CARMEN-For a total entertainment come fiesta day on the 17th, the municipal government assembles a prelude package highlighting the traditional Miss Carmen beauty pageant with sexy actress Maui Taylor to tease the pageant night come January 16. Nights starting January 8 will run a series of activities for prelude to the feast day of patron saint, San Antonio Abad Thursday next week. It started with 17 ladies from the different barangays here, aging 16-21 years old, interested to get the Miss Carmen 2008 title. An initial screening was done on December 29 last year at the SB Session Hall which trimmed down the finalists to 10 ladies.

To romp the stage on pageant night on January 16 are Mayriel Bullo of barangay Buenavista, Liezl Rubia of Guadalupe, Sherelyn Bajenting also of Guadalupe, Gina Cinco of Katipunan, Isabel Joy Ancog of Nueva Vida Sur, Sarah Mae Cesar of Poblacion Norte, Celsheajenn Salazar of Poblacion Sur, Bregith Dawn Torres also of Poblacion Sur, Junaviel Yecyec of Tamboan, and Quiny Cruda of Villaflor.

The finalists had a photo/video shoot at Aldea Photo Center last January 3, then a video footage on January 4 at the tourist attraction in this town. A motorcade is scheduled at 10 in the morning of January 12 at the Poblacion area. Municipal Councilor Primo Digao, chairperson of the fiesta committee on solicitation, cho-chaired by Municipal Councilor Danilo Palgan. The committee confirmed 14 sponsors for the Miss Carmen 2008 pageant which include the GRAMS Freight Services, Inc., Power House Training & Review Center, Beauche International, EJ Relampagos Couture, Aldea Photo for the pictorial and posters, Edna Ballesteros, Aproniana Gift Shop, PNV Marketing, Professional Florists, Nicholas Molina for the t-shirts of the candidates, Architect Nilo Evangelista for the stage design, Raja Park Hotel, Majestic Restaurant, and Tapok-tapok Bol-anon.

The committee on pageant, chaired by Grace Molina- -the town's first lady, had fine-tuned the details of the show to come up with a spectacular event, with the cooperation of the committee co-chairperson, Ma. Teresita Lapiz; pageant director, Arlene Palgan; choreographer, Michael Ryan Tago; and the committee members- -Renato Calamba, Susan Racoma, Juliet Feliza Torralba, Arlindo Estillore, Michael Delfino, Carol Madaje, Liga president and ex-officio SB Member Rosario Andoy and Federated SK president and ex-officio SB Member John Luis Torrefranca, and the SB staff and personnel.