2010 04/07-04/13

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

Union City's Melissa Sokukawa, 19, left last March 28th viaPhilippine Airlines to compete in Manila for the Miss Philippines Earth 2010 crown, against 52 other Filipina hopefuls. Finals is set Saturday, April 24th at the ManilaOcean Park (behind Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta Park)

Miss Philippines Earth USA (West Coast) 2010, Melissa Sokukawa from Union City, receives expert poise, runway and catwalk training from noted beauty experts in Manila, weeks before the pageant finals night on April 24th where 53 Filipinas from around the country and the world vie for the national crown and prestige to compete further in Vietnamcome November.

Congratulations to London-born 21-year old Filipina, Miss Marie Claire Fullecido, right, who graduated Cum Laude at the Ateneo de Zamboanga, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. She will continue on to a full-pledge medical degree. Shown also are her proud parents, Mr. Juanito A. Fullecido, Partner in SGV & Co/Earnst & Young and Claire (a Nurse by profession, full-time housewife by choice).

Candidates to the 2010 Miss Philippines Earth had a welcome party last Monday night, April 5th at the Carousel Mansion in Mandaluyong City, which includes Union City's Melissa Sokukawa, rightmost, representing the Fil-Am Communities of West Coast, USA.

2006 Miss Philippines Air, Ginger Conejero, center, originally from the Bay Area, will host this year's Miss Philippines Earth beauty pageant finals, to be held at theManila Ocean Park on April 24th. With her in this photo taken during the event's welcome party to all 52 candidates are Carousel Productions Corporate Staff, Sed Genecera, left, and Rizzi Lim.

Miss Renee Şefika Mchugh, 18, of New York City is East Coast, USA's bet to the ongoing 2010 Miss Philippines Earth beauty pageant to be held on April 24th at the Manila Ocean Park.

The Eastwood EXCELSIOR (contact Sharon F. Eugenio 0917-529-2366) is the official residence of this year's Miss Philippines Earth USA (West Coast), Melissa Sokukawa, before she checked in at the Carousel Mansion. She loves the hotel's 24-hour security, cleanliness, in-room laundry, aircon and close proximity to the hundreds of the adjoining mall's shops and restaurants.

Team Sokukawa (Designer, Julius Ornum, Environment Q&A Expert/Guru ,among others) plans their pageant strategies, leaving nothing to chance, to ensure a sweet victory in the nationals, for 2010 Miss Philippines Earth USA (West Coast), Melissa Sokukawa, right, pride of Union City.

A send off party in San Jose, complete with a crunchy lechon, was given to Melissa Sokukawa, 3rd right, on the eve of her departure on March 28th to compete in Manila for the 2010 Miss Philippines Earth pageant.

53 vie for the 2010 Miss Philippines Earth Crown

(Finals to be held at the Manila Ocean Park )

SEEN IN THE CITY

After courtesy meetings with her sponsors, the San Francisco City Hall’s Director of Events, Filipina, Ms. Elsie McAteer and Philippine Airlines’ San Francisco office’s Ms. Del Merano and Ms. Joanne Sarmiento, Union City’s Ms. Melissa Sokukawa, 19, a half-Japanese Filipina flew to an upgraded class flight to Manila last Sunday March 28^th to compete with 52 other Filipina hopefuls to the 2010 Miss Philippines Earth crown.

Thirteen hours later, she was fetched at the Centennial Airport by the pageant organizer, Carousel Production’s official driver and chaperone the morning of March 30^th .

She then checked in at the Eastwood Excelsior and started her environmental and global warming studies with topic experts during the following 3 nights. Topics included the alternative and inexpensive sources of renewable energy, practical ways to help solve or minimize at least, the ill-effects of global warming, proactive ways to get involved, among others. The rest of the week, she trained heavily Columbian-style, on poise, runway and catwalk skills, conducted privately by beauty pageant experts.

Melissa and the 52 other candidates first met each other when they congregated for their very first rehearsals at the Manila Ocean Park, situated just behind the famed Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta Park last Monday, April 5th.

A dinner party was tendered in her honor and the other candidates later in the night at the Carousel Mansion , where they were welcomed by the Carousel Productions President, Mr. Ramon Monzon, Vice President, Ms. Lorraine Schuck and the rest of their staff, Peachy Veneracion, Ping Valencia Sed Genecera, Rizzi Lim, Gem Mayo, 2006 Miss Earth Air, Cathy Untalan, among others.

ABS-CBN’s resident newsman, Mario Dumaual conducted some random interviews and shot some TV footages for airing the following night(s).

2006 Miss Philippines Air, Ginger Conejero, now a famous news and events celebrity (originally from the Bay Area and winner of the 2006 Miss Philippines USA-West Coast crown) also graced the event and introduced herself to the contestants. She will host the finals pageant night to be held at the Manila Ocean Park .

