Press Release
July 24, 2014

LAS PIÑAS HOLDS 9TH WATERLILY FESTIVAL

DONING spectacular and colourful costumes with waterlily as the main component, elementary school students in Las Piñas City vied for the total P100,000 cash prize while the winners in the Miss Las Piñas Waterlily 2014 were crowned during the 9th Las Piñas Waterlily Festival 2014 celebration recently at Villar SIPAG, C5 Road Extension, Las Piñas City.

Five teams from five schools in Las Piñas competed in the Inter-School Street Dance Competition.

The winners in the street-dancing competition and their prizes were the following: Group 5 -LP East National High School, LPENHS Talon 4 Annex and LPENHS Equitable Village, first place with P50,000 cash; LP North National High School, CAA National High School and Group 2-Las Piñas Science High School, second place with P30,000 cash and Group 4-Las Piñas National High School and LPNS Gatchalian Annex, third place with P20,000 cash and trophy.

Each team was composed of a maximum of 50, 40 dancers and 10 drumbeaters.

The dancers showed their dancing prowess to the beat of the drums for seven minutes. Villar SIPAG provided P175,000 cash subsidy for the costumes, props and equipment of participating team.

The final winners will become "cultural ambassadors" who will represent Las Piñas in dance competitions outside the city.

The festival also saw the coronation of the winners in the search for Miss Las Piñas Waterlily 2014, wearing their eye-catching gown from dried water lilies, earlier regarded "aquatic nuisance" in the Las Piñas-Zapote River before they were turned into an industry.

Crowned Miss Las Piñas Waterlily 2014 was Jian Cayla Salazar, 20, of Brgy. Manuyo 1.

Maram M.A. Banayah of Brgy. Pamplona 3 was 1st runner up while Giselle G. Pascual of Brgy. Almanza 1 was third runner up.

As Ambassador of Goodwill, Miss Las Piñas Waterlily 2014 will promote the beauty of Las Piñas City and its livelihood programs, and the the Las Piñas-Zapote River rehabilitation that won an award from the United Nations.

Sixteen young ladies from the city's 20 barangays vied for the much-coveted title in the pre-pageant at the Villar SIPAG Center last July 22.

Last July 19, all the candidates went on a Lakbay Aral at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-tourism Area (LPPCHEA) and the Livelihood Projects of Villar SIPAG.

LPPCHEA, a mangrove forest and marine habitat that serves as sanctuary for 84 bird species and migratory bird, was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, along with world-renowned Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Sulu and the Underground River in Palawan.

In holding the festivity annually, Villar stressed she dreams of making Las Piñas Waterlily Festival among the most famous festivals in Metro Manila and the entire country .

She wants it to be popular like the Sinulog, Kadayawan and Panagbenga, among others, that have been drawing both foreign and domestic tourists.

She said the Waterlily Festival started with an environmental project in 2005 that led to the establishment of the Water Lily Weaving Center.

She pointed out their waterlily industry has gone a long way to promote our livelihood of water lily weaving.

"We can see how big we have made out of water lilies that they are now being duplicated by other towns and cities to avert flooding in their areas," further said the Nacionalista Party lawmaker.

Before they embarked on turning the bulk of water lilies source of livelihood for Las Piñas residents, she said they clogged their river contributing to massive flooding.

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar was the Guest Speaker while the senator delivered the Inspirational Message.

Aside from the costumes of the street dancers and the candidates for the Miss Las Piñas Waterlily Festival 2004, the day-long festival also showcased the other products made from waterlilies like banig or sleeping mats, baskets, slippers, trays, bags, hampers, cabinets, lampshades, coasters, placemats and bayong.

The sponsors of the 2014 Waterlily Festival are the Department of Tourism (It's More Fun in the Philippines), Crystal Clear Water and Glutamax.

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