Highlights and sidelights at "Santacruzan Sa SM"

CEBU, Philippines - The two feuding local beauty queens must have felt tension in the air as they sat just behind each other in last Sunday’s “Santacruzan sa SM” at SM City Cebu’s Northwing Atrium. 

Recently-crowned Miss Mandaue 2010 Karina Nikko Gajudo and Miss Mandaue 2010 third runner-up Sharon Grace Angel were both beautiful zagalas in the mall’s grand May procession. 

Gajudo, a Velez College nursing student, was Virgen La Mas Renombrada. She donned a white terno by designer Erwin Tizon. In the role of Reina del Sol was Angel, a second year Tourism Management student of the University of San Carlos. Her Filipiñiana, which featured black-and-white printed images of former Filipina beauty queens, was created by Harley Ruedas. 

Nope, no catfight ensued this time. But both visibly avoided looking in each other’s direction during the duration of the program, as one of the ladies had to directly walk in front of the other to get to her assigned seat. 

It can be recalled that Angel accused Gajudo of roughing her up in a confrontation at the Parkmall parking lot. Gajudo allegedly got irked upon hearing rumors of Angel spreading stories that the Mandaue pageant was rigged in the former’s favor. A scuffle allegedly followed, but both girls have claimed that it was the other camp who initiated the physical encounter. Last we heard, there was a barangay level inquiry done to resolve the matter. 

Pageant controversy aside, SM City Cebu’s third installment of the time-honored Philippine tradition that is the Santacruzan celebration was a glamorous parade of Cebu’s beauty queens and models: from 1988 Mutya ng Pilipinas first runner-up Rosario Antoinette Realiza-Rama, Bb. Pilipinas-World 2006 Anna Maris Igpit, Miss Cebu 2010 Reena Elena Malinao to 2007 Supermodel of the World Philippines first runner-up Gwen Trott. 

It was another successful project of SM City Cebu and Clothes For Life Foundation, which was aimed to raise funds for various charitable institutions. Some of Cebu’s top fashion designers who made the elegant gowns depicting the different titles of the Virgin Mary were Cary Santiago, Edwin Alba, Philip Rodriguez, Arcy Gayatin, Jun Escario, Albert Arriba, Sal Malto, Harley Ruedas, Wendell Quisido, Marichu Tan, Philip Tampus, Barbie Alvez, Babes Garzo, Edwin Bayaton, Mique Yapching, Yves Camingue, Harvey Cenit, among others. 

Born Diva Raki Vega serenaded the reinas and zagalas, and also offered a song to the image of Virgen de Manaoag being a vocal Marian devotee.

Along with some familiar print and runway models, former and present beauty tilt winners—such as Miss Mandaue 2010 2nd runner-up Ely Rose Apple Angcon (Reina del Cielo), Region 7 Miss Teen Philippines winner Ana Andrada (Reina de los Santos), Miss Cebu 2010 fourth runner-up and MAG TV host Blinky de Leon (Reina de las Flores), Miss Cebu 2006 Stephanie Rose Señires (Reina delas Corazones) and 2007 Supermodel of the World Philippines first runner-up Gwen Trott (Reina del Mundo)—were resplendent in their uniquely-made dresses that mall-goers just had to stop and gawk at the lovely parade. 

But the spotlight shone brightest for these two queens: Bb. Pilipinas-World 2006 and local TV personality Anna Maris Igpit, in a red terno by renowned designer Philip Rodriguez, was this year’s Reina Elena, while Rosario Antoinette Realiza-Rama, 1988 Mutya ng Pilipinas first runner-up and the first Gaw Glamour Girl, was a picture of timeless beauty in a nude terno by this year’s Clothes For Life president Cary Santiago.