Miss Teen Pusong Pinoy coronation night nears

Excitement and anticipation are what the 14 candidates vying for the Miss Teen Pusong Pinoy are feeling right now with less than two weeks left before coronation night. The pageant is set on Feb. 20 at the Royal Taga Hall of the Saipan World Resort.

Pageant director Ernie Molina said they are almost done with their preparation of the pageant and the training of the candidates. They had another practice last night, from 7pm to 8pm, at the Saipan Music and Dance Studio.

“The candidates are excited and I am also excited. So far we are already 90 percent done with our preparations. And after more than 10 days spending time with them, I can say they are ready to compete,” said Molina.

“They are getting more confident and doing better in [projecting] while modeling on the catwalk. But they still need to correct some techniques,” he added.

Molina said the candidates would have different performances in the talent portion like singing, magic show, guitar and piano playing, acting, and ballroom, hip-hop and Polynesian dances.

The 14 candidates will also undergo a short course on effective speaking, while being interviewed, which will help them become confident in the question-and-answer portion.

Barny’s Pizza owner Jimmy Ham will also treat the candidates to dinner at McDonald’s, while DFS Saipan president Marian Aldan Pierce will give the candidates a gift from T Galleria.

Philippine honorary consul to the CNMI Eli Arago will then host a lunch for the candidates at the Kanoa Resort on Saturday.

“They will have a lot of bonding time. On Saturday they will choose who will be the candidate who will be named Miss Congeniality and who will win the Spirit Award,” said Molina.

The criteria for judging will be based on personality, talent, formal wear, and the question-and-answer portion. The candidates will be judged right from the opening number like the way they dance and move on stage.

Cash prizes will be given away with the second runner-up winning $300, the first runner-up getting $500, while the Miss Teen Pusong Pinoy goes home with $800. Special awards also have cash prizes namely, Miss Congeniality, Miss Photogenic, Spirit Award, Best in Talent, Best Evening Gown or Best Formal Wear, Star of the Night, and Miss Charity.

Molina explained that the Spirit awardee must show enthusiasm and energy, the Star of the Night is the one who excelled and stood out in the opening number, and the Miss Charity is the candidate who had helped the organizers in raising funds.

Angela Barbo, Mary Angela Cabrera, Clarice Mhae T. Canarejo, Catherine Kate Castro, Janelle S. Lavetoria, Queen Anne Lopez, Mazie Anne A. Manalang, Adonna Matutino, Rhine Jaydel Russell, Mary Lenor Sablan, Chloe Salvosa, Michaella Serrano, Mikamaika Serrano, and Erica Tubera are the 14 candidates.