Dennis Fujimoto
The Garden Island
Marli Genegabuas was crowned the 2018 Miss Kauai Filipina Saturday night before a crowd of more than 500 people who erupted in thunderous applause and cheering at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
Genegabuas, the daughter of Daniel Genegabuas and Sandra Na‘ihe, who reigned as the 1990 Miss Kauai Filipina, had a hard time controlling her emotions as she was announced the winner of the 60th Miss Kauai Filipina scholarship pageant presented by the Kauai Filipino Community Council.
“The pageant will give Kauai’s most outstanding young Filipina women the opportunity to display their natural charms, grace and talent,” said Mario Trinidad, president of the KFCC. “They have the chance to compete for the statewide title on the Big Island, later in July.”
Genegabuas, earning top honors in the specialty Most Beautiful Terno and Best in Terno speech phases, also topped the Interview phase of the competition en route to garnering the top prize cache that included a $2,500 cash scholarship. She plans to attend Kauai Community College.
Callie Racelo, daughter of Conrad and Wailani Sonoda Racelo, was named the pageant’s first runner-up.
If Genegabuas earns the state title, Racelo will assume the duties and responsibilities of Miss Kauai Filipina.
Racelo, heading to Northern Arizona University with her scholarship of $1,500, also copped honors as Most Congenial, Best in Swimsuit, Best in Talent and Most Photogenic.
She and Genegabuas embraced while awaiting the announcement that came amid enthusiastic cheering by the pageant’s hosts, Kaleo Carvalho and Lesley Ann Agosto, Miss Kauai Filipina 1987, who flew in from California for the duty.
Anna Lee Broyles, whose mother Julie finished as first runner-up in the 1987 pageant, garnered the new Social Media award for popularity, the Most Spirited in ticket and advertising sales, and the second runner-up position.
Broyles is a graduate of Waimea High School and will be heading to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with help from the $1,000 scholarship that accompanied her prize package.
Tiffany Matutina, a graduate of Kauai High School, was third runner-up and received a $750 scholarship. She plans to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa to major in travel industry management.
The scholarship pagent serves as a vehicle for scholarships for the KFCC, and served as a venue for recognizing this year’s five scholarship recipients — two from Kapaa High School, two from Waimea High School, and one from Kauai High School who earned $1,000 scholarships apiece.
Diane Bush accepted on behalf of her granddaughter Kailee Bush, who was already off on college work. She was joined by fellow Kapaa graduate Aldrey Rambayon. Apryl Joy Grande and Jason Pagtolingan were the awardees from Waimea High School, and Anthony Jude “AJ” Apalla of Kauai High School rounded out the KFCC scholarship recipients.
Apalla was joined by Kirstee Luis in accepting the Kauai Pangasinan scholarships.
