Pageant to highlight culture of southern Philippines

By BIEN CUSTODIO | ARAB NEWS

Published: Aug 4, 2010 21:57 Updated: Aug 4, 2010 21:57

RIYADH: First it was the Masskara Festival, then Panagbenga Flower Festival, and now in October Maranao culture will be featured in this year’s Ginoo & Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia (GBPSA) search.

Rani Basanta, CEO of Special Events Productions (SEP), organizer of the annual search which started in 2004, announced that the screening of aspirants started on July 23 and will again hold its third and final screening on Friday at the Future Generation International School starting at 10 a.m.

“We are inviting Filipino ladies, 14 to 29 years old, to join the initial selection of Binibini candidates to showcase your charm and talent in the most prestigious personality contest among Filipino expatriates and students in the Kingdom,” said Basanta.

Michael Kenneth Din, a towering aspirant at six feet and a native of Nasugbu, Batangas, a province in southern Luzon, was one of the eight male applicants who got selected.

“I only play basketball. I have never joined any personality competition before and it was only due to the prodding of my colleagues that pushed me try it,” said Din.

Aside from Din, who works as shift supervisor in a fast food restaurant, others who showed up in the first screening included a student, a tea boy, a welder, a visual merchandiser and a salesman. Masskara Festival, which began in 1980, is a weeklong festival held each year in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province in central Philippines, every third weekend of October, the city’s charter anniversary. Panagbenga, which began in 1995, is a monthlong annual flower festival in Baguio City, summer capital of the Philippines, held in February.

“Since we have featured the Masskara and Panagbenga festivals showcasing northern and central Philippines, it’s about time to parade the richness of the customs and arts of southern Philippines through Maranao culture,” said Ron Jacobe, the man behind the concept of showing the rich and varied cultures of the Philippines through the past pageants staged in 2008 and 2009.

The native Maranao have a fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the southern Philippines.

The Grand Coronation night of GBPSA will be held at the Philippine Embassy grounds on Oct. 15. Four pairs from the western, eastern and central regions of Saudi Arabia will compete. Crème 21 is the main sponsor of the event.

For those who are interested to join the screening in Riyadh, may call Basanta at 056-073-3135, Jojo at 053-014-1738 and JC at 056-840-7889.

Official Contestants in Central Region reveals!

6 Ginoo and 3 Binibini contestants passed the screening held at Generosity International School in Sulemania Riyadh for the much awaited Ginoo and Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2009 Personality Search. This was announced by SEP CEO Rannie Basanta after deliberation by the Screening Committee.

Official Ginoong Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2009 Contestants:





Ralph Amanillo Baluntang
26 yrs old
Environmental Officer of PNUFW, Riyadh
5'10 from Cebu Philippines
Mr. Hipodromo - Best in Talent
Mr. Oumo Cebu - Best in swimwear






Jerome Llaneta Barrera
23 yrs. old
Salesman of Al Hokair Group of Companies
5'8 from Pampanga






Norwin Laroya De Ocampo
27 yrs old
Sports/Fitness Instructor of Fitness Oasis Center
5'11 from Nueva Ecija.
Ginoong Pilipinas Nueva Ecija Turismo
Bikini Open King & Queen 2004 - 1st Runner Up
Star Model Search 2004 - 3rd Runner Up
Bikini Open Wet & Wild - 3rd Runner Up








Mark Villasan Galang
27 yrs old
Visual Merchandizer of Al Bandar Intl. House for Trading
5'9 from Cabanatuan Nueva Ecija
Mr. Philippines Saudi Arabia 2009 - Best in Fiesta Festival Costume








Antonio Canelas Isip
25 yrs old
Admin. & Data analyst of Maaden
5'10 from Olongapo City









Christopher Cambusa Redondo
27 yrs old
Sales advisory of Al Shaya Intl Corp.
5'7 from Antipolo City


Official Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2009 Contestants:





JoeAnne S. Mamangun
14 yrs old
student of Generosity Intl School,
5'2" from Caloocan City





Lady Princess Maria Puno Sengson
20 yrs old
College student of Sovereignty Intl School
5'3 from Tarlac
Ms. Intrams 1997
Ms. Foundation day - 1st runner Up






Nerissa Magsino Tolentino
24 yrs old
a registered nurse from Riyadh Military Hospital,
5'4 from Laguna
Ms. Nursing 2003
Ms. University Perpetual Help 2003
Ms. Southern Luzon Colleges & University 2004


SE Productions will announced the remaining 3 Binibini contestants from the Central Region soon. Likewise, Western and Eastern Regions will announced their official contestants (3 pairs) after they will hold their screening this month.

Screening for Candidates held in Riyadh

Ginoo and Binibini aspirants together with SE Productions and Cameraderie during the screening




The most awaited prestigious show in Saudi Arabia unfolds!

The screening for the official candidates of Ginoo and Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia in Central Region was held last August 7, 2009 at the Generosity International School in Sulemanina Riyadh K.S.A.

Rani Basanta, SEP CEO, announced that there were many aspirants flocked to the screening place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. However, the result of the official candidates will be and be released this week after the deliberation of the screening committee. Only six pairs will be selected in Riyadh and 3 pairs each will be selected from Jeddah and Al-Khobar.

Coronation Night will be held in October 2009.

Al Khobar's Brightest!

From al khobar

Eastern Region's Official Candidates for the Ginoo and Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2008

Al-Khobar, KSA – The last screening for the Ginoo and Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2008 in Eastern Region was concluded last September 5, 2008 at Jadawel Compound in Dhahran K.S.A.

Six pairs were selected to represent the Eastern Region to the grand coronation night on October 24, 2008 at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

The screening process was conducted by SE Productions in Al-Khobar headed by Mr. Edwin Mercado that lasted for 5 hours.

Zena Marie Thirlwall, Bb. Pilipinas KSA 2006 and Ms. Photogenic in a beauty pageant in England this year, along with G. Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2005 JC Manuel, Edwin Mercado, Jaypee Vega, Mike Sergio and top fashion designer Ronald Conde comprises the screening committee.

From al khobar

Bb. Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2008 Zena Marie Thirlwall and G. Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2005 Junnifer Christ Manuel during the screening at Jadawel Compound in Dhahran KSA.

From al khobar

From al khobar

From al khobar

From al khobar

From al khobar

From al khobar

From al khobar

Riyadh's Best!

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S.E. Productions Committee and staff during the Screening of Ginoo and Bb. Pilipinas Saudi Arabia 2008 at Future Generation International School


The last screening for the Ginoo and Binibining Pilipinas Saudi Arabia in Riyadh was held last August 29, 2008 and here are some of the Riyadh's aspirants:



Final and official list of candidates will be known after the scheduled screening of aspirants in Al-Khobar on September 5, 2008.