A 19-year-old engineering student was crowned as Golden Dinagsa Queen of Cadiz City at a splendid pageant held at Cadiz Arena Friday night, January 26.
Ayah Jane Sucajel, a lass from Barangay Tinampaan, bested nine other hopefuls for the "golden crown". She won a prize of P50,000.
A first-year college student taking up a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering Technology at the Technological University of the Philippine-Visayas (TUP-V) in Talisay City.
Sucajel was also named Best in Festival Attire, Best in Evening, and Miss Photogenic.
Lyra Marie Rabanal of Tinampaan, too, and Barangay Zone 3's Avegale Santos were hailed first and second runners-up, respectively.
Rabanal copped P30,000 while Santos pocketed P20,000. Rabanal was also proclaimed Miss Talent while Santos won the Best in Gown.
Each minor award, on the other hand, was worth P5,000. Meanwhile, Sucajel exclaimed, "Really, I can't believe I am now the Golden Dinagsa Queen.”
The new queen said, “I am thankful to God that I was able to overcome my fear."
As the Golden Dinagsa Queen, Ayah vowed to help boost the city’s tourism through enhanced tourism advocacy and promotions.
Number one on her list is still the “oga” (dried fish). Why oga?
That's because Cadiz was known for it (oga) yesterday and today." Oga is also tye symbol of Cadiz's flourishing fishing industry. Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr., on the other hand, thanked the "men and women behind" the prestigious Search for Dinagsa Queen 2024.
"It was,indeed, an amazing production that wowed Cadiznons," the mayor described. Joining him in gracing-slash-watching the more than two-hour astounding event were his wife, Mariel, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and the city councilors. Movie and television actors from Manila - Paul Salas and Luke Conde - liven up the program while actress Liane Valentin led this year's panel of judges.*