Miss Philippines Earth pageant wows Bukidnon folk

RESIDENTS of four Bukidnon towns were treated by a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle: the Miss Philippines Earth 2023 preliminary competitions.

The twenty-nine candidates of the Miss Philippines Earth showcased their poise and physique, donning Bukidnon native dresses and swimsuits, during a summer-themed preliminary event before a jam-packed crowd in Talakag town, Bukidnon on Wednesday night.

Prior to that, the candidates went to barangay Miarayon, also in Talakag town, the vegetable center of Northern Mindanao to see the agricultural fields.

The candidates were also in Manolo Fortich town where they were presented to local government officials of the towns in the first congressional district of Bukidnon.

After their performances in Bukidnon, the candidates would travel for the coronation night in Toledo City, Cebu.

“This is a coming of age for these towns. For so long, these towns have been in the backwaters. Now the world is looking at us,” Rep. Jose Manuel Alba, 1st district, Bukidnon, said.

Alba brought the entire production of the Miss Philippines Earth 2023 to Bukidnon and preliminary events of the pageant would be held in the towns of Manolo Fortich, Talakag, Sumilao, and Baungon.

He said this is the first time residents of these towns would see a national beauty pageant.

“Our market is the nation eventually. We want the country to see the potential of these towns,” Alba said.

Alba said Manolo Fortich was transformed into a first-class municipality from its humble origin of being a watering hole for herds of cows that were brought to Cagayan de Oro City to be shipped to the markets in Manila.

“Hundreds of cows are driven along the rolling plains of Manolo Fortich every month. The town was the watering hole for the cows and cowboys to drink and rest before continuing the journey to Cagayan de Oro,” said Manuel Fortich, the US-based son of former Bukidnon Governor Totoy Fortich.

He said the town was transformed after World War II when the government granted homestead lands to fleeing residents who escaped the Japanese occupation.

Alba said the same history is true for the town of Talakag which was founded by homestead lands granted to residents who fled the war.

“Now Talakag is another first-class municipality, the vegetable center of Northern Mindanao. We are promoting its agro-tourism program,” Alba said.

Cagayan de Oro Councilor Malvern Espacia said he was impressed with how the contestants in Bukidnon native dresses ramp up the stage in Talakag to the ethnic music of a local band.

“This itself is a message that these towns are not about to dump their traditions while they embraced modern inroads to their communities,” Espacia said.