Press Release
July 28, 2017

12th Las Pinas Waterlily Festival Blooms with Beauty and Color

The modest waterlily took centerstage anew at the 12th Las Pinas Waterlily Festival that bloomed with pomp pageantry and colorful street dances held today at the Villar SIPAG Grounds.

Hajer Ashraf, of Brgy. Talon Dos bested 15 other candidates representing the different barangays of Las Pinas to bring home the Miss Las Pinas Water Lily 2017 crown and P25,000 cash prize. Bagging the first-runner up title was Jeanne Talania, of Brgy. Manuyo Dos who also won a crown and P15,000 cash prize. Crowned second runner-up was Charmaine Louise Peralta of Brgy. Zapote who went home with a cash prize of P10,000.

A celebration of beauty and nature, the Miss Las Pinas Waterlily beauty pageant is the first of its kind where the biggest criteria for juding at 40% is the uniqueness and creativity of the contestants' mestiza ternos made of 100% waterlily. It should also reflect the natural color of this lovely aquatic plant. Other criteria for judging are physical beauty, 30% and intelligence and wit, 30%.

Meanwhile, several schools in Las Pinas battled it out in the colorful and waterlily-inspired street dancing competition which was eventually won by representatives of Group 1 (Golden Acres National HS, TS Cruz National HS and Las Pinas National HS), Grand Champion, taking home a trophy plus P50,000 cash prize.

Other winners were Group 3 (Las Pinas East National HS, Las Pinas East National HS Talon 4 - Annex and Las Pinas East National HS Equitable Village, 1st runner-up, receiving a trophy plus P30,000 cash and Group 4 (Las Pinas North National HS, Las Pinas Science High School and Rizal Experimental Station & Pilot School of Cottage Industries (RESPCI)), 2nd runner-up who brought home a trophy and P20,000 cash prize.

Aside from the Grand Champion and the two runner-ups, other schools that competed in the street dance competition were the Las Pinas National High School - LPNHS-Gatchalian Annex and CAA National High School - CAA National High School Annex.

Participant groups, with maximum of 50 members each, were required to submit their unique concept synopsis with waterlily as its main component in the costume and props.

Beautifully woven in these twin competitions was the water lily product exhibit and weaving demonstration, participated in by the Water Lily Arts & Crafts Center, Sta. Rosa Livelihood Organization, Inc., Laguna Water Hyacinth Organization, Cardona Livelihood Products, Kabuhayan sa Water Lily, Joneg Foundation, Pililla Waterlily Weavers, Maynilad Waterlily Weavers and one of the youth awardees in this year's festival, Project Lily PH.

The Waterlily Festival is a brainchild of Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and was launched in 2005 to showcase the city's love for the environment as a giver of life and livelihood.

Through the years, we are pleased that our homegrown Waterlily Festival continues to attract visitors and tourists to the city because of the unique attribute of our festival and because it pays homage to our Mother Nature and to our culture," Villar said.

It could be recalled that during her term as representative of Las Pinas, Villar started the Sagip Ilog Program rehabilitating the Las Pinas-Zapote River which for many years was swamped with waterlilies causing flooding in many areas. Villar transformed the waterlily problem into a beautiful solution by turning these lovely blooms baskets, trays, mats, hampers, slippers, chests, lampshades, and other products, thus creating livelihood opportunities for the residents and helping reduce flooding incidents.

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