On time, grand production: Pageant fans praise Reina Filipinas’ inaugural show
Filipinos, so accustomed to events always happening later than scheduled, got the surprise of their lives when the first-ever Reina Filipinas Grand Coronation Night started promptly at 7 p.m., as announced.
Still with a lot of empty seats inside the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City, Reina Filipinas President Jojo Bragais took the microphone to remind the spectators to settle down, just a few minutes before the show was to start on Friday evening, Aug. 7.
The show opened with a bang. Reigning Miss Grand International and Reina Filipinas National Director Emma Tiglao made a grand entrance hanging from a metal platform that brought her down the stage.
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An electrifying production number to a rearranged “One Night Only” brought out the inner disco diva from the 21 candidates, clad in gold outfits by acclaimed fashion designer Mak Tumang. Every step they took was also glammed up by the matching gold Jojo Bragais “All Star” heels.
The dance ended with a full house, as the guests rushed inside upon seeing that the program had indeed started at 7 p.m. as promised. They were greeted by a stage affixed with massive LED panels, all the way to the ceiling, something that has been a signature of the Miss Grand International pageant.
Reina Filipinas President Jojo Bragais revealed in an interview that the national pageant’s executive partner, Miss Grand International President and Miss Universe Eastern CEO Nawat Itsaragrisil, guided him in mounting the show. The entire stage was designed and made in the Philippines, but the graphics displayed on the LED panels were provided by Thai creators.
Still, an all-Filipino production team mounted the show, which included the choreographer who came up with the impressive moves executed by the ladies, as well as the camera handlers who learned from Thai professionals.
Even the lighting onstage and the high-definition online transmission of the show drew rave reviews from the fans who watched from their mobile devices.
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Fans also raved about the engaging and entertaining hosting of beauty queen Joy Barcoma and Mr. World Philippines first runner-up Sean Kyle Ortega, whose chemistry and insights kept the show alive until the end.
And providing an even more fun banter were the two backstage hosts, Cebuana beauty queens and MGI All Stars alumnae Gazini Ganados and Fuschia Anne Ravena, whose witty conversations with the VIPs elicited laughs from the audience.
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Many have pointed out that the eventual victories of Reina Filipinas Grand International Angelica Lopez from Palawan, and Reina Filipinas MGI All Stars titleholders Alexie Brooks from Iloilo and Anne Patricia Lorenzo Diaz from Manila were predictable, yet the presentation of the program’s segments still kept the viewers entertained.
Another “paandar” (scheme) that earned positive feedback from the audience were the real-time display of the judges’ individual scores, reflecting transparency.
But the spoken delivery of scores by the judges during the evening gown round with the Top 11 semifinalists made it more entertaining. The audience cheered as the judges announced how much they awarded to the ladies on centerstage.
Fashion designer Renee Salud, touted as the “Ambassador of Philippine Fashion to the World,” shared with Inquirer Entertainment his thoughts about the pageant’s staging, and cited the highly entertaining program segments that did not employ any celebrity performers who usually take screen time from the delegates.
He was also delighted by how much the ladies blossomed since seeing them at the screening, saying they improved a lot and transformed into glamazons onstage.
But what really earned Salud’s approval was the respect for time. The show started promptly at 7 p.m., and the new queens were crowned past 10 p.m., the program finishing on the same day. “Kaya naman pala (it is possible),” he said.
The program ended on the same day, and with more than an hour to go before the calendars hit “Saturday.” This is such a commendable feat for an industry so used to shows that stretch all the way beyond midnight, concluding in the wee hours.
Bragais and Tiglao shared their experience as pageant viewers, when the show would run so long and would end so late that they would be hungry after the ceremonies, but the dining establishments had already closed. They wanted to prevent that, and they succeeded in doing so.
Reina Filipinas’ punctuality is a conscious move. As the national affiliate of the Miss Grand International pageant, the national competition needed to keep up with the global organization’s branding, which includes being on time.
The new national pageant shows a lot of promise. On just its inaugural staging, it eliminated the practice of Filipino time, a welcome relief for avid pageant fans. And with a distinguished set of experts in the judging panel and a transparent scoring system, the results turned out to be credible.
After the staging of Reina Filipinas’ first edition, many of the fans are giving it a “10.” And the expectations are high for the national pageant’s second edition, which will be staged in the summer of next year. /ra