MANILA, Philippines - Fans swooned when Daniel Matsunaga serenaded the winner of the Budjang Tawi-Tawi pageant. Singing Ngiti and When You Say Nothing At All, he then played to the throng of fans at the Department of Education Sports Complex in Bongao.
Joining Daniel were Bianca Manalo, Kylie Padilla, who is a Muslim at heart, and Rico Blanco.
Hosted by Alyssa Sahali Tan and Carlos Agassi, the pageant highlighted the annual Kamahardikaan Festival as part of Tawi-Tawi’s founding anniversary celebration.
Budjang is the local term for Miss. Young, accomplished women from the province’s 11 municipalities participated in the annual contest. They paraded in the native costumes and evening gowns. The winner Dayang Dayang Alaysa Sangkulah will represent the country in the Miss Culture Asia in Malaysia.
Judges such as Bianca, Ginggay Hontiveros, Col. Marai Asuncion Placino and other prominent personalities flew in from Manila to choose the winner for her beauty, poise and advocacy.
During their visit, the guests caught a glimpse of Tawi-Tawi’s virgin coral reefs, white beaches, the colorful sunsets and quaint stilt houses.
Tawi-Tawi Rep. Ruby Sahali hopes that more visitors will visit Tawi-Tawi and enjoy its natural beauty and cultural heritage.
She added that cultural festivals are a way of changing the negative image of Muslim Mindanao.
Hence, Tourism Council head Dona Juana Sahali vowed to preserve the rich heritage of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, especially the dance and music through the Agal-Agal Festival.
Present during the event were Gov. Nurbert Sahali, Dona Juana Sahali and the Tourism Council of Tawi-Tawi.