Yasmeen Cabanes Ali, the 17-year old student, and John Paul Rivera, 24, bested 15 other delegates from Jeddah, Riyadh and Alkhobar in a live pageant witnessed by thousands of OFWs not only at the embassy but also over the Internet courtesy of Gitnang Silangan Group.
Candidates were judged by their performance in Maranao Costume, Pop Casual, Safari attire while the top five pairs were judged by their responses to a question asked onstage.
Aside from winning the title of Ginoong Pilipinas-KSA, Rivera was chosen as the Most Photogenic Ginoo. He also bagged four other special awards, such as the Best in Maranao Costume and Evening Wear, Best in Pop Casual and Best in Safari Attire. Yasmeen also won the Best in Evening Wear.
Other winners for the minor and special awards are: Mr. & Ms. Congeniality Award to Zaki Patricio and Paula Tatoy; Ms. Photogenic to Sarah Perez; Internet Choice Award to Earyl Ronne Flores and Camille Crizaldo; Personality Interview to Ryan Joseph Labiano and Rachel Ann Galvan; Best in Maranao Costume to Maybelle Gonzales; Best in Pop Casual to Sarah Jane Rejuso; Best in Safari Attire to Sarah Jane Rejuso.
Ginoo at Binibining Pilipinas KSA is an annual search of SE Productions based in Riyadh and is headed by Rannie Basanta. The counterpart in Jeddah is FAME (Filipino Artiste Migrant Ensemble) headed by Jhun Abris. Alkhobar delegates are headed by Edwin Mercado this year.
Abris thanked Sarawat Superstores for shouldering the airfares of the 12 candidates through the support of the company’s Marketing Manager Mohammad Bamousa and General Manager Aubrey Viljoen. Abris said Sarawat Superstores has been very supportive to FAME for the past four years.
In its 6th year of presentation SE Productions and FAME also thanked Canon, Pizza Hut, Tony Roma’s, The Pizza Company, Mediacom and Al-Yusr Instalment Company.
