Rebekah Gail Celis, the newly-crowned Mutya ng Dabaw, wowed the crowd with her beauty and wit during the pageant’s grand coronation night on Saturday, March 15.
Celis, during the last Question and Answer portion, stressed on the value of education and unity in response to a question regarding how a small country like the Philippines can strike a balance between advancing international cooperation and diplomacy and claiming its sovereignty.
She mentioned the 1987 Constitution’s preamble, which begins, “We the sovereign Filipino people,” reminding Filipinos that while they are strong when united, they are at weakest when divided.
“So my advice to all Filipinos: Davao City, our moment begins here. We should fight for what we believe in, we should be pro-Filipino in every decision we make, and let us remember- change begins within you,’ she said.
“I cannot change the world alone, but if I cast a stone in the river, then it creates ripples that can change the world,” Celis added.
Also crowned at the event held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Gymnasium were four remarkable women who championed on their respective advocacies– Dana Tautho of Barangay Buhangin Proper as the Diwa ng Dabaw, Ybonne Ortega of Barangay Catalunan Pequeño as Sinag ng Dabaw, Katriana Batu of Barangay Matina Crossing as Pag-asa ng Dabaw, and Angel Alicaba of Barangay Maa as Patnubay ng Dabaw.
The event was made more exciting by the special awards segment, where a number of Mutya candidates were honored for their distinctive traits.
Hannah Dungog of Barangay Catalunan Grande won Miss Congeniality, Nicole Sulla was Miss Photogenic, Dana Tautho got Best in Gown and the Smart People’s Choice Award, Rebekah Celis won Best in National Costume, and Nikki Tan of Barangay Matina Crossing secured the award for Best Interview.
Katriana Batu earned Best in Tourism Video for presenting a compelling story about Davao’s culture and beauty, while Ybonne Ortega was recognized as the Best in Mindanao Tapestry.
Three Question and Answer sessions were added to this year’s competition to highlight the contestants’ wit, confidence, and public speaking abilities.
Celis received P450,000 cash prize in addition to the 100 sacks of rice that will be donated to her chosen charity.
The Diwa ng Dabaw and Sinag ng Dabaw received P300,000 and P250,000, respectively. The Pag-asa ng Dabaw and Patnubay ng Dabaw also received P150,000 and P125,000, respectively. CIO
