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Liberation Day pageant open to all nationalities
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Posted on Apr 30 2009
For the first time in four years, the search for Liberation Queen 2009 will be opened to all ethnicities, according to the Saipan Mayor’s Office.
Tony A. Benavente, the organizing committee’s public information officer, said application forms for the annual pageant may now be picked up at the Mayor’s Office.
Interested candidates should look for Rose T. Ada or call her at 287-0818.
“We would like to invite all women of different nationalities, be it Korean, Chinese, Filipino, American, Palauan, FSM, Japanese, Chamorro, and others,” Benavente said.
The contest was opened to all women of different ethnic backgrounds in 2004 and 2005.
Benavente said at least three women have already expressed their intent to vie for the title of Liberation Day Queen.
“We are still looking for candidates. There is no maximum number of applications but they must meet the age requirement of 15 to 20 and the deadline,” said Benavente.
The deadline of submission of entries will be on May 29.
Kaylynn Lizama Sablan was crowned the 2008 Liberation Queen, then a 16-year-old Kagman High School student, who bested three other contestants by selling more than 5,000 tickets to win the crown.
Liberation Day activities had been set for June 6 to July 6 at the Garapan Fishing Base fronting Kristo Rai Church.
Before that there will be a kickoff ceremony on June 5.
Mayor Juan B. Tudela has been designated as the Grand Marshall for this year’s Liberation Day activities.
“This will be a tribute to the end of his two terms in office as Mayor of Saipan and being the Grand Marshall will be one of the highlights of the event,” Benavente said.
The application form for booth concessions at the festival grounds are also available for pick up at the Governor’s Office. Interested vendors may look for Angel Hocog.
“We are anticipating a total of 30 booths this time,” Benavente said.
One of the biggest attractions in the annual festivities is the mini-gambling events such as dice and color games.
Benavente said they are still waiting for the Attorney General’s Office to allow them to include these games in the program.
Navy Rear Adm. William D. French of the U.S. Naval Forces in the Marianas has been invited to deliver the keynote address during the actual day of celebration on July 4.
