ShareThisSetting a new brand and culture of beauty pageants
By Yoly T. Tubalinal
A FilAm MegaScene Special
You have to give it these four talented and no nonsense ladies. The recently concluded Sampaguita Ball has certainly started a fresh approach to hosting a beauty pageant and ball! Unlike most, if not all, locally sponsored beauty pageants in the Filipino American community of Chicago, the second Sampaguita Ball injected its prime movers’ vision of a genuine beauty pageant that’s anchored on beauty and brains, purpose, cultural heritage and educational values, a far cry from money-centered pageants the community has witnessed all these years.
With their vision in mind and at heart, journalist Rose Tibayan, community leader Ting Joven, beauty queen Rizza Antonov and business entrepreneur Rachel Rulite embarked on this journey and mission they hope to do and promote each year on. To host the evening’s program, they picked a popular and handsome TV host, Nick Vera Perez.
Our Honorary Mrs. Sampaguita U.S.A. 2015, Loudes Livas, of Illinois, joins Miss Sampaguita U.S.A. and her court. L to R: Alyssa Solomon (UIC/Chicago, IL), Second Runner-Up; Lily Jane Raz (FIT/New York, NY), Miss Sampaguita U.S.A. 2015; Lourdes Livas, Mrs. Sampaguita U.S.A. 2015; Josephine Belen, University of Michigan/Ann Arbor, MI) and Rozel Garcia (Loyola/Chicago, IL.) .
The process required each nominee to write an essay, which was to be judged (60 points), and recite that essay at the Sampaguita Ball on May 8th during a presentation (40 points). The overall winner would be crowned 2015 Miss Sampaguita U.S.A. scholarship winner, and an honorary Mrs. Sampaguita U.S.A., would be selected by the gala attendees.
On May 8, 2015 Sampaguita Ball guests were treated at the Chateau Ritz initially to a night of Philippine folk dances, Hawaiian dance, courtesy of The Red Carpet. The guest of h and Co. Hon. Consul General Generoso G. Calonge graced the occasion as its Keynote Speaker. $3,000 in college scholarships was awarded to outstanding nominated Filipino American female college students that same evening.