Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto (second from left) with (from left) Charlie Duñgo of the city tourism, culture and arts department; Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Panga; KreativDen Entertainment Vice President Dorothy Laxamana; and CEO Kate Valenzuela. Image: INQUIRER.net/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines—The Miss Manila pageant will be back this year, five years since its last edition in 2018. And one of those who are looking forward to its revival is the city’s vice mayor, actor Yul Servo Nieto.
“Siyempre excited na excited sa muling pagre-relaunch ng Miss Manila sa kapital na lungsod ng Pilipinas (Of course, I’m quite excited about the relaunching of Miss Manila in the capital city of the Philippines),” the public servant told the Inquirer at the sidelines of the pageant’s press conference held at the Bulwagang Villegas of the Manila City Hall on March 1.
The Miss Manila pageant was launched in 1998 under the administration of the late former Mayor Alfredo Lim. It ran for a couple of years, and was later revived by former Mayor Joseph Estrada in 2014.
“Tugmang tugma pa, kauna-unahang babaeng mayor ng Maynila after 451 years. Paniguradong maraming mag-aabang dito sa Miss Manila dahil nakita ko kung paano sine-celebrate ng mga Manilenyo itong pageant na ito (It’s just fitting, especially since we have the first lady mayor of Manila after 451 years. I’m sure many will look forward to Miss Manila because I saw how ‘Manileños’ celebrate this pageant),” Servo said.
He also said he is confident that the pageant’s staging will be grand under Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and the city’s Department of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. For the 2023 pageant, the city government tapped KreativDen Entertainment to mount the competition.
The vice mayor said he is hoping that the Miss Manila crown will go to a woman who displays leadership. “Number one iyong pagiging isang lider, iyong pangunguna sa mga magagandang kawang-gawa na pwedeng ilunsad ng aming siyudad para sa batang Maynila, hindi lang kababaihan (Number one is being a leader, leading charitable works that our city may launch for the children of Manila, not only for women),” he said.
Servo noted that the Miss Manila titleholder will represent the entire city, and he has seen the women of Manila engaged in various charity causes. “Mukhang magandang maganda ang magiging Miss Manila natin (I think we’ll have a really beautiful Miss Manila pageant),” he added.
The 2023 Miss Manila pageant is open to the city’s residents between the ages of 18 and 30. Interested ladies are invited to visit www.missmanila.ph to submit their applications. The coronation night is scheduled for June 24. /ra