BACOLOD CITY – A 19-year-old engineering student was crowned Golden Dinagsa Queen during the 50th Dinagsa Festival in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, January 26.
Ayah Jane Sucajel, a resident of Barangay Tinampaan, bested nine other candidates during the coronation night at the Cadiz Arena.
DINAGSA Queen 2023 Steppi Bacolado crowns her successor Ayah Jane Sucajel as the Golden Dinagsa Queen during the 50th Dinagsa Festival in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental on Friday, January 26. With them are Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (left) and Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. and wife Mariel. (Photo courtesy of Bilis Cadiz)
Sucajel is a first-year college student taking up chemical engineering technology at the Technological University of the Philippine-Visayas (TUP-V) in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
She took home P50,000 cash prize and was also named Best in Festival Attire and Miss Photogenic.
Sucajel said that she is thankful to God as she was able to overcome her fear. "Really, I can't believe I am now the Golden Dinagsa Queen,” she said.
As the Golden Dinagsa Queen, Sucajel vowed to help the city government via enhanced tourism advocacy and promotions.
Lyra Marie Rabanal of Barangay Tinampaan was first runner-up while Avegale Santos of Barangay Zone 3 was second runner-up.
Rabanal received P30,000 cash prize and was also named Miss Talent. Santos got P20,000 cash prize and also won Best in Gown.
Each minor award is worth P5,000.
Movie and television actors from Manila Paul Salas and Luke Conde were present while actress Liane Valentin led this year's panel of judges.
The 17-day festivity opened on January 12, with a Unity Dance (U-Dance), where thousands of people from Cadiz danced in unison on the streets to the tune of locally produced music titled "Patik Sang Dinagsa.”
"Seeing the throng of my fellow Cadiznons dancing in one beat/tune really melted my heart," Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said. "The message was clear – we're united in Cadiz," he added.
U-Dance was the first in Cadiz and Dinagsa.
"The impact was superb. It spelled lots of positive meanings both for Cadiznons and Cadiz as a whole," Escalante said. “Great to see. Great to note. Great to promote."
A Fiesta Fair was held as part of the festival, showcasing the local products of Cadiz, including dried fish which is the symbol of the city’s flourishing fishing industry.
The Golden Dinagsa also highlighted various sporting events that included "Palumba Bugsay” and "Paralympiada" for kids with special needs.
The Dinagsa Festival honored the city’s patron saint, Señor Santo de Cadiz.