The last canvassing for votes at the Red Cross Building was attended by the Abra Governor and Municipal Mayors with bulging pockets to cast their votes for Jojo. The rest of the candidates and their supporters were totally overwhelmed by the massive show of force that they were cowed down from further casting additional votes for themselves, while Pat poured around ₱15,000.00 worth of votes for Jojo that placed her easily as first place! We were very happy!
She was given a room in the new Hilton Hotel before her coronation in the Manila Hotel, where she got a trophy from President Marcos aside from her crown, money for a round-the-world trip, and four sets of gowns.
All of us, except Toots, attended her coronation with friends and supporters, including the Vice-Governor and his wife, Congressman Barbero’s wife, Col. and Mrs. Bersola, and Dra. Bautista. I had pictures taken by a professional photographer and movie shots (but the films did not turn out good).
Our victory parade in Abra started with a plane ride of Jojo and Congressman Barbero and party over Bangued, a motorcade headed by Gov. Siares from the Tañgadan Tunnel, up to the Provincial Building, where a reception and banquet took place. Official holiday was declared for all employees and school children, who lined up the streets from Tañgadan to Bangued, waving flags and shouting MABUHAY MISS RED FEATHER! As we entered Bangued, the church bells were ringing, rockets and firecrackers were bursting, and sirens of cars were blazing the way, with everybody shouting and greeting Jojo along the way. It was our Victory Parade — a very memorable day for me and Pat!
Everybody claimed us as relatives, yet our departures from Bangued as poor unknowns were unnoticed then! Praise the Lord! Gov. Siares in presenting Jojo said: AGROKBAD TAYO AMIN KENREETAD JOCELYN FIRST (Let us all bow before QUEEN). Everybody curtsied or bowed to Jojo except me and Pat. Then he remarked: “THIS IS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME WILL ABRA WIN IN A NATIONAL BEAUTY CONTEST.” