The Miss Mabinay 2015

January 23, 2015/in 2015, Galleries

Following the invitation of Mabinay’s Tourism Officer Gary Caseres we went to the Cave Capital of the Philippines for the annual fiesta. The Miss Mabinay 2015 pageant was the event on the day of our arrival. Nine contestants were competing for the title at the municipality stage. The doors of the venue opened at 7:00pm, however, it was past 10:00pm when the event finally started with the prayers, national anthem and the production round.

Miss Mabinay 2015 Production Number

After the production number the candidates had a lot of time to change as all judges, sponsors, VIPs, VUPs, and “God-knows-who-else” needed to be introduced as well as some short speech and the contest rules were read of the script. Anyway here some pictures of the VIPs, guests of honor and intermission numbers.

Miss Mabinay 2015 in Swim Wear

Other than in political correct Dumaguete, the Miss Mabinay 2015 pageant was not afraid to have the lovely candidates wearing bikinis; certainly the most famous round of any beauty pageant in the world… at least with 50% of the world’s population.

Talent Round at Miss Mabinay 2015

The talent round followed almost immediately after some minor technical issues with the usual dancing, singing and interpretative acting.

Last, but most anticipated round showed the nine competing candidates for Miss Mabinay 2015 in their evening gowns. “White” was the theme at Miss Mabinay’s beauty pageant.

Miss Mabinay 2015

Harlene Mae Abenita Lubrico

Dr.Rico Absin and Mandaue Children's Choir

Christmas with Rico Absin and Friends

December 15, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

Dumaguete Christmas House owner Dr. Rico Absin is yearly raising funds at Christmas time for the street children of Dumaguete. Yesterdays event in Silliman’s Luce Auditorium was another great success.

Miss Pura Vida 2014

December 13, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

The parties at of Sea Explorers are famous since many years. No difference was the Christmasparty with friends and guests. The highlight was certainly the Miss Pura Vida 2014 contest.

Back Stage at Miss Pura Vida 2014 and Judges

The Talent Presentation

The candidates in gowns

Pura-Vida-Party The Gown Round

Pura-Vida-Party the Swimsuit Competition

The Awarding

Congratulations to Miss Pura Vida 2014

Thanks to the team of Pura Vida, Vida Homes and Sea Explorers for a great party!

…. and of course for inviting us.

66th Charter Day Parade

November 25, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

The 66th Charter Day Parade occupied yesterday the streets of Dumaguete. Lead by our beloved Mayor Manuel “Chiquitting” Sagarbarria and Congressman George Arnaiz, the parade started at Quezon Park up to Real Street to turn north and end at the Silliman Ballfield. Therefore our first gallery is for the officials of the City of Gentle People

Congressman George Arnaiz and Mayor Mayor Manuel "Chiquitting" Sagarbarria lead the Charter Day Parade

Congressman George Arnaiz and Mayor Mayor Manuel “Chiquitting” Sagarbarria leading the Charter Day Parade

Barangay Calindagan

After the Dumaguete Government Officials were countless organizations from Police Department to the Little Children of the Philippines and from Paintballers to Cosplayers. Here are some of them:

Without stepping on anybodies toes, the highlight were of course the marching bands in their colorful costumes spread throughout the parade. We have so many pictures, that we split the gallery in two parts for a better loading time

Sandurot 2014 – Street Dance & Showdown

November 23, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

Hot – Hotter – Sandurot 2014 Street Dance Parade. The sun was burning down at 3:00pm, when the participants of the streetdance parade started moving from Portal West via Perdices- and Real Street back to Quezon Park where later the Showdown took place. All spectators who were not busy finding a spot on in the shade or boiling eggs on the street saw some great performances of all participating schools.

Sandurot 2014 – Street Dance Competition

Sandurot Festival 2014 – Showdown

The national Broadcast of Sky Cable was probably the reason that the Showdown of this years Sandurot Festival started perfectly in time on 5:00 pm. Bottomline, it can be done! Maybe the organizers of the Miss Dumaguete Coronation Night should take a seminar at Sky Cable how to plan ad execute a fast paced event, instead of stretching a little over 5 hours.

The seven contingents did great and the cheers of the audience grew louder from contestant to contestant.

Last but not least one pictures we can’t leave out and our definite winner for best picture of the Sandurot 2014 Showdown.

Miss Dumaguete 2014 – Coronation Night

November 22, 2014/in 2014, Galleries, Uncategorized

The Miss Dumaguete 2014 Coronation Night took place as on of the main-events of the 2014 Sandurot Festival. Once again the Dumaguete Convention Center was chosen as a venue, and once again the delay was extraordinary. The main task of the event was to find the successor of Lorraine Kendrickson -Miss Dumaguete 2013- who represented the City of Gentle People most successful at the Miss World – Philippines Pageant.

The “Who-is-Who” of Dumaguete was in full numbers present, completed with other VIPs of the national show- and business sector. Reading their names, glorious achievements and curriculum vitae plus all sponsors took more time than the seven candidates spend on stage to present themselves to the board of judges and the audience. Following a view pictures of some of the honorable guests of this event.

Finally it was time to start the Miss Dumaguete 2014 Coronation Night with the production number.

Production Number Of Miss Dumaguete 2014 Contestant

Miss Dumaguete 2014 Candidates in Swimsuits

“History repeats itself” must have been the theme of the swimsuit round. The candidates were wearing bathing suits which obviously reassembled the style of the 60s and reminded one of our team-members strongly of the beach wear his grandma was wearing back in the early 70s

Miss Dumaguete 2014 Candidates in Gowns

The gowns were also held in a greyish silver, so it appeared, that the overall theme of the event-planner was more directed towards the 70s instead of the modern woman of the 21st century.

