Press Release
July 31, 2015

Villar leads celebration of Waterlily Festival

Sen. Cynthia Villar yesterday (July 31, 2016) led the City of Las Pinas in celebrating the annual Waterlily Festival.

"This is one of the ways we can portray waterlily not as a nuisance that clogs our rivers and waterways, more importantly, the waterlily that brings livelihood to many residents of Las Pinas," Villar said.

Among the activities lined up were the street dancing competition and Ms. Las Pinas Water Lily 2015.

"Through this festival, we give residents a sense of belonging while providing the visitors and tourists with entertainment. We are very proud to stage this kind of festivity because of its environmental value," she said.

For many years, waterlilies cause flooding in Las Pinas until Villar, when she was Representative of Las Pinas, started the Sagip Ilog Program to rehabilitate the Las Pinas-Zapote River. Truckloads of waterlilies collected were then turned into baskets, trays, mats, hampers, etc. This year's participants to the street dancing competition were groups composed of not more than 50 persons who are high school students enrolled in Las Pinas for the current school year.

Costumes and props have waterlily as main component. Each group performed a 7-minute dance presentation with music.

Winners in the street dancing competition and their corresponding prizes were: 5th Group (Golden Acres National High School, TS Cruz National High School, LPNHS-Almanza 1), Grand champion, P50,000 cash; 3rd Group (LP East National High School, LPENHS Talon 4 Annex, LPENHS Equitable Village), 1st runner-up, P30,000 cash and 4th Group (RESPSCI and LP North National High School), 2nd runner-up, P20,000 cash.

The five groups in the competition each got P25,000 cash subsidy for their costumes.

Maricris Aldanese of Brgy. Pilar, who received P25,000 cash, declared Ms. Las Pinas Waterlily 2015. First runner-up Zoe Stephanson of Brgy. Manuyo got P15,000 cash while 2nd runner-up Alexandra Nikolaev of Brgy. Pamplona 3 got P10,000 cash.

Azliana Biay Grepo of Brgy. Alamanza 2 was conferred the People's Choice Award. For Ms. Las Pinas Waterlily 2015, candidates are 18 to 24 years old, with a height of at least 5 feet 4 inches, and eligible residents of Las Pinas for at least one year upon submission of entry. Candidates will wear a mestiza terno made of 100 percent waterlily.

Criteria for judging are physical beauty 30%; intelligence and wit 30%, and uniqueness and creativity of waterlily gown 40%.

This year, 17 candidates from the different barangays of Las Pinas competed for the Ms. Las Pinas Water Lily 2015 title.

The festival also featured booth displays of waterlily livelihood products from the Las Pinas Arts and Crafts Center; Kabuhayan sa Waterlily Livelihood Project of Cainta, Rizal; Rotarr Club of San Jose del Monte Quezon City, b Community of Teresa, Rizal; Samahan ng Kababaihan ng Barangay Patunhay, Inc. of Cardona, Rizal; Higantes Bub Project of Angono, Rizal, and Valenzuela CSWD.

Everybody had the chance to sample the award-winning dishes from previous Food Festivals held in Las Pinas. Among these were Kalabasang Kalamay of Talon Dos (Grand Champion, 2015); Buco Mango Rice Cake of Talon 5 (1st Runner Up, 2015); Kamoteng Kahoy sa Kawayan of Pulang Lupa Dos (2nd Runner Up, 2015); Relyenong Labhong of Pulang Lupa Dos (Grand Champion, 2014); Lasugpong in Coconut Milk Salsa of Pamplona 3 (1st Runner Up, 2014); and Pescado con Salsa de Pimienta Verde of Talon 5 (2ndRunner Up, 2014).

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