I ALWAYS honor women in my life... my mother, my aunts, my wife, my two daughters and the other women who stood by my side in so many circumstances. Women can always tell the difference. I love what Simone de Beauvoir (French writer) said about women, "One is not born a woman, one becomes one."
Silay City has one special night every year to honor young women who are academically fit, mentally alert, physically appealing, and could be partners in community building. The 16 barangays in Silay have chosen their representatives to join Lin-ay sang Silay Pageant. One of them will be crowned on June 9 as Lin-ay sang Silay 2017. She will be Silay's emissary of arts, culture and tourism for one year.
Lin-ay sang Silay Pageant has always been a crowd drawer. The audience is always curious to see the changes that are going to happen compared to last year's production. It is always expected that there will be a play of sounds and colors and what surprises everybody is the unexpected backdrop during the coronation rites after the final question has been asked.
The Talent Night will showcase what the candidates can do and the corporate sponsors are also given the opportunity to come up with their choice that best represents their products. There are beauty advisers chosen by the candidates to do maquillage for them. The best couturiers are hired to fashion their "traje de Silay." English teachers are engaged to coach the candidates in their speaking (and thinking) skills. An expert gives lecture in protocol and etiquette.
The pageantry will feature the candidates in the profile of "Warrior Princess Kansilay" based on the Legend of Kansilay, the zarzuela that I staged for the teachers' cultural group in 1991. They will be holding the sword offered by Diwata (Fairy of the Flower) to Kansilay. The warrior lady will be seen sporting a body fit vestiar and a headdress bearing purple-pink color that resembles the flower of a Kansilay tree.
The summer outfit is a two-piece suit that would be enough to reveal what is expected and to cover the unexpected. This is how Silaynons revere their women without sacrificing art. Silay is still a conservative community but the Silaynons appreciate also the trend in "dernier cri" (the latest fashion). The scenario to be seen signifies the Negros Occidental tag line in tourism... "Land of Sweet Surprises." You will have more.
The eventual production number will give prominence to Lin-ay candidates in their traje de Silay (baro't saya). The audience will go down memory lane to reminisce the Pueblo de Silay that was once the "Paris of Negros"... when the mansions mushroomed, when European goods flooded the city, when Silaynons and European artists preformed at Kansilay Theater, and when your peso would let you go a long way.
All candidates are expected to be beautiful. That is what cosmetic science can do TO identify the finest of them all, the queen of queens who will wear the Lin-ay sang Silay perpetual crown will give a correct answer (convincing answer) to the question from one of the judges. The question could be about "Asenso sang Silay, Ansenso sang Panimalay" program, or could be about the other flagship programs of the Golez administration.
This romantic portion of the show will have the facade of the Maria Ledesma Golez Ancestral House (RCBC). This is an example of the townhouse having living spares on the upper floor and commercial spaces on the lower floor. Art deco details are seen in the archways and cover entrance. Classical motifs, like masques and lion heads decorate the house.
Lin-ay sang Silay honors the women by acknowledging their strength and contribution in society. We also accede to their ability to promote "talimbong" (art) and fashion. In this pageant, we also see the Silaynons love for dance and music. We take pride in our being the "seat of arts, culture, and tourism." That is attached to our name in the list of DOT-Atop Hall of Fame as the "Most Outstanding Tourism-Oriented LGU) in the Philippines".
So watch Lin-ay sang Silay Pageant at Natalio G. Velez Sports and Cultural Center (lot donated by Hofileña Family) on June 9, 7 p.m. Be there to see and be seen. Take pride in your cultural heritage!