Finally the show got to its highlight, the announcing of the different awards and the new Miss Dumaguete

Congratulations to Malka Shaver

Miss Dumaguete 2014

: Miss Dumaguete 2014 – Malka Shaver

Sandurot 2014 – Army Night

November 20, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

The huge difference between the Sandurot 2014 Army Night and all other events up to now was, that it started almost in time. Our Dumaguete.com team trusted the tradition to have events starting at least an hour late, therefore we missed the first band, which was according to people in the audience quite good. Our apologies! However, we caught the second band and the dance groups as well as the army-dog demonstration of the Sandurot 2014 Army night.

When walking direction venue, we could hear the first tunes of the second band and heard already from a distance that there is certainly a guy playing a guitar-solo who definitely knows what he does. As soon we saw him, we were certain that he also tickled our excitement at the Buglasan “Battle of the Bands”.

They band was playing brilliant, with a rhythm section like a clockwork and Mr.Bocala on the guitar is a class on his own anyway. The downfalls came with the two holding the microphones trying to put vocals to the brilliant executed music. To be polite, the cats which enjoyed themselves last night in the neighbors garden had more musical talent than the couple. They was certainly also no army members, but the losers from a teenage karaoke contest in the neighborhood. To protect their identity we will not post any pictures of the miss-tuned couple.

After the band finished their first set two very entertaining dance-groups from Negros and Lapu-Lapu entered the stage at Quezon Park. The guys showed a great sense of humor and kept the audience excited. An army dog handler also appeared for a brief demonstration with two trained and disciplined dogs.

When it was time for the second set of the band, the MC announced a technical problem which needed to be solved first. However, we believe the sound-company simply was the same opinion about the vocalists – obviously feeling pity for the audience to suffer through them again – so they pretended to have a problem and saved therefore hundreds of eardrum.

However, there was no further announcement after 30 minutes and we needed to leave as other duties were calling the dumaguete.com-team. All together we enjoyed most of the performances at the Sandurot 2014 – Army Night Variety Show, as they showed real great talents outside their regular hard job serving the country and protecting its population.

Folkdance Competition – Sandurot Festival 2014

November 19, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

Folkdance competitions are one of our declared favorites. The Sandurot Folkdance Competition 2014 made no difference. It is always great seeing the facebook-generation honoring the Filipino traditional dances and spending their free time in practicing. Seven competitors were participating under the watchful eyes of honorable Mayor Manuel Teves Sagarbarria and his right hand, Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling.

Mayor Manuel Teves Sagarbarria and Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling at the Sandurot Festival 2014 – Folkdance Competition

The cheers from the audience motivated all groups to give their best on stage, resulting in an interesting, colorful show on a very high level. Following some pictures in loose order of the:

Sandurot Festival Folkdance Competition

It was a hard task for the board of judges to determine the winner, which forced Woodrow “RR” Maquiling Jr. to extend his speech on stage until the final decision was made. He – of course – mastered that with professional bravura.

Folkdance Competition – Board of Judges with Mayor Sagarbarria & Woodrow Maquiling Sen and Jr.

The Silliman Dance Group snatched the first place just a few points ahead of their competitors. However, the big overall winner of the Sandurot 2014 Folkdance Competition was the audience, thanks to the professional performance of all contingencies, the organizers, the sound- and light crew and all involved helper.

Winner of the Folkdance Competition – Dumaguete Fiesta 2014

Thanks to Bruce Alfred Aplicano (see comment below) for correcting a mistake from us. The above mentioned Silliman Dance Group is of course the Silliman University Dance Troupe – Our honest apologies for the mistake.

Dumaguete Sandurot Festival Hip Hop Dancing Champion

Sandurot Festival 2014 Hip Hop – Dance Competition

November 18, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

Hip Hop Competition Like always when live show starts its traditionally part of the program are the prayers followed by national anthem, small speech from the Mayor of the City of Gentle people, Mr. Manuel Teves Sagarbarria is also needed as he is the father of the city hall welcoming all the guest and audience […]

Miss Dumaguete 2014 – Talent Night

November 17, 2014/in 2014, Galleries

Last night November 16, 2014 was the Pre – Pageant of Miss Dumaguete 2014 on the big stage in Quezon park. The weather was on the side of the organizers and thousands of Dumagueteños waited patiently for the VIPs to arrive, so that the Talent Night or Pre – Pageant night (how it is better called due to lack of talents) could finally start. Mayor, counselors, sponsors and many more or less noteworthy people filled the first rows in the audience. Here some pictures of them mixed with some shots before the show started.

Finally the Miss Dumaguete 2014 Pre-Pageant night got on its way with the prayers and national anthem before the candidates entered the stage in their red-hot Flamenco costumes.

Miss Dumaguete 2014 Talent Night on their Flamingo Custume

Next was the talent round, or what the handlers thought the candidates are good in.

After two intermission numbers, the candidates slipped back into their Flamenco outfit and repeated their performance of the beginning of the show for a second time. Now it was time for the judges to calculate the scores and give the first awards.

Miss Dumaguete Talent night with Dumaguete Government Officials

If you want to know who will be crowned Miss Dumaguete 2014 you can get your ticket at the Dumaguete Tourism Office in Quezon Park. The coronation night will take place on Friday, November 21, 2014 at the Dumaguete Convention Center.

Miss Dumaguete 2014 Talent Night magic three