An evening of
beauties and brains

A beauty contest is always an exciting time for the contestants and the audience. The "Search for Miss WNC 2006", which was held recently at the West Negros College Gym, was no exception. By the time we arrived, the place was already filled to the rafters with students, teachers, family and friends of the candidates, all eager to root for their favorite.

The good-looking emcees Narizza Tueres and Rico Valdez set the tone of the show with their humorous banter and wit. Cheers and applause greeted each contestant as they sashayed to the stage for the introduction of the candidates in casual attire. I must say they all looked beautiful and carried themselves with great poise, as their smiles belied the tension that each one must have surely felt. All girls representing the different departments of WNC, were achievers as well as lookers. The members of the Board of Judges were John Orola, Girlie Belzunce, Dr. Ver Lacson, Johnjohn Ditching and yours truly. We knew we were in for a difficult time selecting who would win the crown - all the seven candidates looked so pretty!

There were loud wolf whistles reverberating around the huge gym as the candidates paraded in their glittering silver shorts which showed their terrific figures to advantage. (My gosh, these girls must have been working out!). The Ka-anyag Pilipinas Dance Co. and Rondalla Artists provided the musical background which added a unique touch to the fine production. Special Awards were given to Katlia Jamili who won Miss Talent while Roselle Dawn Natividad won all three awards: Miss Photogenic, Miss Prima Figura and Miss Friendship. Wow!

Everyone was impressed with the candidates in their evening gown attire. The dreamy creations were executed by Johnjohn Ditching in various colors which complemented each girl's complexion. Three finalists were chosen after the Interview Portion. The highlight of the pageant was the thrilling Final Interview of the three finalists. Each one gave intelligent answers to the questions. When the winners were announced, there was sheer pandemonium as everyone cheered and applauded. Roselle Dawn Natividad was 2nd runner-up, Rovie Mae Libo-on was 1st runner-up, and Miss WNC 2006 was Sheena Maria Villanueva, a dazzling combination of beauty and brains.

Kudos to the WNC production staff headed by Ismael "Maeng" Java (choreographer and production designer) and to Ma. Cristina Gepulle (chairperson Search for Miss WNC 2006), for an excellent show!

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They did it again! The Negros Occidental Orchid Society Inc. won 3rd place at the Flora Filipina Expo, held recently in Intramuros, Manila. Their entry, "Happy Gardener" showed the artistry and ingenuity of the Negrenses with the use of the local indigenous materials as well as our exquisite flowers, which impressed the judges and visitors who came from all over. The exhibit was designed by Rene Dofitas together with Cion Ruiz and Sandy Solinap. Congratulations!*