2nd Coconut Festival Queen Crowned

First place Patricia Legaspi

This year’s Coconut Festival Queen of Barangay Tapon, Dalaguete province of Cebu was crowned on December 21, 2013.

Patricia Legaspi, who won the grand prize for the said search was also adjudged Best in Group Showdown and Best in Production. She received P5,000 cash, a trophy and sash as prizes.

The third place meanwhile was bagged by Ana Marie Bautista winning P3,000 cash, a trophy and sash, while second placer is Louiella Mae Amar, with P2,000, a trophy and sash.

Legaspi’s winning will send her to compete for the Search for Utanon Festival Queen next year, another local pageant search in celebration of the annual good harvest, this time in the whole Municipality of Dalaguete. It will be celebrated through dance and music.

(L)Second place Ana Marie Bautista and Third place Louiella Mae Amar(R) 

“Ang makadaog nga Coconut Festival Queen kay amo-ang i-sangka sa mas taas na nga kompetisyon dire sa Dalaguete, mao ang Utanon Festival Queen...” said Jake Almagro, Coconut Festival Queen organizer. The candidates wore their fabulous festival gowns as they danced on the coconut festival beat, which was upbeat. The contestants were judged one by one through their interpretation and style of dancing to the beat. The search for Festival Queen has seven candidates namely: Rowellyn Alza, Legaspi, Khasmer Rosemarie Tagsip, Alverlyn Machete, Amar, Maria Guillen Villanueva and Bautista.

Davao’s ‘Torotot Fest’ to Enter Guinness

Davao City's first-ever "Torotot Festival" for the New Year is prepared as they try to clinch the Guinness World Record for the most number of people with toy horn blowers that will be set in the evening of December 31 until dawn of January 1, 2014. "Torotot" means toy horn, which will be used by Dabawenyos in greeting the new year. The festival aims to surpass the record of Japan, which currently holds the title of “the most number of people simultaneously blowing party blowers” in the Guinness World Records. The organizers are targeting 8,000 participants who will simultaneously blow their horns for 10 seconds to break the existing record. The festival is also part of the Dabawenyos' habit. Rather than using explosive material or fire crackers, they blow toy horns to produce noise during the New Year's Eve.

From 2008, there are zero casualties of any fireworks-related incidents in Davao City. But this year, a 14-year-old boy sustained injuries after he picked a burnt piccolo that suddenly exploded. Authorities of Davao City have strictly implemented the firecracker ban, which have recorded not more than five fireworks casualties every year. The city aims to strengthen the campaign for 'safer city' to welcome the New Year.