Exhaustive search for Mutya

MUTYA ng Pilipinas candidates are mostly from Luzon. The grand coronation will take place on Aug. 2. KIMBERLY DE LA CRUZ

The Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant’s 2015 edition is its “best” to date, according to its president Jacqueline Tan at the recent presentation of the 30 official candidates.

“With 47 years of experience in pageants, Mutya ng Pilipinas has reached its peak this year with our partnership with Viva, and the support of Resorts World Manila,” Tan told the press.

Tan noted how hands-on the Viva staff was in screening the applicants, which also inspired her team to be more immersed in the selection process.

The exhaustive search yielded applicants from across the country, with more than half coming from Luzon. Five bets are from Visayas and Mindanao.

Unlike other national tilts with a high concentration of bets from Metro Manila, only one delegate represents the nation’s capital in this year’s Mutya.

“We want to give non-Manila residents the opportunity to join a national pageant. They deserve the opportunity. We want fresh faces,” Tan said.

Rounding out the final 30 are nine bets from overseas Filipino communities.

The selection process was “tedious, very difficult,” she said, adding that the search committee had to review all the “winnable” applicants from the various regional searches and in some places abroad.

The capital’s lone bet, Manila’s Jillean Camille Orbina, meanwhile, was a direct result of the partnership with Viva.

Viva handled the 2015 Miss Manila pageant, where Orbina was a runner-up, earning her a slot in Mutya ng Pilipinas, Tan shared.

The pageant official said the support of different companies has made it easier for the competition to promote its advocacy of “beauty tourism.”

“We will be touring the country,” she said. The swimsuit competition and talent showcase were held at the Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa, the pageant’s official home in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The long gown competition will be staged at Hannah’s Beach Resort in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Her plea yielded the support of some global brands. Inglot is the official provider of hair, makeup and styling services, while SkyJet is the official carrier.

Former beauty queen Maggie Wilson-Consunji’s Wanderlust is the official swimwear provider, while the ladies’ competition shoes are from Zanea. Hoseki provided the jewelry; while Anne Ong, the accessories.

Mutya ng Pilipinas also announced its ongoing online poll for Miss Photogenic via its official Facebook page (facebook.com/mutyangpilipinaspageant). At press time, Janela Joy Cuaton of Doha, Qatar, leads with over 12,500 votes. She also garnered the most votes from the media during the presentation, winning the “Darling of the Press” award.

The new winners will be chosen on Aug. 2 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, and will be telecast on ABS-CBN that same evening.

The Inquirer is an official media partner of the 2015 Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant.