Miss Dinagyang 2008 winners

Miss Dinagyang 2008 'with a cause'

DINAGYANG BEAUTIES - (L-R) 2nd runner-up Sherry Loraine Bermejo, Miss Dinagyang 2008 Vena Ardales and 1st runner-up Diana Angelie Jainga.

Miss Dinagyang 2008 breaks away from the “crown-and-sash” image and will be working for a cause, pageant organizer Rowena Diaz said.

Diaz stressed the candidates have conceptualized tourism advocacy projects which they defended last Jan. 16. She added the winning project would be officially presented to the Department of Tourism for funding.

“They had to identify and realize projects that could be promoted by a beauty queen – apart from being without any cause at all, no meaning or purpose – not just the usual ribbon cutting and appearances during big events,” Diaz explained.

“We are planning to man a one-stop tourism information center where they (winners) could manage campaign materials and brochures,” she told reporters.

Ms. Dinagyang 2008 is Vena Ardales, a 19-year-old BS Medical Technology student of Central Philippine University (CPU).

Ardales took on the crown from outgoing Ms. Dinagyang Cara Jeanne Sullano who is also from CPU.

Joining Ardales’ court are 1st runner-up Diana Angelie Jainga, 17 and taking up BS Nursing from CPU; 2nd runner-up Sherry Loraine Bermejo, 21 and BS Nursing student of West Visayas State University; 3rd runner Rita Guevarra, 20 and a graduate of cruise ship management; and 4th runner-up April de la Cruz, 16 and a student of Iloilo National High School, the youngest among the candidates.

For the first time, the coronation night of Ms. Dinagyang was opened to public with the pageant proper capped at Freedom Grandstand yesterday.

The show went on as rains stopped in the evening in time of the beauty contest, drawing crowds.

As the 10 candidates paraded in their casual wears, playsuits and evening gowns, and articulated in the final interview, five ladies had emerged grand winners just before midnight.

The organizer has laid down the rules for the Ms. Dinagyang who “shall not at anytime commercially exploit her title in anyway while all her activities must be approved in writing.”

The winner “shall conduct herself with decorum during her reign and shall not commit immoral, illegal or any act or behavior which could disrepute, ridicule or contempt to the Ms. Dinagyang image and reputation.”