Bohol's Top Eventologist Exchanges I Do’s with Tagbilaran Beauty Queen

He was and still is Bohol’s top eventologist who calls the shots when high- profile event organizing is mentioned. She was the comely and charming registered nurse who was crowned Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2003.  

LJ & Rhoda Lee 

Long before their paths even crossed, they were already destined to meet, fall in love and tie the knot. Believe me,  it was already written in the stars.  They first met when both sat as members of the board of judges tasked with the selection of Mr. & Miss UB Personality 2012. Sparks didn’t exactly light up during that fateful meeting but it was to be the first of several chance encounters and coincidental crossing of paths.

And they sealed it with a kiss

It was only when the bride accepted his FB friend request that they really got to know each other. The initial  exchange of text messages &  the seemingly casual phone calls eventually led to friendly dates and before they knew it, they realized that the friendship had taken a romantic tone. It was a rollerecoaster ride after they officially became a couple. 

With bride’s parents & groom’s mom and dad’s proxy Ret. SPO3 Victor Auza

Gibyrlu Ma. “LJ” Bilbao Lumayag, son of  Giby Ma. Rocha Lumayag & Nellie Bilbao Lumayag  & Rhoda Lee Logrono Ligan, daughter of Rudy Namoc Ligan & Lerma Logrono Ligan had their five- year romance culminate with a dreamy & romantic wedding one glorious Saturday  afternoon at the Our Lady of Assumption Church in Dauis, Bohol. 

With the groom's friends & classmates

The couple entertained their guests with cocktails followed by a wedding reception tendered at the MetroCentre Hotel Grand Ballroom.

The newlyweds with principal sponsors

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS. Cong. Erico Aris Aumentado & Mrs. Vanessa Aumentado, Mr. Ernesto & Mrs. Yelina Anunciado, Mr. AE Damalerio & Mrs. Stella Ancla, Mr. Pablo & Mrs. Mary Rose Escobilla, Mr. Victor & Mrs. Esperanza Gatal, Ret. Gen. Charly Holganza & Mrs. Aureliana Aranas, Mr. Arsenio & Mrs. Teresa Loquere, Hon. Milan Rebusa & Mrs. Nida Dupit, Hon. Augustinus Gonzaga & Mrs. Nina Chatto- Lasala, Mr. Anthony Pangilinan & Mrs. Anna Liza Ligan, Hon. Jose Antonio Veloso & Dr. Ria Teresita Maslog, Mr. Francisco Yu & Dr. Liliosa Patindol 

  with Anthony Pangilinan & Edwin Ortiz

The Philippines’ top corporate event guru Anthony Pangilinan, former boss of the groom when he was a newbie in the event industry in Manila flew in for his protégé’s wedding  

SECONDARY SPONSORS Jeffrey & Sharon Bustamante,

Kimbert & Sheradine Malapitan,Frederick & Janice Aurora Namoc

Mitzi P. Gomonid Mary Catherine L. Iran Mary Caryl T. Salvado Dr. Shary M. Baton Newlyweds

Rey Camacho Judalyn Kaye B. Uy Val B. Butalid Mary Ann L. Tare Honey Jeanne C. Achas

With some of the bride’s friends

with the groom's friends

with the best men, maids of honor, groomsmen & bridesmaids

Ginelee, Sheradine, Sharon, Maam Nelly, newlyweds with Aiyah, Tito Vic, Kimbert & Sean

Gladys Dianne, Maam Lerma, newlyweds, Sir Rudy & Van Ryann

WEDDING SUPPLIERS:  

PHOTO & VIDEO: Mulberry Studios, Nog Bernido

BRIDAL GOWN & GROOM'S SUIT: Ej Relampagos Couture

COUPLE'S MOM & MAIDS OF HONOR: Ej Relampagos Couture

FEMALE ENTOURAGE: Eem's creations

WEDDING COORDINATOR: Smile Philippines- Gloria Araneta

FLORIST: Blue Grass Project (Michael Yu & Joseph Ven Dumadag)

BRIDAL HMUA: Ryan Sines & Epe Relampagos

ENTOURAGE HMUA: Team Jean Bulasa/Princess

LIGHTS & SOUNDS: DRC (Ikoy Mercado)

