TAGUIG CITY—Some of the country’s most moneyed people dipped into their pockets last Aug. 14 to buy dinner while surrounded by some of the country’s prettiest women, who were able to raise at least P1 million for two charities.
The Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant sent out contestants to its 2019 pageant in clothes made by Designers’ Circle Philippines to add eye candy to dinner that cost P75,000 to P100,000 per table.
As the rich diners were picking from gustatory treats at the buffet table, they could also ogle at the Mutya contestants parading their outfits during the charity gala held at Ascott BGC at Bonifacio Global City last Aug. 14.
A “platinum” table fetched P100,000, while the “gold” table is worth P75,000.
Mutya Pilipinas President Cory Quirino said proceeds of the event will benefit street children under the care of the Tuloy Foundation Inc., as well as indigent patients supported by the PGH Medical Foundation.
But it was likewise rewarding for some of the generous guests. The gala also awarded prizes to raffle draw winners, who received glass sculptures from renowned artist Ramon Orlina, hotel accommodations from the Ascott Group in several of its properties in the Philippines, and a Herman Miller chair from CWC Interiors.
Some of the delegates also brought home awards from the pageant’s commercial sponsors.
Pampanga’s Cyrille Payumo bagged the Best in Terno award, and also received the Miss Paddocks award from a pageant sponsor, makers of Paddocks jeans.
Jessi Mendez Salon chose Andrea Acibo from Batangas City as its ambassador, while Tyra Goldman from the Filipino community of Nevada received the Miss EB Advance award from the pageant’s make up sponsor.
Fortune Life chose Lady Justerinnie Santos from Bulakan, Bulacan, as its “Empowered Woman,” while Taguig’s Hannah Jessica Villa was proclaimed Miss Gibi Shoes.
Forty delegates from around the country and in different parts of the world will compete in the 2019 Mutya Pilipinas coronation night, which will be staged at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Aug. 18.
Reigning Miss Asia Pacific International Sarifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel will relinquish her Mutya crown to her successor. Dreamgirl of the Year International Aya Fernandez, now a MYX Channel VJ, will turn over the Mutya-Tourism International title.
However, Mutya-Tourism Queen of the Year International Keshapornam Ramachandran and Mutya-Global Beuaty Queen Pauline Amelincx will not be crowning any successor because the pageant decided to let go of the two titles, following the cancellation of the 2018 editions of the two global competitions they were supposed to join.
A new crown, the Mutya-World Top Model, will be awarded instead.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer.net, Inquirer Mobile, InqPop, Libre, and Bandera are media partners of the 2019 Mutya Pilipinas pageant.
