Modeling bets make public debut

The contestants of the upcoming CNMI’s Next Top Model pageant pose for a photo during their public debut at the Night Market last Thursday. (Kimberly A. Bautista)

The contestants in the CNMI’s Next Top Model made their public debut during last week’s Thursday Night Market at the Garapan Fishing Base to invite the public to the 2018 CNMI’s Next Top Model pageant.

The 16 contestants did a pre-pageant walk at the weekly Night Market and a brief preview of the kinds of talents they will be seeing during the talent portion of the pageant.

According to CNMI’s Next Top Model coordinator Sharmaine Casquero, the Thursday performance was intended to give the contestants a chance to individually introduce themselves and to prepare them for the pressure of presenting themselves and their costumes in front of a crowd.

One of the contestants, Morzina Khan, 18, said she is both nervous and excited for pageant night.

One of the aims of the pageant is to promote recycling and environmental consciousness, which the contestants would create by making their own recycled fashionwear, called Trash-to-Class.

Khan said she and her co-contestants have already started piecing together their Trash-to-Class wear. The materials used for the Trash-to-Class costumes are 100 percent recyclables and are put together manually by each contestant to not only educate them on the importance of recycling, but also to showcase their creativity.

“Taking care of our Mother Earth is very important…if we want a beautiful environment, we need to start taking care of our environment,” she said.

Khan said other preparations for the pageant include practicing to walk in their costumes, walking with confidence, and to overcome their fear of publicly presenting themselves.

Aside from Khan, the other contestants are Lucewara Naveen, 14; Revira Trisha Jindra, 13; Cadawan Ma Valerie, 18; Sue Ann Huevos, 15; Mazie Anne Manalang, 16; Janine Magbanua Deleon Guerrero, 13; Labao Jeggier, 17; Neil Camay, 16; Yads DeGuzman, 17; Joshua Magno, 18; Salvani Darl Gio, 17; Tristan Joshua Amado, 18; Macrino Carreon, 16; Francis Matthew Macaspac, 18; and Ezekiel Quiroz, 18.

The CNMI’s Next Top Model pageant will be held on April 22, at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, starting at 6:30pm and all guests are encouraged to dress in formal attire.

Tickets have been available since March 10 and range from $10 to $20, depending on the seating

For those interested in buying a ticket to the pageant, contact Casquero at 233-2643 or Alice Barbo through the Saipan Unity Lion’s Club Facebook page.