Diana Velasco Wins as First Lakambini ng Las Casas (Filipinas de Acuzar)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the very first Lakambini ng Las Casas - Candidate No. 2 - Diana Velasco of Balanga.

While many were cheering for Candidate No. 18 mostly throughout the grand coronation night, Candidate No. 2 shined out the most in the eyes of the judges. 

It may have something to do also with how she answered during the Question and Answer portion - the most dreaded part of every beauty pageant because it could make or break a candidate's chance for the top awards.

However, I could also say it's the overall beauty and brains that made Candidate No. 2 win. Her charming aura spelled the difference only among any of the top placers, but many of the candidates are indeed vibrant on their own.

Maybe many were rooting for somebody else, but still the judges have the last and final word on the decision of who they are going to crown as the very first Lakambini ng Las Casas. 

Who would want to question the decision of the prestigious judges like fashion designers Edwin Uy and Cary Santiago. There was also Mario Dumaual from ABS-CBN, and beauty queens like Janela Joy Cuaton.

Candidate No. 10 Dianne April Pangilinan of Mariveles is 1st Runner-Up (Reina del Oriente), while Candidate No.18 Donna Velasco (sister of Candidate No. 2) also of Balanga is 2nd runner-up (Reina Occidente). 

Not bad, as the whole Velasco clan of Balanga, Bataan are still probably rejoicing for bringing home two awards for the family and their hometown.

Winners of Lakambini ng Las Casas wore Edwin Uy's crown creations inspired from crown design of Carnival Queens to match the vintage look of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

The beautiful heritage homes and establishments, including the churches and bridges, were also a great background for the Santacruzan that was held the following day. Of course, the three queens got to play the roles of Reyna Elena, Reyna Delas Flores and Reyna Emperatriz, twice on May 31 - one in the late morning and another one in the early afternoon. 

Maria Theresa Ochoa Acuzar, wife of Jose Rizalino "Jerry" Larion Acuzar - owners of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, also participated in the sort of ceremonies before the queens walked around some portions of the huge 400-hectare property.

The Santacruzan parade culminated at the same hotel Oriente way past sunset where the crowned queens and other candidates posed for the last time at the grand staircase of the hotel.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, the premier heritage hotel resort located in Bataan, has become an attraction because of its structures that are mostly from 18th and 19th-century Philippines. They have been meticulously disassembled from their original sites, numbered, trucked or shipped to Bataan and reassembled.

There was also an exhibit of creations from top fashion designers located at the ground floor of Hotel Oriente, one of the magnificent structures located at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, which also served as the venue for the grand coronation night on May 30, 2017.

The inspiration for the Lakambini ng Las Casas search were the Carnival Queens of the early 1900s. It was as they say the premier search for the most beautiful Filipinas in that period. Some the houses at Las Casas has house for some time winners of Carnival Queens.

The pageant will not be the regular pageant as it will incorporate and feature Filipino Culture.

The Lakambini ng Las Casas will be the face of the heritage resort and will be helping in all promotions through events and activities.

Please watch our entire video coverage posted as bite-size clips on our YouTube channel at http://www.YouTube.com/user/wazzuppilipinas and social media networks like Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/wazzuppilipinas where you could also find photos from the event.