CENTENNIAL beauties
SOUTHERN Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) personnel have proven that they are not only good in delivering topnotch health care services for their patients but that they could also excel in terms of talent, beauty, and wit beyond the hospital.
Instead of wearing their usual hospital uniforms, the 16 candidates were clad in their stunning Filipiniana Terno and Barong Tagalog as they strutted across the stage at Abreeza activity area on Tuesday, August 8 vying for title of Mr. and Ms. SPMC Centennial.
Off-duty hospital staff cheered for their bets in the pageant, which is also one of the highlights of SMPC's Centennial celebration anchored on the theme: “A Century of Passion, Mission, and Care for All”.
There were initially 32 hopeful candidates from different departments that was trimmed last July 21 to 16 for the coronation night.
The show kicked off with a production number of the contestants with the Sinag Tala Cultural Dancers from John Paul II College of Davao. Their performances elicited loud applause from the crowd. The contestants rocked the stage as they grooved and unleashed their best dance moves.
From top eight, the panel of judges picked five pairs who entered the final round and answer the final question.
At the end of the pageant, Doctor Noe Paez and Doctor Angelica Mary Joan Labradores, both from surgery department, stood out and were crowned as the Mr. and Ms. SPMC Centennial.
Labradores, during the question and answer portion was asked: "If the plan will push through, President Rodrigo Duterte will grace the affair on August 11 for our gala night. If given the chance to talk to our President for just five minutes, what would you tell him in behalf SPMC and why?"
"If we will be privileged to have the presence of our beloved President, his excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the first thing that I'm going to tell him is that we the people of SPMC are very much thankful for his presence and that we are very much inspired by what he is doing right now as the President, as the leader of this country," she said.
She added, "Second, I would like to tell him that we are very much inspired to do our very own job as personnel of SPMC as he puts so much devotion in his job being the President. Lastly, as a doctor, I would like to tell him to remind him to take good care of his health as well because before we love others, we must first love ourselves.”
For Paez, he was asked by the host: “What do you think is the most important issue or challenge that SPMC will be facing in the next five years.”
"In the next five years, the most important challenge the SPMC will be encountering would be being consistent. For 100 years now, we have been consistent in providing excellent, sustainable and
accessible health care services and most especially SPMC has produced men and women like you - health care professionals who are confident, committed, responsible and are very efficient in providing an extra hand for those in need."
Meanwhile, Kirk Patrick Basinilio and Apple Micah Ampit were hailed as the 1st runners-up while Dr. Marc Lester Ibanez and Vanessa Ruth Chan emerged as the second runners-up.
For the minor awards, Paez and Sandia Angela Reboquio snatched the Mr. and Ms. Skin and Body Glow; Basinilio and Chan were named as Mr. and Ms. Physique; Paez and Ampit got the Mr. and Ms. Photogenic; Best in Barong attire went to Bryan Marcial Berguia and Chan won the Best in Filipiniana; and the Best in Talent are Raznim Zean Ocubillo and Reboquio, both of whom also performed during the pageant night and showcased their performance to the audience.
More than the title and bragging rights, the pageant is also a good avenue in the quest for ambassador and ambassadress who personify the attributes of SPMC. The candidates have developed camaraderie that is the primary purpose of the pageant as well as synergy among fellow health practitioners.