MASSKARA QUEEN 2015

Sam Gergiana Yu –Masskara Queen 2015 is flanked by her court:  Kennyveb Casabuena – 1st runner-up and;    Ivy Benedicto – 2nd runner- up.

MassKara Queen 2015: Sam Gergiana Yu Takes the Crown

The MassKara Queen 2015 was crowned at the SMX Convention Center, SM City Bacolod, with 11 candidates competing for one of the festival’s most coveted titles. At the end of the evening, Sam Gergiana Yu, a teacher, emerged as MassKara Queen 2015.

The coronation night was significant for another reason: it was the first time the MassKara Queen pageant was held outside its longtime venue, the University of St. La Salle Coliseum.

Moving the pageant to the air-conditioned SMX Convention Center was certainly a welcome change for those of us covering the event. The venue was more comfortable, although it presented a different set of challenges. Only about 70 percent of the seats appeared to be occupied, perhaps because Bacolodnons had grown accustomed to free admission to the coronation night in previous years.

The physical layout also affected the audience experience. Three SMX halls were used, with the stage positioned at the centre. Five large screens—two on each side and another serving as the stage backdrop—helped spectators seated farther away follow the competition. For members of the media, however, photographing the candidates proved challenging because the contestants did not always reach the far sides of the stage.

Fortunately, Adrian Bobe, the 2015 MassKara media coordinator, moved my seat to the front row. Otherwise, my photographic coverage of the evening would have been considerably more difficult.

Former Miss International, Be Rose Santiago

A Night of Beauty and Entertainment

Former Miss International Bea Rose Santiago hosted the coronation night together with MassKara Queen 2014 Christine Joy Madamba and 2014 Second Runner-Up Raxee Gonzales.

One of the evening’s most memorable moments came during the opening number. The candidates entered wearing cocktail dresses, then removed their belts to reveal the dresses transformed into long gowns—a clever visual surprise that immediately brought energy to the stage.

The programme also featured the candidates discussing their respective advocacies, as well as several interview and question-and-answer segments. One particularly interesting portion had national and international beauty queens appearing through video to ask questions of the candidates. Most of the contestants handled the interviews well and were able to articulate their thoughts confidently.

There were a few production hitches along the way, including a script mix-up during one of the questions and some backstage cues that could occasionally be heard from the audience. The stage configuration also made some portions of the show difficult to appreciate from certain vantage points.

Still, the coronation night remained generally entertaining. While the programme did not feature the national celebrities seen in some previous editions, local performers provided the entertainment, giving Bacolod talents their own share of the spotlight.

The Road to the Final Three

The competition continued through the swimsuit and evening gown segments, followed by the announcement of the Top Three and the final question.

While waiting for the results, hosts Raxee Gonzales and Christine Joy Madamba went into the audience and asked judges and spectators what qualities they looked for in a MassKara Queen.

For me, a beauty queen has always needed to be a total package. Beauty is certainly part of it—not merely physical appearance, but also character and presence. As we would say in Hiligaynon, “Matahum!” She must also be confident and capable of expressing herself well. Intelligence cannot really be measured by one or two pageant questions, but the ability to communicate one’s thoughts under pressure certainly reveals something about a candidate.

On that night, Sam Gergiana Yu proved herself articulate, sensible and confident throughout the interview portions, qualities that helped carry her to the crown.

The final results were:

Sam Gergiana Yu — MassKara Queen 2015
Kennyveb Casabuena — First Runner-Up
Ivy Benedicto — Second Runner-Up

Congratulations to Sam Gergiana Yu and her court, as well as to all the candidates who competed in the 2015 edition.

And a personal thank-you once again to Adrian Bobe for rescuing my coverage by moving me to the front row. Without that small intervention, this article might have had a very different ending—or considerably fewer photographs.

Christine Joy Madamba , 2014 Masskara Queen on her farewell walk

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