CAKE: Lola Lilia's by Charmaine Dumadag-Usares

INVITATIONS: Sibyl Garay

PRIESTS: Main Celebrant- Fr. Florante s. Camacho, SVD

Con-celebrant: Fr. Agerio v. Paña

CHURCH CHOIR: JAYRABS

SINGERS: J-ann Talisic & Joseph Gara

PHOTOBOOTH: Click Splash by Ghen Lumayag

RINGS: Big Jewelry by Ondoy & Judith Calimbayan

WEDDING CORD: Virtucio Designs by Christine virtucio

TRANSPORTATION (guests & entourage)   : Chris Seloterio & Ned Cuaresma

Classical Music at Crabhouse Restaurant

SUMPTUOUS buffet at Crabhouse Restaurant last night. Gracious owners Eping & Marge Estavilla showed us around their place that blends Old World charm and contemporary style. My faves were the Chicken Coquettes & the Salpicao- wrapped Pork

with LJ Lumayag & Rhoda Lee Ligan together with Eping & Marge Estavilla
owners of Crabhouse Restaurant

SOOTHING SOUNDS Renowned pianist Hector Martinez Jr & flutist Stephen C. Josephs both from Manhattan School of Music created magic with their musical virtuosity during an intimate performance at the Crabhouse Function Hall. Organized by K & N Productions, the event’s proceeds go directly to the Dauis Church rebuilding fund drive

with Marge Estavilla & Rhoda Lee Ligan

with flutist Stephen C. Josephs & pianist Hector Martinez Jr

with artists & fun couple Cheryl & Mario Magat

 Photo Credits: Ghen Lumayag Photography

2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo: Fatima Llora Rana Part Two

ELEGANT EVENING GOWN COMPETITION

The Evening Gown Competition, the penultimate round of the pageant before the cut to the semifinals was made came next

The standouts for the sophisticated and elegant way they presented themselves were Miss Calape and Miss Tagbilaran City

The best gowns however belonged to Miss Jagna and Miss Talibon.

Miss Jagna wore a refreshingly different type of gown that was so ahead of its time. The choice of cyan, a non- traditional pageant color plus the fabric and its print design and cut made it stand out altogether.

Three years after it appeared in Miss Bohol Sandugo, a similar gown in green color was seen worn by Miss Paraguay Lourdes Arevalo in the 2006 Miss Universe Pageant where she emerged 3rd Runner Up  

 2003 vs 2006

2003 versus 2013

Miss Talibon wore a gown that had a polarizing effect among pageant fans.

Majority of fans had mixed reactions towards it when it first came out but ten years later it resurfaced with the 2013 Miss USA winner Erin McBrady of Colorado wearing a gown of a similar cut and design

Anna Maris Arcay Igpit however was in an entirely different league . The moment she made her appearance in a white evening gown that contrasted nicely with her exotic morena complexion, everyone agreed that she would run away with the Best in Evening Gown award

It was no surprise then when she was asked to step forward to receive her Best in Evening Gown trophy and sash

THE SENSATIONAL SEVEN

They were Miss Panglao, Miss Tagbilaran City, Miss Jagna, Miss Ubay, Miss Talibon, Miss Maribojoc and Miss Calape

Faye picked the question "How can you find true peace and happiness?"

She simply answered " The key to true peace and happiness is knowing yourself better"

THREE FINALISTS. ONE COMMON QUESTION

 It was now down to the last final cut before Miss Bohol Sandugo 2003 would be crowned.

Making the final round were Anna Maris Igpit of Panglao, Fatima Liora Rana of Jagna and Sheena Marie Cubillo of Calape

It was now down- to- the- wire finish and the final outcome depended on how the final question would be handled by the three finalists

The Final Question:

                     

What Boholana trait would you like to change in the new millennium?

 With pageant emcee Neil Saletrero

Faye's winning answer: 

"The Boholana trait that I would like to change in the new millennium is being very conservative because in this fast-changing world,we need to be competitiveTo be competitive, we need to go with the flow so we will not be left behind empty-handed.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

As I have repeatedly mentioned in my pageant blogs, winning or placing in a pageant is a matter of Luck, Destiny & Timing.

Even though one of the strongest candidates and because of the Law in Mathematics & Statistics, Miss Calape Sheena Marie Cubillo settled for 2nd RU

The 1st Runner Up was Miss Panglao Anna Maris Igpit who was sponsored by Alona Tropical Beach Resort and Dumaluan Beach Resort

Named the 2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo was Fatima Faye Llora Rana who became the fourth Jagnaanon beauty to win the Miss Bohol Sandugo crown thus effectively making Jagna the town with the most number of Miss Bohol Sandugo crowns.

Nine year later, another Jagnaanon, Idy Casenas Cagas made it five for Jagna, a record that would most likely remain for a long long time

 Bohol Provl Administrator Atty Jun Amora &
Bohol First Lady Ma'am Greenie Aumentado

 JAGNA MAYOR Hon. Exuperio Lloren & First Lady Nimfa Lloren
with the Top Three.  I have always admired how the Lloren couple
supports their Miss Bohol candidate

 PAGEANT MENTOR: with Rio Bernadas,
one of Jagna's top pageant experts & stylists

ANNA MARIS IGPIT

Two years later, Anna Maris Igpit competed again in Miss Bohol Sandugo and this time, she was crowned the winner.

