The mistake of one person cannot define a City.
With that statement, candidates for this year’s Miss Silliman Pageant said they still consider Dumaguete as a safe place for students, and that it continues to deserve the monicker “City of Gentle People,” despite the daring Aug. 5 shooting of lawyer Archer Baldwin Martinez in his office along San Jose St., which eventually killed him.
The candidates, who spent the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 7, interacting with the Dumaguete media at Robinson’s Place, also added that the incident should be a challenge to the local authorities to catch the culprit.
The press had two rounds of questioning the candidates. The first round required the press to ask one question to be answered by all candidates; the second round required the press to address one question to only three candidates.
On the resignation of Sen. Miguel Zubiri, the candidates had varying answers: Miss Engineering said that if the Senator were honest and did not do anything wrong, he should have faced Senate inquiry. Miss MassCom Gesta Gamo said what the Senator did is commendable and nationalistic but that it came way too late. Miss High School and Miss CBA stated that the Senator’s resignation was premature and not right since there is yet no proof he committed any wrongdoing.
The Miss Silliman 2011 is scheduled on Aug. 22 with the pre-pageant at 8 am at the Luce Auditorium; coronation night is at 7:30 pm at the Lamberto Macias Sports Complex.
Eleven candidates are vying for this year’s crown: Miss AS Gaiana Capilla, Miss Rehabilitative Sciences Etienne Chantal Codina, Miss SBE Malka Shaver, Miss Nursing Athena Xcylz Mision, Miss CBA Vanessa Bea Hinoguin, Miss Medicine Bianca Camille Bulaybulay, Miss Clinical & Laboratory Sciences Keziah Marie Utzurrum Montebon, Miss SPAG Audry Evelyn Woods, Miss Engineering Alexis Dawn Masangkay, Miss Education Genevive Sarah Tebio, and Miss MassCom Gesta Riva Gamo.
Miss Silliman is considered Asia’s longest running pageant beginning in 1946, with its first winner Miss Education Patria Obsequio crowned at the Amphitheater fronting the SU Church. (Reuel John Lumawag, intern)