Well-known beauty queen Evangeline Pascual was in town on March 4, 2017, to hold a one-day Personality Development Training program for the 22 official candidates of Binibining Bayambang 2017.

The former Miss Philippines and 1st Runner-up for Miss World – still an ageless, statuesque beauty – insisted on a closed-door affair with the young ladies at the St. Vincent Village Pavilion, to share with them practical tips and nuggets of wisdom gained in the field and from years of conducting such a program.

Only selected members of the Local Council of Women who acted as godmothers to the contenders were allowed to witness the activity.

By 7 pm, a culminating activity in the form of a mock-up pageant was staged at the nearby tennis court. In attendance were the brains behind it all, Local Council of Women President, Ms. Niña Jose-Quiambao, together with Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao, Municipal Councilors Mylvin Junio, Martin Terrado, Joseph Vincent Ramos, and Benjamin de Vera, Municipal Administrator Atty. Rodelynn Rajini Sagarino, Hermano Mayor Jose ‘Boy’ Ramos, Hermana Mayor Judith E. Ramos, and local Rotarians led by Pres. Leticia B. Ursua. Events Coordinator Ayen Garcia, who brought over Ms. Pascual all the way from Manila, was also on hand to oversee the technical side of the practice pageant exercise.

In her welcome remarks, Atty. Sagarino explained that the training program was part of the promise to the finalists to groom each of them to be an official ambassadress of Bayambang, particularly in promoting the LGU’s development programs. Bb. Bayambang 2017 has, after all, “Beauty for love and service” (of our hometown) as its theme.

While sharing words of inspiration, Ms. Evangeline Pascual expressed gratitude to the LGU for allowing the contenders “to [become] significant constituents of this town,” thanks to the amount of energy and resources expended on them.

“May the little stone I dropped in the pond have a ripple effect that would continue on growing.” (Bayambang PIO/Media Affairs Office)