An international media press conference (which proved to be high-profile every year) to introduce the candidates and launch this year’s pageant will be held the following morning, April 6th.

Here is the official list of all the 53 candidates:

1. Mun. of Angono, Alyssa Angelaine Tolentino

2. Antipolo City , Pamela Bianca De Leon

3. Bacolod City, Kristine Alonso

4. Mun. of Bacoor, Sherrie Beth Catapia

5. Bongao, Kriskate Lee

6. Bongabong, Abbygale Rey

7. Butuan City, Stephanie Dianne Stefanowitz

8. Cagayan de Oro, Lilyka Vic Peñaranda

9. Cainta, Maria Sofia Gloria Mustonen

10. Calamba, Princess Sardin

11. Caloocan, Sheryl Jane Taguiam

12. Candon, Maricel Mansano

13. Cebu, Sian Elizabeth Maynard

14. Daet, Farah Lopez

15. Dasmariñas, Charisse Marie Sisperez

16. Fil-France, Gwennaelle Ruais

17. Gumaca, Kris Ortiz

18. Imus, Christine Weizel Gulfan

19. Infanta, Kris Psyche Resus

20. Iriga City, Aizza Francesca Briñas

21. Kabacan, Lady Lou Garidan

22. Kawit, Pauline Dollaga

23. Lubao, Angela Fernando

24. Lucena City, Gabrielle Marie Cabrera

25. Makati City, Angelica Pasumbal

26. Malabon City, Kimberly Ann Brandon

27. Marikina, Hannah Marie Landan

28. Mexico, Eloisa Navarro

29. Meycauayan, Christine Hermoso

30. Muntinlupa City, Ferina Juny-Ann De Paz

31. Navotas, Diane Jane Nicolas

32. Olongapo, Rosemary Joan Turner

33. Olutanga, Sheena Arabani

34. Pandan, Emmerie Dale Cunanan

35. Pasay, Julia Katrina Ibuna

36. Pasig City, Roxanne Tadique

37. Mun. of Puerto Galera, Crissia Atienza

38. Puerto Princesa, Rosemary Sampaguita Jasper

39. Quezon, Nadine Bendige

40. Romblon, Ma. Rizel Macasa

41. Rosario, Krizsa Nicolitte Serquina

42. San Fernando, Brendolf Muñoz

43. San Jose Del Monte , Lorraine Asis

44. San Pedro, Apple Ramos

45. Mun. of Taft, Rosjane Tiunayan

46. Tagaytay City, Nadine Karla De Roxas

47. Taguig City, Yazmin Nicole Kaufmann Ortega

48. Tanauan, Sarah Jane Mercado

49. Tarlac, Aura Donna Garon

50. Vigan City, Marie Loraine Diane De Guzman

51. Virac, Aiza Angelica delos Santos

52. Fil-USA East Coast, Rene Rosario McHugh

53. Fil-USA West Coast, Melissa Ann Sokukawa

ABS-CBN will delay-televise the pageant finals on Sunday, April 25^th.

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

‘Sister Act’ at the Silver Legacy-Reno

Watch the hottest sisters in Philippine showbiz, Ara Mina and Cristine Reyes with Pinoy Dream Academy ’s 1^strunnerup ‘Paano Na Kaya’ Bugoy Drilon in "SISTER ACT". Billed as “a totally different kind of show”, “Sister Act” is a musical comedy written and directed by Mamu De Real and will be seen on May 30th at the Grande Exposition Hall of the Silver Legacy Resort and Casino.

Special guests include Jo Awayan and Joseph Gelito. For tickets and sponsorships, call (510) 552-6915 or visit www.filipinasproductions.com for more info.

PERSONAL NOTES

Happy Birthday to Jiselle Justine Kelsey (April 5).

Welcome home to Doctor Ricky Masiddo and Ms. Reggie Panganiban, RN who just arrived this Thursday (April 8) from several days of respite vacation in Davao , Cebu and Manila .

Congratulations to Ateneo de Zamboanga’s London-born 21-year old Filipina, Miss Marie Claire Fullecido, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Cum Laude honor at that. This information was relayed to this column by her parents, Mr. Mr. Juanito A. Fullecido, Partner in SGV & Co/Earnst & Young and Claire Fullecido.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I deserve that crown!" by 2010 Miss Philippines Universe, Venus Raj (she also was a former Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism 2008) who was dethroned and stripped of her title, crown and privilege to represent the Philippines at this year’s Miss Universe pageant for ‘irregularities’ in her birth certificate. She said she did nothing wrong and vows to fight the fight to keep her title.

This column also appears online at www.FilipinoVillage.com and http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 68 countries now, according to the latest Google Analytics report.

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