The university is now gearing up for the upcoming VSU Intramural Games 2022 spearheaded and organized by the Institute of Human Kinetics (IHK).

This is the much-awaited return of the annual sports joust as part of the preparations for the upcoming Regional Games of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA-8) to be held this November at the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU).

#VSUIntrams2022 adopts the theme “Salingkusog” which is a Cebuano term that means transferring strength and collective power.

For the upcoming intramural games, colleges of the VSU Main Campus were regrouped for a more equal distribution of student-athletes and performers. 

Under this new grouping, the College of Education (CEd) is now paired with the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) as the Gallant Griffins while the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CAFS) retains their longtime partnership with the College of Nursing (CoN) under a new team name called Growling Manticore.

Meanwhile, the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) will now be working with the College of Forestry and Environmental Science (CFES) as the Mystical Sphinx while the College of Management and Economics (CME) is now paired with the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) under a unified banner called Soaring Phoenix.

The VSU Integrated High School (IHS) on the other hand shall be composed of three factions namely the Vehement Gryphons, Vigorous Basilisks, and Valorous Wyverns.

Since this is a unified intramural games that also includes faculty and staff, all the employees of the VSU Main Campus were divided according to the five Vice Presidents of the university who are expected to take the lead in organizing their respective teams for the different sporting events and special performances.

Among the highlights of the annual VSU Intramural Games is the staging of the Ginoong Malakas at Binibining Maganda pageant to be participated by the students in both college and the IHS.

This pageant is branded after the popular moniker of the Search for Truth statue, which has long been inaccurately attributed to the local legendary story of Malakas and Maganda.

A total of 9 pairs will compete in this year’s pageant with two candidates representing the four college factions and one unified candidate representing the IHS.

Let’s get to know each one of them in this special photo story taken and compiled by the University Integrated Media Center (UIMC).

CEd and CVM’s Gallant Griffins

The first pair representing the faction Gallant Griffins are 21-year-old Mr. Kent Justin Malinao and 19-year-old Ms. Stella Mitchell.

Kent Justin hails from Ormoc City and is currently a sophomore student of the Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) while Stella is a proud Baybayanon and also a sophomore student taking up Bachelor of Culture and Arts Education (BCAEd). 

Consistent with their degree programs, Kent advocates for proper exercise and physical fitness while Stella loves dancing and performing in front of the public.

Kent regularly goes to the gym to work out while also being active in sports like basketball and football. Stella delights herself by watching Anime series, doing household chores, and doing backyard gardening.

The second pair under the combined forces of CEd and CVM is composed of 21-year-old Mr. B-Ver Olimberio and Ms. Ruela Corpuz.

B-Ver who is from Tolosa, Leyte is now in his fourth year as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student while Ruela who hails from Capoocan, Leyte is a sophomore student of the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (BSEd).

B-Ver advocates for animal welfare and aspires to live in a world where animals are properly taken care of and protected from different kinds of abuses. Ruela believes that discrimination should not have a place in our contemporary society. 

B-Ver is a home buddy who loves doing household chores while Ruela is fully abreast with the latest fashion trends.

CAFS and CoN’s Growling Manticore

The combined forces of CAFS and CoN’s Growling Manticore are represented by 22-year-old Mr. Julius Nixell Montuerto and 20-year-old Ms. Reina Lynn Feb Namia.

Julius Nixell is a native of Duero, Bohol while Reina Lynn Feb is from Burauen, Leyte. Both of these candidates are junior students taking up the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

Growling manticore’s male candidate is a self-confessed introvert who intends to improve his social skills with others by joining this pageant while their female bet is passionate about maintaining good health and physical wellness.

Julius Nixell loves to sing and writes short stories in his past time while Reina Lynn Feb enjoys working out and reading to develop both her physical and mental wellness.

The second pair raising the banner of the Growling Manticore is 21-year-old Mr. John Eric Zabala and 18-year-old Ms. Nika Mae Rimandiman.

John Eric is from Ormoc City and is now in his third year as a nursing student. Nica Mae, on the other hand, is from Capoocan, Leyte and is a first year student taking up the Bachelor of Science in Development Communication (BSDC) program.

As a pastor’s son, John Eric has been very active in ministry works and other church activities while Nika Mae is fond of joining pageants and also aspires to become a journalist someday.

