Meet Magandang Filipinas # 1, # 2 & # 3

After a rigorous online screening that drew over 150 applicants from all over the country, Ms. Eva Patalinjug, the national director of Magandang Filipinas Pageant, the country's newest national pageant, is proud to present the 30 official candidates. 

Fifteen are from the Visayas Islands, 11 from Luzon and four from Mindanao.

Annabel, Czarina & Khrizia 

This is the first of a 10- article series:

MAGANDANG FILIPINAS # 1

Annabelle Mae McDonell 

Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte

MAGANDANG FILIPINAS # 2

Czarina Tomada 

Province of Northern Samar

MAGANDANG FILIPINAS # 3 

Khrizia Bhei Soriano

Kalibo, Akl

These are the Magandang Filipinas candidates with their official headshots. The girl with the most number of likes on the pageant’s Instagram account @magandangfilipinasofficial will earn an automatic spot in the Top 15.

An exciting & spectacular journey to the crown  culminating with the grand coronation night on August 26 in the island paradise of Panglao, Bohol awaits the girls. 

Check out the FB Page of Magandang Filipinas Pageant for updates!

BES. PH & Tourism Frontliners Get Jabbed Against COVID 19

As Bohol stirs back to life and welcomes back visitors and tourists, tourism & event frontliners also face the risk of infection from covid19 because of frequent face- to- face interaction with clients.

BES.PH members
Layout by Michael Yu

The Bohol Event Suppliers - PH (BES-PH), Bohol's biggest group of event professionals & composed of planners, coordinators, florists, hair & make-up artists, program hosts & event emcees, designers, boutique owners, music & dance entertainers, light & sound providers, meal caterers, modeling agents & handlers,  photographers & videographers, is grateful for the vaccination opportunity. 

Alexis Cadelina oversees the Bool Elem School vaccination 

Thank you to the Department of Tourism, the Bohol Tourism Office, Bohol Gov. Art Yap, Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap, Tagbilaran City First Lady Jane Yap, the resorts and hotels sector for accommodating the group in the ongoing covid19 vaccination rollouts in Tagbilaran City and Panglao. 

Your Roving Eye was one of those who were listed for the vaccination schedule last Tuesday, June 20 at Bool Elementary School.

From registration to pre- counseling, to the vaccine jab itself and the post- vaccination, it was fast- paced and well- organized. 

Kudos to BES-PH Pres. Chan Schreurs Wallace for the coordination and to the staff who manned the vaccination rollout. 

Mister Bohol 2021 Screening of Applicants

Congratulations to the organizers behind the screening for Mister Bohol 2021, the biggest male personality search in the province. 

Close to sixty young men responded to the screening of applicants. They will be whittled down to twenty (20) official candidates after facing the panel in swimwear and in jeans. 

The members of the panel of judges during the screening were social media influencers Jodalyn Ahern & Erica Ahern, top designers EJ Relampagos & Fashion Institute of the Philippines stalwart Shanon Pamaong, Miss Bohol organizer Eme Pinos, Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2016 Queenebeth Barcelona and yours truly. 

Three of the early faves

The door of opportunity will open to a lucky few but to those who who won't make it, there are other windows to enter.

For those who will make it, be brothers and comrades in this exciting, enriching and memorable journey because when this is all over, you will go home with nothing but friendships and wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

Good luck everyone

The Reyna Elena Gown from Rose Paul Silhouette

We didn't have to look far when we decided where to get the most exquisite gown fit for a queen.

Beauty, brains & breeding : Christine Gatal

Known for their impeccable style, attention to detail, craftsmanship and design anesthetics, we went to Rose Paul Silhouette to dress up our niece as one of Maytime's most enduring symbols of pulchritude. 

You see, my niece Christine B. Gatal emerged as first placer in the search for Reyna Elena 2021 and will reign during the Santacruzan procession organized by the members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes for San Vicente Ferrer Parish in Ubay, Bohol.

Roseth and Paul Ranara, the creative tandem behind Rose Paul Silhouette,  explained to us the design details behind the stylized Filipiniana ball gown that Christine wore for the crowning & procession last May 31.

The all- white gown featured a delicately  designed form- fitting bodice with a low neckline.

