ANGELES CITY- The Angeles City Tourism Office has staged the preliminary competition for this year’s Mutya ning Angeles beauty pageant at the SM City Clark Event Center.
MNA PRELIMINARIES WINNERS. Mutya ning Angeles (MNA) candidates Angela Robson (left) and Ana Mae Babasa (right), both hailing from Barangay Malabanias, were adjudged this year as the Best in Talent and Best in Filipiniana awardees respectively during the preliminary competition held Monday at SM City Clark. (AC-CIO)
A total of 25 lasses representing different villages and institutions in this highly-urbanized city competed in the talent competition through singing, dancing and oration.
Grace and class exuded as the candidates paraded in their traditional to contemporary Filipiniana attires designed by city- and province-based couturiers.
Meanwhile, a casual interview also tested the mutyas’ “grace under pressure” and their ability to answer questions and share their thoughts on the spot.
ACTO Head, John Montances, said that prior to the pre-pageant, various immersion undertakings such as media guesting, photoshoots, heritage tours, sponsors’ visits, personality development and team building activities were lined up to boost the candidates confidence.
The pre-pageant, he added, is a crucial part in the competition since it is the first major public exposure of the candidates and it is when people are choosing and are getting familiar with their prospective bets.
“The pre-pageant event aims to bring out more than just physical beauty among participating Angeleñas but also their talent, confidence and wit on and off the stage,” Montances added.
Bagging the awards in the MNA preliminary competition are Angela Robson for Best in Talent and Ana Mae Babasa for Best in Filipiniana. Both ladies hail from Barangay Malabanias.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the biggest, most anticipated and well-staged beauty pageant since its conception in 1992 during the first term of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.
Mutya ning Angeles’ grand coronation night is set on Novermber 3 (Friday) at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Complex (AUF-SCC).