BOOKLOVERS ALL Inquirer president and CEO Sandy Prieto-Romualdez and British Ambassador Asif Ahmad (center) join young book lovers on the second day of the Read-Along Festival.

It did not show, but Jemimah Rose Pestaño confessed that she was nervous when she took the stage in this year’s #MyInquirer Read-Along Festival Storytelling Competition held Saturday at the Inquirer Makati office.

So it was a “shocked” Pestaño who stood up to claim the Festival Queen title for her school, the Optimus Center for Development.

“This is the first time that Optimus won, and I am very happy I did it,” said the sixth grader who bested four other contenders: Abbygail Parma (St. Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School in Cavite); Keveen Kence Sy Suan (Chiang Kai Shek College); Raiza Meñale (Antonio Regidor Elementary School), and Kean Railey Chan Huan (Chiang Kai Shek College).

“At last!” exclaimed her coach and mentor Lorna Matienzo, who has been training award-winning storytellers from their school since they first joined the 2014 edition of the storytelling competition, with Optimus student Noah Roa finishing 1st runner up in 2014 and 2015.

But third time’s the charm for the Binangonan, Rizal school, thanks to Jemimah whom Matienzo described as “very easy to teach, and never gets tired of practicing.” The winner’s grandmother, Guia Tacsagon, who was in the audience meanwhile thanked “Teacher Lorna for her unwavering support and dedication.”

Legends and myths

Quiet by nature, Jemimah described reading as her only hobby. “My favorite books are Filipino books about legends and myths,” she said, citing “Alamat ng Gagamba” as her favorite story.

The contestants read “Nang Magkakulay ang Nayon” by Susan dela Rosa Aragon, a story about how a town changed with the arrival of a painter.

ENCORE Returning Read-Along Festival storyteller Ambassador Asif Ahmad reads “Si Putot” by Mike Bigornia during the second day of the festival.

The competition capped the two-day festival which was co-presented with Metrobank Foundation and sponsored by Dunkin Donuts.

The second day of the Festival also featured as readers British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad, Read-Along ambassador Bianca Umali, Starstruck First Princess Ayra Mariano, Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teachers Winnie Diola and Regaele Olarte, Ann Abacan and the Sophia School storytellers.

Judges for the competition were veteran Read-Along storytellers and returning Festival competition judges Abaca, Rich Rodriguez and Dyali Justo.

Earlier in the morning, Inquirer President and CEO Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez opened the second day of the Festival and introduced as a “special, special guest” Ambassador Ahmad, who read in Filipino Mike Bigornia’s “Si Putot.”

“The power of storytelling is compelling for kids and adults,” said the Ambassador who also read for the Festival last year.

Outstanding teachers Diola and Olarte read Rene Villanueva’s “Ang Patsotsay na Iisa ang Pakpak” while GMA-7’s Mariano read “Apolakus!” by Alice Mallari.

Veteran storytellers from Sophia School led by principal Abacan read “Binibining Bettina Bote,” complete with colorful apron costumes. They capped their performance with a special dance number courtesy of Sophia School senior high school students.

The festival was hosted by Libre editor-in-chief Chito dela Vega, Junior Inquirer editor Ruth Navarra and Inquirer Read-Along volunteer Louie Bacani, in cooperation with Laarnie Luna of Metrobank Foundation, Wil Villaruel and Lendl Fabella of GMA and Monica Cantilero of the British Embassy. —WITH REPORTS FROM MARIELLE MEDINA AND KATE PEDROSO, INQUIRER RESEARCH