35%
- Beauty and poise - 35%
- Costume craftsmanship - 20%
- Overall impact - 10%
The winning Reyna will bring home a cash prize of P150,000, and will lead in promotional activities for Aliwan Fiesta and other MBC events. The First Runner Up will receive P75,000, while the three 2nd Runners Up will each get P20,000. Also up for grabs are special awards such as Best Costume, Best in Evening Gown, and Best in Swimsuit.
When asked what she would like to tell the contestants, Locsin assured she and her team were all rooting for them.
"The Team Reyna are all cheering for you. Always do your best, nandito lang kami (we're just here)," she said.
"I'll be your mommy-ger (mommy manager), all of us here sa Team Reyna," she added.
Locsin invited viewers to come and watch Reyna ng Aliwan live on June 28, Friday, at 7 PM. There is no entry fee and is better seen in person.
"Manood kayo (You should watch), it's gonna be in Aliw Theatre on June 28. Doors open at 6 PM, and it will start at 7. Libre siya, punta kayo (It's free, you should come) ... Experience it ng live, iba 'yung oral experience when you see it live, especially the festival costume," she urged.
Netizen voting
It's up to netizens to vote for Reyna ng Aliwan 2024's Netizen's Choice Award!
Click this link to cast your vote. You can do so only until June 28, Friday, 11:59 PM.
