214. Carnival Beauties: LEONOR BUSTAMANTE, 1927 Miss Cavite

CAVITE'S CHARMER. Leonor Bustamante, the first Miss Cavite, competed in the 1927 Manila Carnival search for the second Miss Philippines.

The province of Cavite was another staunch supporter of the Manila Carnival undertakings, contributing its own commercial, agricultural and industrial exhibits for the fair. It also held its own Carnival versions--and at least one petit carnival, held in Imus, was organized in the mid 20s. In the 2nd National Beauty Contest of the national fair, Cavite sent the winsome 16 year old Leonor Bustamante as its official delegate, the first known Miss Cavite. Miss Philippines for that year went to Luisa Marasigan, who came in as Miss Manila.

213. Carnival Beauties: BEATRICE SANUP, 1927 Miss Baguio

BEDIMPLED BEATRICE. The first official representative of the Pines City to the Manila Carnival beauty contest was Beatrice Sanup, Miss Baguio 1927 who fascinated the crowds at the fair not only with her dusky beauty but also with her traditional wardrobe.

Like Ilocos and Cebu, the province of Benguet has a rich carnival tradition that began in 1915 with the election of Ibaloy schoolgirl Eveline Chainus Guirey as its first queen. Its premier city, Baguio, held its first ever carnival in 1923, with Martina Salming reigning as queen. The beautiful mestizo Carmen Reese also was a royal-elect and other famous beauties who made national headlines included Corazon Custodio, Adela Romero and Rosita Moldero, originally from Lubuagan, Kalinga, who made it as Miss Free Press Luzon of 1929.

At the second National Beauty Contest, the Pines City was ably represented by local lass Beatrice Sanup, who, together with Juliet Linney (Miss Mountain Province) made waves at the fair with their exotic looks and fascinating local costumes. The bedimpled Beatrice took pride in wearing a traditional Igorot costume consisting of a ‘kambal’ (woven blouse top), “divit” (woven skirt) and "panjet" (headband), recorded for posterity in her official studio pictures.

212. Carnival Beauties: CONSOLACION PURUGGANAN, 1927 Miss Abra

CONSOLACION PRIZE. The first and only known Miss Abra, Consolacion Purugganan, went to Manil to compete in the 2nd National Beauty Contest of the Manila Carnival, a beauty competition won by Miss Manila, Luisa Marasigan.

The first time that the province of Abra sent its beauty representative to the Manila Carnival search for Miss Philippines was in 1927. The honor went to the lovely Consolacion Purugganan of Bangued, who came from the large Purugganan clan that settled all over the Cordillera and the Ilocos region. The Purugganans count many prominent politicians in the family who figured in shaping the political history of the Ilocandia--like Don Severino Purugganan and Bangued municipal mayor, Ramon Purugganan.

211. Carnival Beauties: MISS SAMPALOC 1927 and MISS QUIAPO 1927

In 1927, the Manila Carnival quest for Miss Philippines continued its format of having official provincial delegates for the national contest. While some provincial bets were directly selected by high-ranking officials like the governor or the head of the local Carnival committee, the search for Miss Manila was more systematic. Manila's district heads were mandated to name their own "Miss District" which saw the selection of 17 beauties: Nitang Moreno (Gagalangin), Lourdes Baltazar (Malate), Herminia Guerrero (Malate), Beatriz Concepcion Puzon (Sta. Ana), Presentacion Perez (Singalong), Rosario Flores (Sta. Mesa), Severina Narciso Mendoza (Pandacan), Josefina Conde (San Miguel), Leonila Mat. Castro (Tondo), Evarista Laconico (Trozo), Pacita Legarda (Binondo), Luisa Fernandez (Intramuros), Salud Austria (San Lazaro), Erlinda Villarica (Sta. Cruz), Conchita Tusaon (Sampaloc) and Amparo Trinidad Papa (Quiapo).


