Mutia Ti La Union 2020: Coronation Night

It was a star studded Mutia Ti La Union 2020 coronation night happened at the Poro Point Baywalk, San Fernando City, La Union last March 2, 2020. The pageant was the culmination of the celebration of the province's 170th foundation anniversary.

Miss Sudipen's bet, Divina Marie Villanueva bested 19 other stunning candidates for the top crown giving her town a back to back win from Anne Margareth Sanglay's success last year. She is now the ambassadress of the Agri-Tourism campaign of the government of La Union.

(From L-R: City of San Fernando, Pugo, Sudipen, Rosario, Balaoan)
Photo credits to the owner

This pageant is now considered as one of the biggest beauty pageants of the north. It produced some notable beauty queens who also made it to national pageants and represented the country to international beauty pageants. This year, there are two former titleholders who are representing the province of La Union to national pageants. Mutia Ti La Union 2016 Trizha Ocampo is competing in Miss Universe Philippines 2020 while Mutia Ti La Union 2017 already competed in Eat Bulaga's first ever Miss Millennial and finished as the first runner up and now an official Binibining Pilipinas 2020 candidates.

Personal Opinion about the Coronation Night 

This year's Mutia Ti La Union is I can say  the best edition up to date. The stage set-up was so huge and decoratively stunning. The light effects, sound system and camera angles were so leveled up compared to the previous editions. The live telecast on Facebook was so clear and has no technical issues happened. The song choices per round were just on point and mixed well to avoid copyright warnings most especially that there was FB live throughout the program and so that the videos will not be muted. 

The program phasing was so quick and well planned and I personally love it. The candidates' production number was so polished and well executed. I love that they utilized the floor from the audience area going up to the stage. The choreography was also cool and it reminds me of the Trump Era Miss Universe production feels. The candidates production outfit was also good and i just love everything about it. It was flawless to start the coronation night.

Photo credits to the owner

To make an event really lively and more class, you must choose a good host. So choosing famous national personalities in the field of hosting to be the event's hosts for Mutia Ti La Union 2020 was a good move. Billy Crawford is the husband of Colleen Garcia who is also from La Union and together with Robi Domingo and Venus Raj were a good choice because they have connections when they do the hosting.

Photo credits to the owner

The board of judges this year was a high-caliber set of diverse individuals. Putting Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray was already enough to make the board of judges trustworthy to choose a rightful queen. But the organizers and production didn't just settle for a one queen and added Miss Shamcey Supsup-Lee, Miss Universe 2011 3rd Runner and the Miss Universe Philippines National Director. To make the group even more national level was adding Mr. Albert Andrada, an International Fashion Designer and some well-known political names like H.E Igor Khovaez, Hon. Christopher De Venecia, and Commr. Greco Belgica. To complete it was putting a famous young actor like Mr. Marco Gumabao.

Because of Mutia Ti La Union 2020, three Filipina beauty queens competed at Miss Universe were reunited. Miss Universe 2010, 4th Runner Up- Ma. Venus Raj  as one of the hosts and part of the panel of judges were Miss Universe 2011, 3rd Runner Up- Shamcey Supsup-Lee and Miss Universe 2018- Catriona Grey.

The night wouldn't be complete if there were no guest and performers to entertain the audience. Choosing Inigo Pascual was a nice option to serenade the candidates. The after party with December Avenue was also a good choice for young ones most especially that most of there songs were a hit and well known. 

With the farewell walk of the reigning queens, I just don't personally like the gowns used by all of them. For me, It would have been better if they also use a Filipinia inspired gowns just to be aligned  in the theme of the gown worn by candidates. But I hope to see the three queens move to a national stage also in the next years. 

First set of awards:

Best in Agri-Tourism Campaign:

Sudipen

* As I've said on my previous blogpost, Miss Sudipen's Agri-Tourim Video is my favorite. Well deserved award. 

Mutia Friendship:

Bacnotan

Best in Socio-Economic Campaign:

Sudipen

Most Viewed Agri-Tourism Campaign:

Agoo

 Best Artist in Agri-Tourism Campaign:

San Juan

Mutia Fashion Model:

Sudipen

(L-R: Best in Evening Gown- Agoo, Best in Swimwear- Pugo, Mutia Fashion Model- Sudipen)
Photo Credits

Second set of awards:

Best in Talent:

Rosario

Best Designer (Creative AgriCultural Costume:

Balaoan 

Virgilio Orfiano

Best in Creative AgriCultural Costume:

Agoo

Mutia Beautiful Skin:

Naguilian

Mutia Body Beautiful:

San Fernando City

Best in Swimwear:

Pugo

Best in Creative AgriCultural Costume:
Agoo
Photo credits to the owner

* I agree with Miss Agoo bagging the Best in Creative AgriCultural Costume award. She's included with my top 6 favorite costumes. She carried it well.

Best Designer for AgriCultural Costume:
Balaoan- Virgilio Orfiano
Photo credits to the owner

* Though there's no doubt that the artistry and the design of the costume was good, I just personally don't think that it's enough to win the best designer award. I think it was so plain and I've  already seen such design to previous editions from same municipality, I guess. It resembles the National Costume worn by Pia at Miss Universe 2015.  If only I am going to choose a best designer, I will choose Miss Caba's designer for this year.

