The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Nestor Cuartero
The top winners in the search forMr. & Miss Lipa Tourism 2026 were named in a grand 4-hour coronation night June 20 at Plaza Independencia, Lipa City.
The production was so awesome, starting with a massive opening number by cultural group Artifact welcoming the 20 male and female candidates representing Lipa’s various barangays. A wide-screen audio-visual support gave the impression that the pageant itself was being staged inside the magnificent San Sebastian Cathedral nearby.
The event also featured choreographed entrances and exits, and a live saxophonist accompanying what looked like a professionally conducted fashion event. Through it all, the candidates, uniformly looking neat and pretty, basked in the wild cheering from supporters who braved the huge crowd, the heat and the long night of suspenseful anticipation.
A veteran media man, who has seen most everything in beauty pageants everywhere, said the entire show itself could compare to those produced in a national scale.
Named Miss Lipa Tourism 2026 was Maria Erica Valenzuela, a dusky beauty from Barangay Tambo. The Mr. Lipa crown was won by Johan Miguel Piñon, a Lloyd Samartino-lookalike, from Brgy. Sampaguita.
Runners-up were: Mohammad Gholami and Kate Danille Morales, first runner-up; Marlo Anthony Parco and Allyza Joyce Lescano, second; Glen Wendel Masupil and Felyciti Claire Marin, third; Vincent Emmanuel Sayas and Tania Endozo, fourth.
Mr. and Miss Lipa Tourism pageant was held as a highlight of the 421st founding anniversary and 70th anniversary of Lipa’s cityhood.
During the public interview, the candidates talked about their various advocacies on how to promote their home barangays and the city itself. Many of them talked about promoting Lipa’s popular eats and delicacies, including lomi, kapeng barako, panutsa.
Joel Pena, President of Lipa City Tourism Council, said the contest winners will have a chance to represent the city in both national and international pageants. They will serve as official tourism ambassadors of Lipa City.
Pena cited Mr. Lipa Tourism 2025 Kurt Mikheal Aguilar of barangay Bagong Pook, who last year emerged as 1st Runner Up at the Mister Friendship International 2025 pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr. & Miss Lipa Tourism 2026 received P100,000 each while runners-up brought home, in descending order, P70,000, P50,000; P30,000 and P20,000 each. Also given away were consolation prizes at P10,000 each and gift packages. Special awards were given by participating sponsors to some of the winners.
Mr and Miss Lipa Tourism is a joint undertaking of a team composed of Mayor Eric Africa, Councilor Venice DC Manalo, Dr. Ronnel Sarmiento (City Administrator), Ms Aylene Acorda, and Joel Pena.
The production team includes Georgia Reyes (Pageant Director), Israel Mission (Production management), and Jessica Manalo (Secretariat).