Corkboard 'n Pushpins: Mr. and Ms. ACLC Celebrates Festivities

My alma mater invited me once more to judge this year’s search for Mr. and Ms. ACLC. For their 11th founding anniversary, the pageant was given a festive theme which I must say is an interesting choice made better by the idea of dressing each pair of candidates, costumes for specific Philippine fests; Maskara (mask), Panagbenga (flower) and Dinamulag (mango) festivals are what I can quickly recall.

Aside from the show itself, what I enjoy about this event is the chance to be reunited with my former mentors and some acquaintances. I was glad to have Dr. Chua as a fellow juror who happened to be among the judges when I myself was a candidate in 2002. Also there was Bill Robins, a local FM radio jock and teacher in my high school who, as the emcee, gave witty remarks about me during the program. I got the chance to be acquainted with the adorable Dindin Llarena who’s admired by the nation as a child singer and actress. She was likewise invited to be a judge and to render a song. Now in senior high, she’s as soft spoken and nice as she seemed to be in the screen.

It was a close fight among the candidates; our choices fluctuate from category to category. Personally, I was keen to details and gave scores that were only 2 or 3 points apart to let the ratings by my colleagues be the clincher to be sure that the strongest candidate gets the highest average thus would seem a unanimous choice. Generally, this is the best batch since 2006.

This is the second time after 6 years that it was held in the city convention center; the same venue when I won the title and coincidentally, this year’s winner was male candidate number 4 – my number in 2002 and my successor’s in 2006. This only reaffirms my belief that 4 is a lucky number.

The jurors