The decolletage was tastefully covered with sheer material and embellished with beads & crystals. The whole bodice was cinched at the waist. 

Adding a dramatic detail to the see- through back are the perfectly aligned pearl buttons.

The voluminous skirt supported by a petticoat conjured images of a bygone era of understated elegance and added to the majestic splendor of the gown and the young lady wearing it. 

Thank you Rose Paul Silhouette for creating a dazzling gown fit for a queen. 

Christine B. Gatal Is Reyna Elena 2021

It has been a long long time since I got involved at a Santacruzan activity here in Bohol, my home province. We got excited in the family when a niece, Christine B. Gatal came first in the search for the Reyna Elena. That meant finding the most exquisite and most fabulous gowns to wear for her coronation and procession aboard her own float adorned with flowers.

Reyna Elena 2021 is Christine Gatal

She needed two gowns for her two- day appearances that included a floral offering for Blessed Virgin Mary at the parish church in Ilihan, Ubay, her coronation as Reyna Elena at the San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church and followed by a procession along the main thoroughfares in their parish. For her first appearance, she wore a modern Filipiniana gown in shimmery blue created by Aileen Pasagad Couture.

Aileen Pasagad Couture gown

For her coronation as Reyna Elena, she wore an exquisite Rose Paul Silhouette creation. The stylized Filipiniana gown in white featured an embellished & intricately designed bodice encrusted with crystals and beads and cinched at the waist. Adding a dramatic detail to the see- through back are the perfectly aligned pearl buttons. The voluminous skirt supported by a petticoat completes the elegance and majestic splendor of the gown.

Rose Paul Silhouette gown details

Christine Gatal: Reyna Elena 2021

Ilihan, Ubay’s representative Christine Gatal, a 16 year old Grade 9 student at one of the private schools in Tagbilaran City was crowned by Rev. Fr. Epifanio Gupita, the parish priest, as Reyna Elena in a simple but meaningful ceremony.  

The Reyna Elena takes her crowning walk

The Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes led by Apple Marie Felisilda had been spearheading the annual Santacruzan fundraiser in Ubay before it was cancelled last year due to the pandemic that struck the world last year.

with sister Shiela & cousin Flint

Twelve out of 44 baranggays in Ubay that belonged to the San Vicente Ferrer Parish sent close to a hundred representatives.

The annual search for Reyna Elena and the Santacruzan festivities resumed this year amidst stricter safety & health protocols.  Proceeds will be for the completion of the sacristy of Sr. San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church.

Jimmy Borja Composition in The Young & the Restless US Daytime Drama Series

And here's a feel- good news story from the United STATES for Boholanos everywhere. 

Wild Child(songwriters: Gabe Burdulis, Antoinette Olesen, Jimmy Borja)

A song co-written by Boholano songwriter/musician Jimmy Borja got  featured just last week in an episode of “The Young and the Restless,” the #1 day-time drama series in the U.S.

"Wild Child"  was Borja’s third song on American mainstream television. The first one was in the series “Seal Team” on CBS in 2019, another song last year on a different channel and most recently in the long-running American soap opera.

MUSIC INDUSTRY START

Jimmy's songwriting career began when  he joined and won the Grand Prize at 1st Bohol Pop Music Festival in 1989. He followed his first victory with consecutive Grand Prize wins at the Cebu Pop Music Festival in the early 90s.

He later went to Manila to pursue a full-time songwriting and music career.

MEMORABLE HITS

Among his popular and enduring  songs are “Sana Ngayong Pasko,” “Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin” “If The Feeling Is Gone,” “Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw,” “I Still Believe In Loving You” and many others.

Even after three decades of creating music and churning out hits in the Philippine music industry, recording companies, artists and  producers in Manila still  continue to ask for new compositions from Mr. Borja.

Recent recordings include those of Maine Mendoza for Universal Records, Kelvin Miranda and Mikee Quintos  for GMA Records, Regine Velasquez for Viva, Jed Madela, Juris and Jaya for Star Music and The Voice Kids champion Vanjoss Bayaban for MCA Music.

A homegrown talent having been born and raised in Loay, Bohol, Borja is now based in California, U.S.A.