If you’ve been watching the noontime show Eat Bulaga you would have noticed a segment that features a pretty young Filipina representing a province showing off its tourist attractions and some culinary delights.
The segment is allocated to one candidate a day for the audience to get acquainted with 40 young Filipinas.
Like last year, the noontime shows tapped local beauty pageant titleholders and challenged them to represent their hometown in a competition that is first of its kind in local television.
Unlike the typical pageants, “Miss Millennial Philippines” official candidates need to forgo of their high heels, tiaras, and fancy dresses and instead focus on promoting the tourism aspect of their province.
“Last year’s journey was really an eye-opening for all of us. Personally, I love to travel and when the competition started, I felt guilty for missing out on the wonderful places we feature. After watching each episode, you’d want to visit those places and try the food, immerse on their culture and meet the locals. We want to spark that same curiosity this year,” said Eat Bulaga’s SVP for Creatives and Operations, Jeny Ferre.
Apart from representing their different provinces, Ferre said the millennials also created eye-catching television and online campaigns that best promote their hometowns. These materials are featured daily on the longest-running noontime variety show and in different social media platforms.
“Essentially this is about tourism, but the heart of this pageant is the energy of the young people. We want to merge the traditional media and online to highlight the must-see places in the country. We want to use social media as a positive platform to educate the people on how beautiful and majestic the Philippines is. We think these millennials are the best ambassadors of their provinces because of their first-hand experience with the culture and tradition of their hometown,” she said.
Ferre also admitted that among all the well-loved segments of the program, “Miss Millennial Philippines” is the most difficult and expensive to produce. She said that aside from the logistics and production constraints, it’s not easy to gather 40 candidates with different background and from different places.
The Eat Bulaga boss said it’s fulfilling though as the show continuously tries to cultivate a sense of nationalism among its viewers.
“We are trying to give the candidates and the viewers the best experience ever. This is the most expensive but the most worthy segment of Eat Bulaga and this is our way of returning the favor to the communities that supported us through years.”
The 40 Miss Millennial Philippines 2018 candidates are Sharmaine Dela Cruz (Zamboanga), Mae Angela Miguel (Zambales), Maria Isabel Alves (Paranaque), Marela Glospeah Caro Juaman (South Cotabato), Ina Louise Abello (Palawan), Jaila Ragindin (Bataan), Kate Maureen Sunga (Guimaras), Denice Fritz Daligcon (Apayao), Danna Rose Socaoco (Misamis Oriental), EllenMay Otalla (Rizal), Verna RIcaella Franco (Tarlac), Kiezel Mellado (Sarangani), Trisha Aceret (Ilocos Norte), Shaira Marie Rona (Mandaluyong City) and Ma. Gienel Caling from Nueva Ecija, Marissa Ruado (Masbate), Daphne Kyara Marie Algrame (Negros Oriental), Jennifer Lemaitre (Laguna), Jewel Palacat (Ilocos Sur), Shaila Rebortera (Cebu), Merrielle Sarmiento (Oriental Mindoro), Femush Lyssa Maynes (Nueva Vizcaya), Elaiza Monica Mascarinas (Compostela Valley), Eloiza Canlas (Pampanga), Lesly Joy Sim (Quezon Province), Alyssa Angelica Dacuno (Samar), Trissia Aldave (Camarines Sur), Ivory Felix Calampinay (Malabon), Elisha Libres (Davao del Sur), Joanna Kalkschmidt (Capiz), Zane Anne Deza Parel (Isabela), and Lady Justerinnie Santos (Bulacan).
Meanwhile, provinces sending their first Miss Millennial representatives are Batanes (Ma. Ellena Velasco), Aurora (Verny Abby Zabat), Bukidnon (Sunshine Gumbao), Abra (Chanel Mistyca Corpuz), Siquijor (Neriz Lantaca), Agusan del Sur (Judie Anne Castro), Iloilo (Demi Patria Jainga) and Jolo, Sulu (Nur Shaira).
This year’s grand prize winner, which will be determined by text and online votes, will take home a house and lot from Camella Homes, a brand new Montero Sport, and P500,000.
Eat Bulaga will also choose a Miss Bayanihan Queen, the contestant with the best tourism campaign, and will award P1 million to fund her chosen local tourism project.
Ferre is hopeful that apart from showing the different side of the tech-savvy millennials, viewers who watch the show will have a better appreciation of the country.
“This is another way of discovering and touring the different regions of our country. The vision of Eat Bulaga is that after following this pageant, everyone is moved to experience the beauty of the Philippines,” she said.
“Miss Millennial Philippines 2018” in Eat Bulaga is seen Monday to Saturday only on GMA-7.