Panagbenga Queen assumes Reyna ng Aliwan 2019

• PINAGBENGA QUEEN assumes Reyna ng Aliwan 2019
  By JR Noses

Pinagbenga Queen Ms. Roi Neve Comanda of Baguio City assumed the title of Reyna ng Aliwan 2019 originally won by Nicole Borromeo of Sinulog Festival in Cebu last April where Neve placed 2nd runner up. Borromeo stripped of her title due to violation of the terms and conditions set by the organization which she and her manager conformed to in writing prior to the start of the competition. The news was officially announced by Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) top honcho Ruperto Nicdao, Jr. during a special press conference held at the Davao Function Room of Sofitel Philippines Plaza, CCP Complex in Pasay City last August 28.
Neve, on the other hand, is a twenty year-old accountancy student at the University of Cordilleras who represented Pinagbenga in the Reyna ng Aliwan 2019. On her part as she says that she is very happy and ecstatic to begin her reign as the new Reyna ng Aliwan Festival. She rest assured from the members of the press who attended the announcement that there is no bad blood between her and Borromeo. In fact they were roommates and are close to each other during the course of the search last April. She was crowned by Reyna ng Aliwan 2018 and Miss Philippines Water 2019 Chelsea Fernandez of Tacloban City. Before Neve assumed the title this year, there were 2 lass from Baguio City who won the title back-to-back in the previous edition. Syrel Aubrey Amazona (2005) and Vera Eumee Reiter (2006).
Reyna ng Aliwan is rich source of potential national beauty queen title holders. Newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Jordi Ganados is an alumna of festival queen search. Other notable winners of the annual festival search are Razzini Gomez, Mary Jean Lastimosa, Jamie Harrel, Angeli Dion Gomez, Rogelie Catacutan, Cynthia Thomalia among others.
Reyna ng Aliwan is an annual search and part of the Aliwan Festival organized by Manila Broadcasting Corporation in cooperation with Cultural Center of the Philippines. Aside from the pageant aspect of the festival, other main events of the festival are the street dance and Float Parade. Aliwan,s inception was way back in 2003 which aims to showcase the different Filipino cultures and heritage to the whole world.