John Eric is very much inclined with the arts as he knows how to paint while Nica Mae enjoys watching documentaries in her past time.

CET and CFES’ Mystical Sphinx 

The first pair to carry the flag of the Mystical Sphinx is 21-year-old Mr. Kyle Matthew de Dios and 19-year-old Erika Mae A. Oliveros.

Kyle Matthew is from the pacific beach town of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte taking up the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES) program while Erika Mae is from Isabel, Leyte, and a first-year student of the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE).

Kyle Matthew pushes for the use of clean energy as a way of combating climate change and other environment-related problems while Erika Mae believes in the importance of maintaining great health through proper exercise and a balanced diet. 

Both Kyle Matthew and Erika Mae are into cycling as a hobby sport that they do to pass the time.

The second pair to represent the Mystical Sphinx is composed of 20-year-old Mr. Rey Jan A. Sablan and 22-year-old Ms. Josslyn Garces.

Rey Jay is a junior student taking up a Bachelor of Science in Forestry (BSF) who hails from Buenavista, Bohol while Josslyn is a native of St. Bernard, Southern Leyte who is now in her senior year as a civil engineering student.

Among the main advocacies of Rey Jay's is to build the confidence of many young people who are afraid to showcase their hidden talents and skills while Josslyn is passionate about sketching.

Rey Jay writes poems in his past time while Josslyn is passionate about different kinds of visual arts.

CME and CAS’ Soaring Phoenix

The first pair representing the Soaring Phoenix of CME and CAS is 23-year-old Mr. John Michael Modina and 19-year-old Ms. Elgie D. Pobadora.

John Michael practically grew up here in VSU and is currently a freshman taking up the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (ABELS). Elgie, on the other hand, is from Villaba, Leyte and a junior student of the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM).

John Michael believes in living a carefree lifestyle where one should enjoy the present without worrying too much about the past and the future. Elgie reveals that she was clinically diagnosed with depression and she hopes that her experiences in battling her personal mental health problem will become an inspiration for others to also continue fighting. She also advocates for better mental health awareness for the general public.

Both John Michael and Elgie love writing poems and short stories. John Michael also likes playing online games while Elgie plays volleyball with friends during her past time.

Completing the candidates to bear the banner of Soaring Phoenix are 22-year-old Mr. Raniell John Mercado and 20-year-old Ms. Rio Anne Ronato.

Raniell John is a proud resident of the City of Beautiful People, Ormoc, and presently a junior student of the Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management (BSHM) program. Meanwhile, Rio Anne is from Baybay City and is now in her second year as a student in the Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness (BSAB) program. 

Based on his personal experience, Raniell John understands the importance of doing different sporting activities to mitigate depression and anxiety for young people like him while Rio Anne is passionate about music and stage modeling.

Raniell John enjoys cooking at home especially the favorite Filipino dishes while Rio Anne spends her pastime listening to popular and contemporary music.

The Unified Force of the VSU Integrated High School

While there are three competing factions in the VSU Integrated High School (IHS), they will only be fielding one pair of candidates for the 2022 edition of the Ginoong Malakas at Binibining Maganda.

To represent the IHS are 18-year-old Mr. Jet Wesley Manggay and 17-year-old Ms. Maureen Jyanne Germo. They are the youngest competing pair in this year’s pageant.

Both of them are natives of Baybay City and are presently senior high school students.

Jet Wesley advocates for gender equality as he believes that this is very necessary for social, political, and economic development goals of the country. Meanwhile, Maureen Jyanne pushes for women empowerment as she believes that there are still many instances in which women do not share the same rights as men especially in other countries around the world.

The lone male candidate of VSU-IHS is active in many sporting activities to de-stress himself while their female candidate is fascinated with makeup and other skin care routines.

Catch all these nine dashing and lovely candidates on October 18 live at the VSU Gymnatorium. The pageant will also be livestream at the official Facebook pages of the university.

This year’s overall winners will each receive cash prizes and a whopping Php50,000.00 worth of derma and wellness services courtesy of Get It Beauty Derma Clinic and Infinity Aesthetic Center with their new branch opened in M.L. Quezon Street, Baybay City, Leyte.

[Photo by Kim Kenneth Roca and edited by Paul Vincent Fornis.]

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