Cebu bet places 2nd runner-up in Aliwan 2018
Shaila Mae Rebortera, representing Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival, finished as one of three second runners-up during Saturday night’s Reyna ng Aliwan coronation held at Pasay City’s Aliw Theatre.
Alongside the 22-year-old senior dental clinician at Cebu Doctors’ University are Ashanti Shane Ervas of Quezon’s Niyogyugan Festival and Lady Justerinnie Santos (also a Best in Festival Costume awardee) of Bulacan’s Singkaban festival.
Rebortera, who also won the Miss Unique Smile Award, took home P10,000 for her second-runner up finish, while first runner-up Chanel Mistyca Corpuz of Abrenian Kawayan festival in Abra won P50, 000.
The city of Tacloban broke the Sinulog queens’ winning streak, with its Sangyaw festival queen Chelsea Fernandez clinching the Reyna ng Aliwan 2018 crown, and bagging other awards like Miss White Rose, Best in Swimsuit and Best in Long Gown. She also received P100,000.
Other awardees were Tuna Festival’s Novie Shane Leonerio for Miss Friendship and Boling Boling Festival’s Ella Mariz Andrei Cayabyab for Miss Photogenic.
Although unable to defend the title for Cebu, Rebortera – who was gunning to become the ninth Cebuana Reyna ng Aliwan winner – remained grateful. The good sport that she is, the Miss CESAFI 2014, Mutya ng PRISAA Nationals 2015 first runner-up and Miss Cebu 2016 second runner-up is happy with her placement among 21 other stunning and intelligent women.
“I feel very blessed! It was honestly the toughest pageant I’ve joined. A lot of the girls seem already ready for bigger pageants. I did the best that I could. It just wasn’t for me,” quips Rebortera, well aware of the pressure surrounding her Aliwan journey directly succeeding two Cebuana Aliwan queens.
Wearing a Sinulog Festival costume by MalaykaYamas, Rebortera was resplendent in the creation inspired by the intricate Catholicism, embellished and embroidered in gold details of the pre-hispanic cathedrals of Cebu and structured with solid shapes to produce bold statements. The backdress was inspired by the raise of the sun that gives us light and life, emphasizing a paganistic approach to contrast a Catholic-themed “festival.”
Rebortera says that the change of administration for the Sinulog Foundation Inc. had nothing to do with her performance.
“The results have various factors: my performance, the other candidates’ performance, and probably destiny too. I know Sir Ricky Ballesteros [Sinulog Foundation director] personally and it would have been nice to have the chance to work with him for Aliwan,” Rebortera says of the director’s announced resignation after 14 years of running the foundation because he “wasn’t getting any younger.”
“The Sinulog Foundation has also been hands-on with me this year. They’ve been monitoring me from time to time. I don’t think it’s right to put the blame on them, what I got is what is destined for me.”
Our Sinulog Queens have won eight Aliwan crowns. Six of it were won consecutively, was broken in 2015, to be won again in 2016 and 2017. These winners have also moved on to represent Cebu in other stages: Reyna ng Aliwan 2017 Marla Alforque is currently competing for Miss Philippines Earth; Cynthia Thomalla, hailed Reyna ng Aliwan 2016, just won Miss Eco International ; Reyna ng Aliwan 2013 Jamie Herrell won Miss Earth 2014; Reyna ng Aliwan 2012 Angeli Dione Gomez was crowned Miss Tourism International 2013-2014; 2011’s Rogelie Catacutan was hailed Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2015; the late Reyna ng Aliwan 2010 Rizzini Alexis Gomez was crowned Miss Tourism International 2012-2013; Cebu’s first Aliwan winner, Sian Elizabeth Maynard, who was crowned in 2009, was a Miss Philippines Earth top 10 semifinalist in the 2010 staging of Miss Philippines Earth.
For now, it’s back to reality for Rebortera who had faced hell and high water to juggle her studies and pageantry. One of her goals is to build a foundation that grants basic oral hygiene kits and teaches basic oral hygiene techniques to Filipinos especially in rural areas. This summer, she will take the opportunity to start just that.
“As of now, no plans [of joining pageants] yet. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there. I’ll be finishing my school requirements this summer and hopefully I could already start up a charity that focuses on dental health,” she says.
An avid traveller, she would like to introduce to the Filipinos first the sundry culture and traditions of the Philippines, believing that first-hand experience allows full appreciation of the beauty and the diversity of the archipelago.
All brighter and wiser from her Aliwan experience, the Sinulog queen that she is, Shaila hopes to see her co-candidates-turned-friends to the Queen City in time for the Sinulog festival in January.
“I’m bringing home my memories with the other Reynas during the pageant. The organizers said that we were the batch that bonded the most and I do agree,” the Talisay City resident adds. “I love them all! I hope they could come visit Cebu and join us in Sinulog. They’re really fun girls.”