Tiwi lass wins P100,000 and
Miss Bicolandia title

A 19-YEAR old lass from Tiwi, Albay won this year’s Miss Bicolandia beauty pageant before a jampacked crowd at the air-conditioned Universidad de Sta. Isabel auditorium Wednesday night, Sept. 15.

Maria Sarah Gacer, who is taking up Bachelor of Arts in Film and Audio Visual Communication at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City took the crown and P100,000 cash prize in what is conceded to be the region’s most prestigious beauty pageant.

She stands 5’4 ½ and yet looked taller than the rest of the other 19 candidates when her name was finally called as Bicol’s most beautiful and talented lady that night.

Named first runner-up with a cash prize of P50,000 was Hanika Mirza of Legazpi City. She is an AB Communication Arts student at the University of Sto. Tomas. She was also crowned as Miss Bayantel.
Zayin Grace Fazonella of Daet, Camarines Norte who was earlier named “Darling of the Press” was 2nd runner-up. She is a BS Physical Therapy student from the Far Eastern University.

Aizza Francesca Briñas of Iriga City was named 3rd runner-up. She is taking up AB European Studies at the Ateneo de Manila University.

Marie Jennifer Lao, a BS Tourism student of Aquinas University of Legazpi City grabbed the 4th runner-up award. She is from Bgy. Bonot, Legazpi City.

The colorful pageant night was covered live by PBN-5 and was simulcast for public viewing on the giant screen at Plaza Quezon.

Produced by the Rising Sun Promotion, a homegrown production outfit, the Miss Bicolandia Pageant was hosted by Dingdong Dantes, a popular movie and TV actor with equally handsome Geoff Eigenmann as guest performer.

The City Government of Naga, in cooperation with San Miguel Corporation and Smart Communications, is sponsoring this year’s beauty search, one of the highlights of the Peñafrancia festival.