Feilding student Bea Mendoza runner-up in Miss Philippines-New Zealand 2022

Miss Philippines-New Zealand runner-up Bea Mendoza with her sashes and prizes. Photo / Supplied

Feilding teenager Bea Mendoza was runner-up in this year's Miss Philippines-New Zealand.

Leah Evans, representing the Taranaki Filipino Society, was crowned Miss Philippines-New Zealand in Palmerston North over Labour Weekend.

She won a trip to the Philippines.

The pageant was part of Pistang Pilipino, a sporting and cultural festival held in Palmerston North for the first time since 2006.

Bea, 17, is in her final year at Feilding High School. Her talent for the pageant was speed painting and she represented the host association, Philippine Central Association.

Third was Audrey Lynn Jeboult-Jones from Ashburton Warrior Club.

At Pistang Pilipino's opening night on October 21, Rangitāne kaumatua Wiremu Te Awe Awe got the crowd in a festive mood with his waiata with a difference, What a Wonderful World.

MC Beth Hubilla introduced Grant Smith as "our favourite mayor".

Smith welcomed attendees to compact, thriving, boutique, multicultural Palmerston North.

He appreciated the economic boost the festival brought the city. It was to have been held at Labour Weekend last year, a centrepiece of the city's 150th anniversary celebrations but was postponed because of Covid-19.

Smith welcomed new Filipino New Zealanders who had moved to the city recently to work in healthcare and construction.

Councillor Lew Findlay said people had come from the deep south and the far north to the "centre of the universe".

With his wife, Meriam Findlay, on the organising committee, he had seen firsthand how much work was involved - the hours on the phone, the Zoom meetings. He was pleased he was getting his wife back.

Accommodation in Palmerston North and surrounds was non-existent over Labour Weekend and the Findlays had 10 people sleeping on the floor at their home.

Findlay said he had attended four or five pistangs. "They are great fun, don't stop having them."

In his message for the programme, Philippine Central Association president Angel Carambas said although technology had torn down walls and connected people through the internet and cell phones, Filipinos still loved getting together.

Pistang organisers received two letters from Malacanan Palace in Manila.

One was dated October 2021 and from then president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Ferdinand Marcos jnr, president of the Philippines since June, assured pistang-goers the administration supports them in fortifying the foundations of their society through their Filipino brand of excellence and he has great hopes for their personal and professional growth.

"As you gather for this event, let us look forward to a future brimming with possibilities and weave the melodies that bind us united in peace and harmony."

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air