Villar kicks off 16th Ms. Waterlily Festival after 2-year hiatus

TWO years after a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar kicked off the now 16th Ms. Waterlily Pre-pageant and presented the candidates for the search who came from the 20 barangays in Las Piñas City.

“The Waterlily Festival in 2020 and 2021 were temporarily halted due to the Covid pandemic, but we were given the chance to resume and revitalize it in 2022 last year. So, for 2023, we are here again for a happy celebration of our 16th Ms. Waterlily Pageant,” said Villar.

The senator is elated that just like the previous years, all the city’s 20 barangays participated in the Ms. Waterlily 2023 Pageant.

In the pre-pageant, the Ms. Waterlily candidates, who were donning costumes made from water lily, were introduced for the first time.

She noted that the Waterlily Festival is a great way to show Las Piñeros’ capacity for friendship and camaraderie with the other barangays in Las Piñas,

“Looking back, it was in 2005 when we started our Waterlily Festival. Our goal was to raise awareness on an environmental challenge we were experiencing—the clogging of two rivers in Las Piñas—Zapote River and Las Piñas River—due to the overgrowth of waterlilies and other trash thrown in the river and esteros,” related Villar.

Together with the Villar SIPAG, the senator said they exerted efforts to remove the waterlilies that clogged the two rivers.

They then used the dried stalks of the waterlilies for making baskets, slippers, mats and other handicraft-weaved products.

“This was the beginning of our livelihood project—the water hyacinth handicraft weaving enterprise wherein Las Piñas residents learned how to make handicraft, now a source of livelihood and income,” Villar said.

At present, she said there are no more waterlilies which impeded the flow of water in these two rivers.

While the Las Piñas waterlily livelihood project still continues, they get waterlilies from Muntinlupa, Taguig and other parts of Metro Manila.

“It all started with waterlilies. But through the years and with the help of Villar SIPAG, we were able to establish different barangay-based livelihood enterprises which became models of proper waste management,” she further stated.

This press conference will also highlight the events that SRG is organizing to redefine philanthropy and help its partner organizations learn the latest trends in development and philanthropy, network and create linkages with possible funders and impact investors, and raise awareness and funds for their important advocacies.

These events include: n Missions Cup, July 17 to 20—Redefining n Dr. Glenda Miro-Antonio, Spring Rain Global’s founder, president, and chief executive officer n Fr. Victor Gonzaga , Spring Rain Global’s Chairman of the Advisory Board n Ramon Fernandez, Philippine basketball legend and current commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, serves as the ambassador for the Missions Cup. n BK Han, one of the speakers at the 7th Asian Philanthropic Development Conference

For more information, visit the Facebook page of Spring Rain Global.