By DAVE ACHONDO
Desk Editor and NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent
NEW Zealand model Nicole Harding had been whining even before she and 25 other contestants in the Pancontinental 2015 pageant set foot in the city, one of the organizers said yesterday.
Harding quit and left the city on Sunday afternoon in protest of the alleged poor accommodations provided by pageant organizers, and due to security concerns.
But Cheryl Macale, station manager of the local Radyo Natin station, claimed that only Harding complained, and all the other contestants were happy.
Macale said Harding complained about the delay in their flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro on Saturday, and she continued whining when they reached the city that afternoon.
At the Budgetel on Corrales Extension, Harding complained because she was expecting a classier accommodation. Macale said Harding also complained because of mosquitoes.
Macale said she decided to bring the group to Budgetel because it was near the bars of Lifestyle District.
Macale said Harding complained again on Sunday when they were brought to the Xavier Estates Country Club for lunch because she saw many armed police officers with bomb-sniffing dogs. She said the police officers were there because they were attending a “seminar.”
Irritated, the New Zealander, left the country club and went straight to the airport at around 2 pm, Macale said.
Cassandra McDonald, the Philippines bet to the Miss Pancontinental 2015, said she heard Harding’s complaints but added that she and other candidates have no problems with their stay in the city.
McDonald said she was happy and that she enjoyed the hospitality of Cagayanons, including their white river rafting yesterday.
Eileen San Juan, a city hall consultant for investments and tourism, said the local government had nothing to do with the way the pageant organizers prepared their activities in the city.
San Juan and Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Catalino Chan said they were disappointed to learn about Harding’s complaints.
There was no proper coordination, they said.
Chan said he did not receive any notice from the DOT central office in Manila about the pageant.
He said he suspected the organizers were having an internal conflict.
But witnesses revealed to the Gold Star Daily that the tension between the contestants and the organizers became evident at Budgetel on Saturday night.
“At around 9 pm, nagkagubot ang mga kandidata ug kandidato, ilang parents, handlers, and the owner of the pageant who is an Indian. We talked to some of them, and grabe gyud sila ka luoy.”
A witness said, “Nangaon sila didto sa restaurant nga abay sa Budgetel and ipa stay sila sa Budgetel but wala man diay naka-book. So wala nay bakante.”
He added, “Mangaon dapat sila abay sa Budgetel but pag-abot nila gikan sa airport hantod sa budgetel wala gyud sila nakakaon. Ni mineral water, wala.”
He said it turned out that Macale wanted a “full ex deal” but the Budgetel management turned down her proposal.
He said that at the height of the tension, a candidate approached him and confided to him that they have not eaten yet, and that there were many mosquitoes in the room.
He said while Macale was arguing with the foreign organizer, one of her aides called up provincial information officer Allyn Peñalosa to ask for help.
Peñalosa, he said, came with Dale Lagonera of the provincial tourism office “who tried to pacify.”
“Naay uban nang hilak. Tanan sila niingon nga i-cancel nila tanan activities,” he said.
The source said he overheard the foreign organizer saying, “This place is not fit for a pageant.”
Peñalosa confirmed that she and Lagonera went to Budgetel on Saturday night because they were asked to help.
She however said the capitol had nothing to do with the pageant although it agreed to help Macale with some of the activities.
The problem, according to Peñalosa, was that the organizers did not have a clear itinerary, and did not follow agreed schedules.
“We agreed to help them because it was in line with our tourism thrust, and even prepared activities for them on Sunday. Even Manticao town prepared for them but they just didn’t stick to the agreed schedule,” said Peñalosa.
She said what happened was organizers wanted the government to fix their problems for them.
By DAVE ACHONDO
Desk Editor and NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent
NEW Zealand model Nicole Harding had been whining even before she and 25 other contestants in the Pancontinental 2015 pageant set foot in the city, one of the organizers said yesterday.
Harding quit and left the city on Sunday afternoon in protest of the alleged poor accommodations provided by pageant organizers, and due to security concerns.
But Cheryl Macale, station manager of the local Radyo Natin station, claimed that only Harding complained, and all the other contestants were happy.
Macale said Harding complained about the delay in their flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro on Saturday, and she continued whining when they reached the city that afternoon.
At the Budgetel on Corrales Extension, Harding complained because she was expecting a classier accommodation. Macale said Harding also complained because of mosquitoes.
Macale said she decided to bring the group to Budgetel because it was near the bars of Lifestyle District.
Macale said Harding complained again on Sunday when they were brought to the Xavier Estates Country Club for lunch because she saw many armed police officers with bomb-sniffing dogs. She said the police officers were there because they were attending a “seminar.”
Irritated, the New Zealander, left the country club and went straight to the airport at around 2 pm, Macale said.
Cassandra McDonald, the Philippines bet to the Miss Pancontinental 2015, said she heard Harding’s complaints but added that she and other candidates have no problems with their stay in the city.
McDonald said she was happy and that she enjoyed the hospitality of Cagayanons, including their white river rafting yesterday.
Eileen San Juan, a city hall consultant for investments and tourism, said the local government had nothing to do with the way the pageant organizers prepared their activities in the city.
San Juan and Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Catalino Chan said they were disappointed to learn about Harding’s complaints.
There was no proper coordination, they said.
Chan said he did not receive any notice from the DOT central office in Manila about the pageant.
He said he suspected the organizers were having an internal conflict.
But witnesses revealed to the Gold Star Daily that the tension between the contestants and the organizers became evident at Budgetel on Saturday night.
“At around 9 pm, nagkagubot ang mga kandidata ug kandidato, ilang parents, handlers, and the owner of the pageant who is an Indian. We talked to some of them, and grabe gyud sila ka luoy.”
A witness said, “Nangaon sila didto sa restaurant nga abay sa Budgetel and ipa stay sila sa Budgetel but wala man diay naka-book. So wala nay bakante.”
He added, “Mangaon dapat sila abay sa Budgetel but pag-abot nila gikan sa airport hantod sa budgetel wala gyud sila nakakaon. Ni mineral water, wala.”
He said it turned out that Macale wanted a “full ex deal” but the Budgetel management turned down her proposal.
He said that at the height of the tension, a candidate approached him and confided to him that they have not eaten yet, and that there were many mosquitoes in the room.
He said while Macale was arguing with the foreign organizer, one of her aides called up provincial information officer Allyn Peñalosa to ask for help.
Peñalosa, he said, came with Dale Lagonera of the provincial tourism office “who tried to pacify.”
“Naay uban nang hilak. Tanan sila niingon nga i-cancel nila tanan activities,” he said.
The source said he overheard the foreign organizer saying, “This place is not fit for a pageant.”
Peñalosa confirmed that she and Lagonera went to Budgetel on Saturday night because they were asked to help.
She however said the capitol had nothing to do with the pageant although it agreed to help Macale with some of the activities.
The problem, according to Peñalosa, was that the organizers did not have a clear itinerary, and did not follow agreed schedules.
“We agreed to help them because it was in line with our tourism thrust, and even prepared activities for them on Sunday. Even Manticao town prepared for them but they just didn’t stick to the agreed schedule,” said Peñalosa.
She said what happened was organizers wanted the government to fix their problems for them.
