Calapan City crowns 1st Mimaropa Festival Queen as OrMin celebrates 65th anniversary

The province of Oriental Mindoro  turns 65 as it celebrates its Founding Anniversary on November 15.

As highlights of this year’s celebration, the provincial government has initiated the holding of Mimaropa Festival on November 9-15 in Calapan City. The festival  serves as an avenue to showcase the region’s best products in terms of agriculture, tourism and trades. Likewise, said event is seen to strengthen the partnership of among regional offices and local government units. It was participated in by Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Calapan City and Puerto Princesa City.

Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. (center) answering queries from the media regarding the festival

The three major events of Mimaropa fest were the Agriculture Tourism and Trade Fair on Nov. 9-15 held at the provincial capitol grounds; the Dance Parade Competition and Festival Queen Pageant Night, both held on Nov. 14.

Sharla Santillan: 1st Mimaropa Festival Queen

Sharla Santillan of Baragatan Festival-Palawan was adjudged the very first Mimaropa Festival Queen. Marielle Sarmiento of Oriental Mindoro is 1st Runner Up while Princess Anne Noche of Marinduque is 2nd Runner Up.

Santillan also won Best in Dance Presentation while Noche was hailed Miss Photogenic. Diestro was chosen Best in Festival Wear. But it was Sarmiento who bested all the contestants by  winning the Sponsors Awards for Miss Avon, Miss Kia Motors, and Miss Aram Wellness. She  was also Best in Modern Filipiniana Casual Wear, and Best in Barong Inspired Long Gown.

The other Festival  candidates were Ariane Garcia, Miss Calapan City, and Kattline Joy Eranes, Miss Romblon. Occidental Mindoro was not able to send a candidate since the province was also busy celebrating their own 65th founding anniversary.

Incidentally, Baragatan Festival of Palawan was also adjudged grand winner and Best in Musicality in the Mimaropa Festival Dance competition. The other winners were Bila Bila Festival of Marinduque as 1st Runner Up and Biniray Festival of Romblon as 2nd Runner Up. 

Starting this year, the festival will be a regional level invitational event with stand-in programs showcasing the festivals of the provinces comprising Mimaropa in one grand setting, according to Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali Jr., who hosted the Manila media, including the PSR, who covered the milestone event.

“Mimaropa Festival intends to boost the tourism industry and provide promotional scheme to advertise tourism-related events and destinations in the region. We intend to make Mimaropa ‘The Next Big Thing in the Philippines.’  After all, we have a beautiful region and we are only an hour boat ride from Batangas,” Umali said.

Umali, Jr. added that the festival would be hosted alternately by the 5-member province of the region. “This would be a promotional marketing campaign that would best position Mimaropa as the ‘Destination of Choice,’ ” he said.

Mimaropa: The ‘Destination of Choice’ and ‘The Next Big Thing in the Philippines’

Supported by the Department of Tourism (DOT), Mimaropa (Region IV-B) Director Atty. Minerva Morada, expressed strong commitment and vision to promote the provinces of Mimaropa into one destination.

She said her agency  is exploring an alternative way to attract more tourists to the region  through cruise tourism. She also said they are focusing more on diversifying the region’s products, souvenir item offerings and culinary aspect, rather than the accommodation establishments.

Morada noted the region is in talks with the Philippine Port Authority and several shipping lines such as 2Go in determining the readiness of Mimaropa to further venture in this new kind of tourism. Around 20 cruises have already navigated the area with a minimum of 400 tourists per cruise as of September this year, according to Morada.

Mimaropa (Region IV-B) Director Atty. Minerva Morada (4th from left) with DOT staff and Manila media representatives at Baco Invinity Adventure Farm, owned by Efraim Morillo (beside Morada).

Mimaropa (Region IV-B) Director Atty. Minerva Morada
Meanwhile, other activities in the first Mimaropa celebration such as  Marine Protected Area Summit 2015, Signing of Pledge of Commitment Implementation of Marine Key Biodiversity Program, and Launching of State of the Coast of Oriental are geared towards the development of the region’s agricultural potentials by encouraging investors to improve productivity and increase agro-industrial capacities.

With the on-going tourism activities, Atty. Morada  said that Mimaropa is expecting an increase in tourist arrivals of five percent by year-end. Last year, the region registered 1.2-million visitors.

Currently, Palawan generates the biggest bulk of tourist arrivals as recent data showed that an estimate of 900 thousand tourists visited Palawan in 2014, which is 75 percent of the total arrivals in Mimaropa.

Congratulations to the winners and organizers of the first ever Mimaropa Festival! For our nice travel and good accommodation in Calapan City, we say, see you again next year!