A bigger, bolder Hiyas ng Pilipinas

Twenty ladies from Cebu, Negros, and Bohol showed up at Hiyas ng Pilipinas 2023’s Visayas screening, July 23, at Summit Galleria Cebu – among them pageant regular Jackielane Adarayan Fleming, a Miss Fit Philippines 2023 and Hiyas nan Carrascal Luzon title-holder.

Luzon was the organization’s first stop in its search for qualified candidates, culminating in the Mindanao leg this July 30 in General Santos City.

Now under the helm of new chairman Mike Sordilla, Hiyas ng Pilipinas 2023 is targeting to gather 45 finalists at its grand coronation, set and sealed for November 11 at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.

Titles at stake are: Miss Tourism World 2023 (?1 million worth of prizes and the opportunity to compete internationally in November), Miss Omninational 2023 (?500,000 worth of prizes and the opportunity to compete in Bali, Indonesia, also this November), and Miss Summit International 2023 (?300,000 worth of prizes and the opportunity to compete in Florida, USA in September 2024).

The organization says it has “established beyond doubt that all three international titles exclusively and lawfully belong to Hiyas ng Pilipinas.” This, after the confusion it might cause after Herlene Budol was crowned Miss Tourism World Philippines during the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 finals last July 13.

A Hiyas ng Pilipinas Charity 2023 title-holder will also be proclaimed to facilitate and head the Hiyas ng Turismo Pilipinas Foundation, Inc.’s charity program, at the same time, act as reserve in case any of the other winners cannot fulfill their duties.

Previously announced is the selection of Hiyas ng ng Pilipinas Elite World 2022 AZ Martinez as the country’s representative to Miss Summit International 2023, set to take place on September 2 in Florida, USA.

As for the other inaugural winners – Hiyas ng Pilipinas Tourism World 2022 Dean Dianne Balogal, and Hiyas ng Pilipinas Tourism Queen International 2022 Phoebe Godinez – Sordilla clarified during the pageant’s Cebu press launch that they have mutually agreed to give way to the 2023 winners in terms of international assignments.

“We actually have a great relationship. However, there are certain life circumstances that are beyond our control. Dean is in Australia, and Phoebe is in a fast-paced corporate environment,” said Sordilla. “Here’s the gist: we offered our queens to represent their international crowns if they are available and willing because we cannot force them since their contracts officially ended last March.”

Sordilla is a pageant enthusiast, successful entrepreneur, as well as a philanthropist. He is the founder, president, and CEO of Innocentrix Philippines, a BPO company established in 2017. He is also the founder, president, and CEO of the MCS Group of Companies, a lifestyle company that holds several subsidiary companies, including MSordilla Builders, a construction company that specializes in contemporary design and build projects, and Serene Oasis Resort Hotel, a newly opened destination in Oslob, south of Cebu.

“I aim to have Hiyas ng Pilipinas in a different dimension. I want to include the whole Philippines by going to the top of Luzon up to the ends of Mindanao. That’s our dream under the new management. We want it bigger because almost all the activities we had last year happened in Cebu,” said Sordilla.

Joining him in steering the first Cebu-based national pageant to “bigger and bolder” heights are National Director Eva Patalinjug, Creative Director Roy Erwin Tizon, Media Relations Director Jaypee Lao, and Communications Director Ryan Tarosa.

Also appointed as directors of Hiyas ng Pilipinas’ national core group are designer Daniel Manila (Director for Luzon), costume designer and makeup artist Kenneth Malayka Yamas (Director for Visayas), and pageant director and stylist Mark Kenjie De La Cruz (Director for Mindanao). They are responsible for ensuring that all three islands are “involved, celebrated, and given the spotlight they deserve.”

Sordilla had shared that Hiyas’ new thrust is particularly dear to him as he had to fend for his family at an early age, and had to go through a lot of hurdles to finance his education. He is a registered nurse, earning his degree from the University of San Carlos with the help of benefactors.

“This served as my inspiration to have the Hiyas ng Pilipinas Foundation Inc. I seek people who want to be in school, but don’t have the capacity. I seek children who want to finish their studies, but don’t have money,” he said.

At last Sunday’s Visayas screening, Sordilla proudly announced that the first Hiyas ng Pilipinas Foundation scholar will graduate with cum laude honors next month, while its second scholar just finished senior high. More scholars will be accommodated soon.

As to ensuring that Hiyas ng Pilipinas will suffer no major kinks like it did during its maiden year, Sordilla said, “I’m a legal person. I’ll have my lawyers do this. Everything is in paper and I can guarantee you that it will not happen again,” he said. “I can assure you that winners for this year will be representing internationally.”