ARDCI - Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes, Inc.

Not one but four

Four from the fifteen official candidates of Bb. Catandungan will romp this coming October 17 and 20 for the talent showcase and Coronation Night, respectively this year bannering the name of lone Catanduanes based microfinance non-stock organization, Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes, Inc. (ARDCI) and its subsidiary rural bank, Vision Bank, Inc. as their major sponsors instead of their hometowns.

Bb. Catandungan First Runner up Aileen Dominiguez beams her endearing smile with the ARDCI Head Office staff the day after the prestigious beauty pageant was held. Daphaine T. Tolledo, one of the four sent representative of ARDCI also received the Miss Talent award.

Genalyn V. Villanueva a resident of Caramoran, Aileen C. Dominguez of Virac, Daphaine T. Tolledo of Gigmoto, and Jho Hannah of Panganiban will be representing each branch of ARDCI in Catanduanes together with the Vision Bank namely – Branch 4, Branch 5, Branch 2 and Branch 3, respectively.

According to Jannette S. Marquez, ARDCI Human Resource Development Head, the initial plan was to sponsor two representatives who are daughters of members that will represent the ARDCI and Vision Bank, Inc.

“We only have two contestants, in fact during the screening we sent only Ms. Villanueva and Ms. Dominguez as official candidates though they are not daughters of members, but after the screening we are surprised that we will be adding another two who had also passed the screening”, she explained.

“A day after the results of screening was posted; two candidates went to our office and asked if we could shoulder expenses for their wardrobes and parlors in bargain of representing the name of the organization. We knew lately that the two were daughters of our members of Savings and Loan System so we find it worth sponsoring and since we have four branches in Catanduanes, the four lovely lass were considered all to be representatives”, she added.

One of the two candidates who were lately sponsored said that her municipality which should be sponsoring her frankly informed her that it cannot afford to provide the expenses in the pageant. Instead of backing out, she opted to consider ARDCI after hearing such failure.

ARDCI expressed that the activity aimed to recognize talents of Catandunganon and promote exquisite natural beauties and be involved in community affairs.