A night of reinas and zagallas

The Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu and Clothes for Life foundation, which is made up of fashion designers who have bonded together in pursuit of its charitable missions, staged the time-honored Santacruzan at the beautifully maintained gardens of the Cebu Waterfront Hotel.

Just before sunset, the affair commenced with Holy Mass concelebrated by Fr. Carmelo Horlador, MSP, and Fr. Frederico Dizon, MSP, at the property’s lobby.

The well-choreographed procession had 36 reinas and zagalas of Cebu. The lovely fashionable ladies were dressed in elegant Filipiniana-inspired gowns by the island’s foremost designers.

Working socialite, bubbly Marguerite Lhuillier escorted by personable general manager Marco Protacio was Reina Emperatriz. She was resplendent in an all-white Cary Santiago original.

Tricia Gullas in a pastel pink terno by Cebu ’s top designer Philip Rodriguez was Reina Elena. She was lovingly escorted by her son John Tristan who was this year’s Constantino.

Katya Czarina Pido Ditan as Reina de las Flores was pretty in an unusual printed terno by Albert Arriba.

Following the last zagalas at the end of the procession, the caroza bearing the statue of Our Lady of Manaoag beautifully decorated with yellow chrysanthemums was ushered into the grand Pacific Ballroom amid warm applause and cheers.

Honoring the Blessed Mother with more floral offerings were some 15 adorable innocent angels.

A sumptuous dinner buffet was the final agenda of a fabulous night to remember. GM Marco Protacio, president of HRRAC, chairperson and event planner  Aissa de la Cruz and Harley Ruedas, president of Clothes for Life Inc., likewise accepted warm felicitations for a job well done.

The Mission Society of the Philippines, a group of Filipino missionary priests who spread the word of God in Asia Pacific region, are the beneficiaries of this laudable project.