THE screening for Mutya ng Dabaw 2018 applicants is set on February 25, organizers said.
Speaking during the I-Speak media forum on Thursday Dan Salvaña, organizer of Mutya ng Dabaw, said they will choose 30 Mutya ng Dabaw candidates from the screening set from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the City Hall Training Hall.
Major qualifications for candidates are: she must be Filipina residing in Davao City for the last two years prior to the registration; at least 18 years old and not more than 26 years old on the day of the screening; born female; single; has never been pregnant; and must be a high school graduate or finished Grade 10 whichever is applicable; and the applicant must also have good moral character and has not involved in many crime.
"We have several pre-pageant events, which also have a different set of criteria," he said.
Major pre-pageant activities would be the screening and the orientation with 30 candidates together with their handlers on February 27, Tuesday.
On the Pasi-ugdang Pagsaulog or the Opening of the Araw ng Dabaw set on March 1, the candidates will be presented to the public at Rizal Park and on March 5 will be the press presentation.
The semi-finals, wherein 15 finalists will be selected, will be on March 7 at the Abreeza Ayala Mall. The talent competition will be on March 13 at Gaisano Mall of Davao, and the coronation will be on March 15 at the newly renovated Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) gym at 4 p.m.
RMC Gym, with a capacity of 3,500 seats and a parking lot which can accommodate at least 2014 vehicles, is bigger than the Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym).
Orly Escarilla, Araw ng Dabaw Execom spokesperson said the Mutya ng Dabaw is among the annual major events that will be conducted during the city’s charter day celebration.
He said aside from the regular events, there is also the addition of the four postponed Pasko Fiesta events, which are Koro sa Pasko changed into Koro Dabawenyo, Lamdag Parada, and Yugyugan and Tugtugan.
"Four pasko fiesta events are considered new, we also have an exhibit at Museo Dabawenyo, which we opened last February 19, called Colors and Textures by Boots Dumlao. This is also part of the official events from Araw ng Dabaw," Escarilla said.
Escarilla said the four postponed events have already prepared their presentation and they already have a budget.
He said there will be just little changes in the form of presentation since it will no longer primarily dwell in the Christmas Theme.
Escarilla said they already conducted four execom meetings and assured that the security details are already in place.