The search for the first Miss Iloilo is on.

Miss Iloilo is one of major events of Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival in January 2020. It replaced the Miss Iloilo Dinagyang pageant.

Three crowns are up for grabs in the first edition of Miss Iloilo. These include Miss Iloilo – Dinagyang 2020, Miss Iloilo – Bb. Pilipinas 2020, and Miss Iloilo – World 2020.

The pageant is open to all ladies age 17 to 25 years old, at least 5’6″ in height, and with Ilongga lineage.

The submission of applications and requirements will run from October 1 to 31, 2019.

Pageant director Kevin Piamonte, during the press launch last Saturday, Sept. 21, said they are eyeing 12 to 15 officials candidates of Miss Iloilo 2020.

The three major title winners will each take home a cash prize of P60 thousand and an international tour package for two.

The first and second runners up will receive P20 thousand and P15 thousand, respectively.

The grand coronation night will be held at the newly renovated West Visayas State University Cultural Hall in La Paz district, Iloilo City on Jan. 23, 2020.

“You can expect during the coronation night that there will be something about Iloilo’s cultural heritage and tradition,” said Piamonte.

The Miss Iloilo – Dinagyang 2020 title holder will represent the festival in the Miss Aliwan 2020 pageant.

The two other title holders will be “supported in [their] journey to join and win” the Bb. Pilipinas 2020 and Miss Philippines World 2020 crowns.

Sarah Peña, one of the organizers, said the vision of Miss Iloilo is to “have an Ilongga representative in the national and international pageant every year and to show the world the true Ilongga ‘Heartfelt Beauty.'”

“Heartfelt Beauty” is the the pageant’s official tagline.

For aspiring candidates, application forms will be available at UBRA Shared Space + Cafe Lounge, second floor, Southpoint, SM City Iloilo.IMT