by Ian Ray Garcia

The top fifteen semi-finalists of Mutya ng Dabaw 2008 will be presented to the local media tomorrow, 01 March 2008, Saturday, at the 5th floor of Gaisano South CitiMall.

The top fifteen Mutya ng Dabaw candidates are Vanessa Ruth Chan, Mary Jane Lastimoso, Vida Maya Ko, Jocel Kusain, Lezlie Jean Tik-ing, Cheryl Vilog, Kristabelle Go, April Ann La Paz, Aliah Heitz, Kristel Ann Iñigo, Catherine Grace Malabanan, Delsea Rain de Guzman, Karen Joyce Peñanueva, Maricar Durias and Brigette Anne Lanzanas.

The semi-finalists were chosen after a series of thorough screening, selection process and talent search last week at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, NCCC Mall and Gaisano Mall of Davao. Kristabelle Go, Kristel Ann Iñigo and Cheryl Vilog were chosen as top three contenders for Miss Talent.

Out of the fifteen, five finalists will be selected on March 4, 2008, Tuesday at the SM City Entertainment Plaza. The finalists will undergo Community Interactions on March 5-7, and workshops, training and rehearsals on March 8-14. They will vie for the crown on March 14, 2008, Friday, at the CAP Audiorium.

The Mutya ng Dabaw will be chosen based on the following criteria: Intelligence (25%), Communication Skills (25%), Personality (25%), Talent (15%) and Quality of Proposed Project Design (10%).

Winners of the search will receive the following prizes (plus matching grant from sponsoring foundation/organization): Mutya ng Dabaw - PhP 50,000 (PhP 50,000), Diwa ng Dabaw - PhP 35,000 (PhP35,000), Sinag ng Dabaw – PhP 25,000 (PhP 25,000), Pag-asa ng Dabaw – PhP 15,000 (PhP 15,000), and Patnubay ng Dabaw – PhP 10,000 (PhP10,000).

As the Mutya ng Dabaw, she will lead the reception team to welcome guests of the city, attend official social and cultural functions of the city, represent the city, when assigned to special events within and outside the city, and perform her proposed community development project within her reign in partnership with an assigned organization of foundation.