The two beauties on this page are the official representatives of Sampaloc and Quiapo, Conchita Tuason and Amparo Papa, respectively. Three finalists were picked from the line-up--Miss Binondo (Pacita Legarda), Miss San Lazaro (Salud Austria) and Miss Intramuros (Luisa Marasigan). Emerging as the overall winner was Luisa Marasigan, who swept competition away by winning two titles--Sultana de Pasig and the top title of Miss Manila. She went on even further in the national competition by winning the plum Miss Philippines 1927 crown, succeeding Anita Noble of Batangas.

210. Carnival Beauties: SOL JALANDONI SORIANO, 1927 Miss Surigao

O SOL MIO. Sol Soriano, the 1927 Miss Surigao, was the daughter of Atty. Francisco Soriano and Rosario Jalandoni of Iloilo. Her father served as the provincial fiscal of Surigao, and member of the 1st Philippine Assembly representing Surigao and Misamis.

The first Miss Surigao was selected only in 1927 with the crowning of Sol Jalandoni Soriano, a most worthy representative of the province to the 2nd National Beauty Contest of the Manila Carnival. None were more elated than her fellow Surigaonons who knew of her distinguished lineage and stature in their society.

Sol was born on 28 July 1905 to Francisco Soriano, a lawyer, and Rosario Jalandoni. Her parents both come from prominent families from Iloilo. During the Philippine Revolution, her father was named Secretary – General of the federal government of the Visayas. He moved his family to Surigao when he was appointed as the provincial fiscal of Surigao in 1901, and of Surigao and Misamis from 1902 to 1907. He relinquished this post when he ran successfully for the First Philippine Assembly as delegate for Surigao under the Progresista Party.

Sol, whose unique name means “sun”, was a bright presence at the Manila Carnival contest and she was expected to perform well. The title, however, went to Miss Manila, Luisa Marasigan. Nonetheless, a bigger title awaited her the next year with her marriage to her beau, Carlos Soriano on 29 December 1928. Carlos, the son of Leonardo Soriano and Joaquina Ganzon, could have even be her relative. The couple had an only child, Leonardo, born on 12 March 1933.

Indeed, Surigaonons must have felt very proud with the way their very own Sol captivated Manila with her beauty, charm and achievements. In 1929, the province was inspired to organize its first and only petit carnival, sponsored by local government bureaus. The first and only known Miss Surigao passed away on 16 September 1947, at age 42.

209. Carnival Beauties: PACITA LEGARDA, 1927 Miss Binondo

BINONDO BEAUTY. Pacita Binondo as the 1927 Miss Binondo, competed for the title of 1927 Miss Manila and emerged as a runner-up to Luisa Marasigan.

In 1927, Manila conducted an area-wide search for their bet to the 2nd national search for Miss Philippines. Local officials of each district (e.g. Tondo, Sta. Cruz, Malate, Sampaloc, Quiapo, etc.) were encouraged to name their own beauty bet. Binondo was represented by the well-connected Pacita Legarda, who wore the Miss Binondo sash at the national finals.

True enough, Pacita finished in the top 3, along with Salud Austria and the winner, a provinciana beauty from Tayabas studying at the Centro Escolar de Señoritas, Luisa Marasigan.

208. Carnival Beauties: REMEDIOS RAMA, 1929 Miss Philippines Candidate

CEBUAN-o-RAMA AT THE CARNIVAL. U.P. coed Remedios Rama in her official picture as the candidate of Daily Bulletin to the 1929 Miss Philippines search, won by schoolmate Pacita de los Reyes.

Remedios Rama comes from the well-known Rama family of politicians and writers of Cebu, Cebu. A direct relative, Vicente Rama, "the father of Cebu City", was a senator, assemblyman and a mayor of Cebu during the Commonwealth years.

Remedios was a student at the College of Education, University of the Philippines when she was prevailed upon by the Daily Bulletin to be their official candidate to the Miss Philippines queenship of the 1929 Manila Carnival, a title won by her schoolmate and law student, Pacita de los Reyes.