TEEN CANIMO BESTOWED WITH HONORARY ROSA MISTICA TITLE
By Noli A. Berioso
Photos by Edmund Ong Chua II
Reigning Bb. Kalikasan 2018 Eimeverlee Fren Avellano Canimo was conferred with a special citation as the HONORARY ROSA MISTICA at the recently concluded 39th annual Flores De Mayo held at the Music Hall of Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last May 6, 2018. Regarded as the largest and most prestigious parade of sagalas in the country, the event is highlighted with the offering of flowers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For years now, the annual celebration is being organized by Congregacion Del Nombre De Jesus.
The annual festival is believed to have originated in the mid-1800s and is being celebrated by the Filipinos during the merry month of May. Flores De Mayo is a tradition in the Philippines where children with basket of flowers lined up at aisles of the church offering flowers to the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the altar.
Canimo was singled-out by the committee of this year’s festival for being the youngest among the sagalas. The thirteen year-old student who recently named as one of the Academic Awardees during the Recognition Day of their school in Lucena, Quezon Province wore an elegant Roy Aquino creation.
Flores De Mayo attracts the most sought after fashion designers in the country the likes of Rene Salud, Oliver Tolentino, Chico Estiva, Roland Roxas, Jonti and Nickky Martinez, Louie Pangilinan among others. Aside from Tin, well known and popular beauty queens and models participated in the annual sagalahan (Ahtisa Manalo – Bb. Pilipinas International 2018, Leren Mae Bautista Miss Tourism Queen of the Year 2016, Yvhette Marie Santiago Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2014, Mary Ann Moncal Miss Global Philippines 2017)The event was written and directed by Mr. Ogee Atos with this year’s theme Ginintuang Ani “Our Lady of Guadalupe”