5/02/2011

New faces of RARU revealed

(From left to right) Big smiles for the crowd: IMS Grand Winners Kristina Siuagan and JC Bacanto


“Ito pa lang ang start,” (This is only the start) was IMS Finalist Maria Kristina Siuagan’s Facebook post.
Indeed it is only the beginning for this year’s Rachell Allen Image Models. The event might have concluded April 10, Sunday, in Gateway Suites in Gateway Mall, but the search has definitely opened doors for all candidates.
     From seventeen, it went down to six. And then there were two:  Maria Kristina Siuagan and Juan Carlo Bacanto emerged as 2011 Rachell Allen Image Models. Siuagan also bagged the Dentist’s Choice Award. For the duration of the year, they will serve as the new faces of the premier review provider. The new faces for Brain RN Review and Center for English Studies were also chosen: Mari Jane Co along with Bryan Balatbat, and the Katrina Medina plus Gino Arellano respectively.
     Rachell Allen also awarded various minor awards for the candidates: Katrina Medina, with her male counterpart JC Bacanto also bagged the Rachell Allen Icon award, for her creative ensemble using the newly designed Rachell Allen shirt. For making the night sizzle in their summer outfit, Joseph Tiburcio and Kristina dela Pena bagged the Best in Summer Wear awards. Tiburcio and Mellany Villaroman turned out to be the friendliest of the bunch, and were crowned as Mr. and Ms. Congeniality.  Villaroman also won the Dense Modesto Shutter Stunner Award, with Angelo Gutierrez as her counterpart. They proved to be the most photogenic of the candidates. Apart from this, Villaroman also bagged the Best in Runway award. Joining her in dominating the cat walk is Angelo Gutierrez Through online and actual voting, the people were able to voice out their bet, thus Kristina dela Pena was awarded as Voters’ Choice, together with the Grand Winner, Bacanto. The most elegant of them all were Michaelo Sumulong and Sherry Ann Aguila, who were given the title Best in Evening Wear.

Sponsor awards include:

ZenHealth Face of the Night: Carissa Nicole Castillo
Mr. Energin 300: David James Rubillos
Ms. Gimorex: Mari Jane Co

     The event, spearheaded by the Rachell Allen team, was well attended and well received by audience. ETC and Jack TV’s LA Ferriols hosted the event. Performances by the country’s newest pop group, HIM, together with Zari Bilon and Loppo Rance Maniquiz from GMA7’s Are you the Next Big Star, Inno Martin of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, Miss Leviriza Ann, and Rachell Allen’s own Mel Orosco and Christy Bustillo were also highlights of the event. CES managed Yuan Santiago directed the event.

     Judges for the event were some of the biggest names in the Nursing, business and entertainment industry: Dr. Rafael Castillo, president and CEO of Fame and Trianon; Jodie Castillo, Clearsource CEO; Pierrei Pica, from Marie Pica Dental Clinic; Irish Carjas, processing manager of NEAC; Alice Salamangka, JRRMC chief nurse; Emma San Juan of PNOCE and Elite Consultancy Service; Dr. Leah Primitiva Paquiz, of the Philippine Nurses Association; Alvin Cloyd Dakis, founder and CEO of AYNLA; and TV5 Talent Head Audie Gemora and Director Manny Castaneda.

     The 2011 IMS was sponsored by: Zen Health; Gimorex; Energin 300; Vital Signs; Travel Plus; NEAC; Brain RN; Jardin de Antonio; Zen Zest; Marie Pica Dental Clinic; Leogistics Corporation; Philippine Nursing Conference, Expo, and Job Fair; Philippine Nursing Directory; Elite Consultancy Services; Clearsource; Nanivon; and Dense Modesto Photography.

     Regnar De Leon, the managing director of Rachell Allen Reviewers USA who is based in the United States, had this to say about the finalists: “I am so glad to have met all of you! It’s worth travelling seven hundred miles because I had the opportunity of meeting beautiful people with beautiful hearts like you all do!”