No dress too heavy for Sinulog Festival Queens

It has been three years in the making for Asturias delegate Stefanie Przewodnik, who has eyed joining Sinulog Festival Queen since winning Miss Consolacion 2022 and Miss Mandaue 2024.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

“It’s been a dream of mine to be a festival queen, as I wanted to represent Asturias — its story, culture, and tradition,” the 21-year-old marketing student from the University of San Carlos said in an interview after being named Best in Runway at the preliminary round held Wednesday, January 14, at SM Seaside City.

Representing Tribu Asturias Dumdumon Ta, she impressed the crowd and the judges — SM Supermalls Vice President for Marketing Paeng Batuigas and doctors Julie Yap and Rhigel Alforque Tan — with her Sacred Heart-inspired ensemble designed by Aldo Sinening Loquinario. With the costume weighing 27 kilos, Przewodnik credited her team for guiding her throughout the preparation.

“My team helped me with the drills and conditioned my body to handle the weight. I work with my team hand in hand,” she said.

For first runner-up Kyra Hopkins, who is representing Tribu Septimo from Dumanjug, walking onstage in her Sinanggiyaw Festival-inspired ensemble by Rey Edmar that weighed around 15 kilos didn’t feel as heavy as she expected.