For the record, Anna Maris is the second Miss Bohol Sandugo titleholder to win the crown in her second attempt.

The first was Maria Nina Cubillo who first joined in 1997 and won the crown after competing again in 1999

Anna Maris Igpit represented the province of Bohol in the 2006 Bb. Pilipinas Beauty Pageant where she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas- World thus making history as the first Boholana to win a Bb. Pilipinas crown

SHEENA MARIE CUBILLO

Sheena Marie Cubillo was crowned the 2006 Miss Pintados Festival Queen of Leyte.

Click here for more photos & details on the 2006 Miss Pintados Festival Queen Story

She is now based in California, USA as a nurse

FATIMA LLORA RANA

Fatima graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce Major in Banking & Finance degree from Holy Name University on October 2006.

She is presently based in Manila and connected with ETRADE Financial as Operations Representative for the Correspondence Dept

Named the 2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo was Fatima Faye Llora Rana who became the fourth Jagnaanon beauty to win the Miss Bohol Sandugo crown thus effectively making Jagna the town with the most number of Miss Bohol Sandugo crowns.

Nine year later, another Jagnaanon, Idy Casenas Cagas made it five for Jagna, a record that would most likely remain for a long long time

2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo Story Part 1

Photo Credits:

Rio Bernados 

2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo: Fatima Rana

She would always be remembered as the only Miss Bohol Sandugo titleholder to have won over a future Bb. Pilipinas titleholder. So who is she? Let's backtrack first and go back to July 12, 2003

PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW

Finally, after being staged at the Holy Name University Gymnasium, considered by many as home to Bohol's most prestigious beauty competition for so many years and as far people can remember, its only home save for one or two editions when the pageant was staged at the Bohol Cultural Center and at the CPG Sports Complex, Miss Bohol Sandugo and Holy Name University parted ways.

Both the pageant and the venue had led parallel lives since their inception.

Just like the pageant which had changed names from Miss Bohol to Most Beautiful Boholana to Miss Young Bohol to Mutya sa Bohol then to Miss Bohol Fiesta Islands before becoming what has been known as Miss Bohol Sandugo for the past 20 years, the venue had also changed names from Holy Name College to Divine Word College before finally becoming Holy Name University, Bohol's leading Catholic learning institution

That year, Miss Bohol Sandugo bid farewell to Holy Name University and said hello to Bohol Wisdom School, its new home but the hoped for long and stable relationship would abruptly end after three years.

Those three years however would always be considered as some of the best editions in the pageant's history.

Well, some good things never last.

There were 13 official candidates and getting the loudest buzz were:

Sixteen year old Anna Maris Igpit, the tall and exotic Boholana whose participation was sponsored by the Montero family's Alona Tropical Beach Resort and the Dumaluans' eponymously named resort both in Panglao, Bohol

Sheena Marie Cubillo, the very pretty and brainy Calape charmer whose poise, personality and elegance during the Miss Calape Pageant were talked about even before the Miss Bohol Pageant started

The very charming and very candid Fatima Rana whose bedimpled smile never fails to light up the stage 

and Miss Tagbilaran 2004 Rhoda Lee Ligan who exuded not only elegance and grace onstage but also noted for her facility with the English language which she speaks in a calm and modulated manner

OPENING SALVO

 Thirteen ladies. One crown 

The opening number is considered as the next most important part of a beauty pageant next to the final question and answer portion

This is where the crucial first impression on the candidates are made and done by the judges and audience alike and most often than not, this is the part that effectively seals the fate of the girls going into the next phases of the competition.

With so many beautiful girls onstage, one has to stand out to get noticed by the judges

 

After the Opening Salvo which included the introduction of the candidates, the first set of special awards was given

 Fatima Rana 

THE BIKINI STEALS THE SHOW

Finally, the much- awaited Swimsuit Competition where the two piece or bikini will be making its second official appearance in Miss Bohol pageant history

The Swimsuit Competition has always been the main target of feminists and radicals who have been branding pageants as exploitative and degrading to women

On the contrary, the swimsuits are empowering and liberating to women for it gives them the liberty to be in control and to be comfortable with their bodies.

Rather than cater to the baser and more prurient interest among men, the swimsuit competition actually highlights physical fitness and showcases the beauty and symmetry of womanhood  with the candidates who actually take care of themselves being amply rewarded

Adjudged Best in Swimsuit was the curvaceous Sheena Marie Cubillo of Calape

 Miss Jagna wins her second special award: Miss Photogenic

Click for the 2003 Miss Bohol Sandugo Story Part II

Photo Credits:

Rio Bernados