This year’s Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2024 candidates will use their own dialects on coronation night, an event organizer said on Monday.
Dan Salvaña, founder of Salvo Events, said in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio that the move is in line with the launch of #AuthenticHiyas, the official hashtag of the event.
“We just launched #AuthenticHiyas, and this year this will be included in the coronation program so that the people will hear them talk in their own dialects,” Salvaña said.
While this may not be new, as previous candidates have also done so, he said this will be the highlight this year.
“The LGU (Local Government Unit) wanted to highlight that they are truly authentic. As we say every year, Hiyas is not a beauty pageant, it is very unique in its own right,” Salvaña said.
He added that the judging criteria do not include any based on physical attributes or the usual criteria for beauty pageants.
Each Hiyas candidate will use her own dialect to address the audience and judges in a separate segment in the first part of the event.
However, during the Question and Answer portion, they can still use their dialect, but they will also provide a translation immediately afterward, as the judges may not be familiar with it.
The cash prize for this year’s Hiyas was increased, which the winners can use for a specific cause in their community.
The winner, Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2024, will receive P200,000 (increased from the previous P150,000). Meanwhile, Hiyas sa Panaghiusa will receive a cash prize of P150,000 (from the previous P100,000), and Hiyas sa Kalambuan will receive P100,000 (previously P80,000).
The eight Hiyas sa Kaliwatan will each receive a P50,000 consolation prize, and the Best in Cultural Presentation will receive P25,000.
This year’s bets are Melody M. Omo (Ata), Jane Rose G. Miones (Bagobo-Klata), Shane Marie B. Awe (Bagobo-Tagabawa), Rosabel P. Bayugan (Matigsalug), Nobe T. Mandahay (Obu-Manuvu), Sittie Sarah M. Liman (Iranun), Ciara Nicole M. Galos (Kagan), Rania A. Guiaman (Maguindanaon), Muslima D. Limpao (Maranao), Rufaida C. Pawai (Sama), and Erika Mae A. Alpad (Taosug).
The coronation night will be held at the RMC Petro Gazz Arena on August 16 at 4 p.m. Tickets are free of charge and can be obtained through the deputy mayors of each tribe or via the City Tourism Operations Office Facebook Page.
Photo: Bing Gonzales
