POSSESSING regal beauty and brains, Miss Gellyn Canabal emerged as the newly crowned Kadalag-an Queen (KQ) 2020 of Victorias City in this year's virtual staging of the Kadalag-an sa Kalamayan Christmas Festival held last December 20, 2020.
The online pageant, streamed through Facebook has gathered young, talented, and empowered Victoriahanon women marked with excellence and fierce souls.
Due to the pandemic, the KQ pageant was cancelled last March in time for the 22nd Charter Anniversary of the City.
However, when the committee was asked if staging the pageant was doable through virtual streaming, this was decided to pursue for Kalamayan Festival only if health protocols are followed and in compliance with IATF guidelines.
Canabal, 19-year-old regal beauty from Barangay VII and sponsored by JF Biasca Construction and Supply, bested 10 ladies and bagged KQ special awards such as Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimwear, Best in Evening Gown, Best in Festival Costume and Best Festival Costume Design.
Kadalag-an Queen was graced by Miss Philippines Centennial Carmela Arcolas Gamboa, chairman of the board of judges along with Lin-ay Sang Negros 2019 Roxanne Toleco, Masskara Queen 2008 Jan Maricris Vega, and beauty connoisseurs, Adrian Prietos, Chino Christopherson as pageant adjudicators.
KQ Gellyn is a second year Bachelor of Arts in Psychology student of the University of the Philippines-Visayas and daughter of Elmer and Lylin Canabal.
Canabal believes that "The end of something is not the end of everything."
"We may have not achieved our greatest desires now, there is still another day waiting for us, if we choose to keep on walking, we will get where we intend to go," she said.
She is grateful to the City of Victorias and everyone's support as she looks forward to the beginning of her reign and new journey as KQ 2020.
KQ first runner-up is Lyra Marie Rabanal from Brgy. II and Chris-Ann Majarucon from Barangay III is second runner-up.
The winners received P50,000 for the queen, P30,000 and P20,000 for the first and second runners-up, respectively.
Other candidates were Micaella Sigua (Miss Congeniality), Leanne Franciliso, Joanna Mae Alito, Elyzel Recomono, Bea Christy Amodia, Alizsa Rina Castillo, Noveh Mae Ocag and Kristina Casanova.
The virtual Kadalag-an Queen was produced by the City Government of Victorias headed by Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca; Joy Famini, KQ pageant committee head; Rodney Ascalon, pageant director; and Dino Jose Maria Acuña, Kadalag-an sa Kalamayan Festival 2020 Executive Director.