Third set of awards:

Mutia Beautiful Hair:

Naguilian

Mutia Vibrant Smile:

Pugo

Mutia Photogenic:

Agoo

* In my previous post, I chose Aringay and Balaoan to be Miss Photogenic this year based with all the photoshoots they did. But I guess the decision for the award was based with the first ever photo that they've released. In fact, I ranked Miss Agoo as my 7th on my first hotpicks for this photos.

Globe People's Choice Award:

Bangar

Best Designer for Evening Gown:

Rosario

Rannie Nieva

(L-R) Best Designer Min Creative Agricultural Costume: Balaoan,
Best Artist in Agri-Tourism  Fashion Wear: San Juan, Best Designer in Evening Gown: Rosario

TOP 10 candidates:

Aringay
Sudipen
Bauang
Agoo
Balaoan
San Fernando City
Rosario
Naguilian
Bagulin
Pugo

* It's 7 out of 10 are in with my hotpicks. and my two bubbling up made it to the first cut. As I predicted, another crowd and fan favorite candidate didn't make it-- Miss Sto. Tomas based from what I've watch that night via  FB live, she was out shined by other candidates such as Miss Balaoan and Naguilian. Her styling was the same again. Her catwalks and pasarela was weak and  I find it little stiffed too at that night. Over-all, her performance was just pretty normal and low energy compared to her usual performances. I just little dismayed because I had high hopes for her that's why I even put her on the second place. With Miss Bacnotan, maybe because she wasn't consistent with her performance. Her agri-tourism fashion performance was just normal but I love her in the swimwear round. The energy was there and I see a strong pasarela too. But I don't like her styling with the gown competition. Her performance with the gown competition was weak and was out shined by others. While the last candidate in my hotpicks that wasn't also included was Miss Bangar. Her performance was good but normal for me. Her performance with all the rounds was just safe ans she's the shortest and even the first candidate to appear to the judges every round so it's really hard for her to make the first cut.

Miss Balaoan and Miss Naguilian surprisingly gave strong perfomances in all rounds. They're showing attitude and personality with there pasarelas. You can't just easily ignore them at that night. But to my surprise, Miss Bagulin was my unexpected inclusion for this year. 

After the first cut, next was the Q&A given by the board of judges to each candidates. There's no doubt that Miss Sudipen will secure her Top 5 spot easily followed by the strong answer given by Miss Rosario. With the simple answer given by Miss Pugo (who bagged Miss Swimswear), I already can tell that she'll be included as one of the top 5. Miss Balaoan's answer was kinda rehearsed for me but she deliver it fast and smooth. While, the sash factor that Miss San Fernando and her simple answer mader her to the top 5.

If I'm going to choose which I think must be part of the Top 5 based from the Q&A, It'll be Sudipen, Rosario, Pugo, Balaoan and battle between Miss Aringay and Miss Bauang. If only Miss Agoo delivered even just a simple answer, she might be one of the top 5 too knowing that she bagged the Best in Gown award. 

TOP 5 candidates:

Balaoan

Pugo

San Fernando

Rosario

Sudipen

With this last round of the competition, the candidates were given same question.

The question was

"If a millennial would become the governor of La Union, what positive changes do you forsee happening?"

BALAOAN:

Photo credits to the owner

"We are living in this world where there's a modern world. Now, if a millennial will be a governor therefore the wants and needs of  every youth will be given to them because the governor himself is a millennial so the governor know how it feel,  what the youth need,(and) what the people are needing. Thank You"

PUGO:

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"The positive changes that I foresee happening  when a millennial would become a governor is to of course the youth today have the power within them is something that will modernize the or give a new character and appearance of  ordinary things that make them modernized  because youth today have the power within them that can change the cycle or can break the cycle that have caused from the past. Thank You"

SAN FERNANDO CITY:

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"If i would become a governor of La Union, the positive changes that I foresee to happen is that there are more disciplined person here in our province. More disciplined person that we need or know how to take care of our environment, know how to how to love one another and if we know how to love one another, then there will be peace. Thank You"

ROSARIO:

Photo credits to the owner

"If I would be a millennial governor of La Union, the positive changes that I foresee happening is to promote further the Agri-Tourism of the province because we all know that La Union has a great potential for Agri-Tourism and because of that we can  intensify the marketing investment that can attract investors and will then provide job to generations  for the family and I think that is what I would do if I would be a millennial governor of the beloved province of La Unon. Thank you"

SUDIPEN:

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"If a millennial would be a governor of La Union, I think a millennial today is someone who is very brave, very vocal and  someone who is not afraid to speak up not only for herself but for the whole society. And  I think millennial now is has mind and soul for everything that they do and they become a symbol of hope, no matter how big or small they've come, the people the people they've  look up to. I think that is very important and if they become governor of La Union, I think it would be a very advantage to the province of la Union . Thank You very much"

WINNERS:

2nd Runner up:

San Fernando City

Photo credits to the owner

1st Runner up:

Balaoan

Photo Credits to the owner

Mutia Ti Agrikultura:

Pugo

Photo credits to the owner

Mutia Ti Turismo:

Rosario

Photo credits to the owner

Mutia Ti La Union:

Rosario

Thanks for reading!

-xoxo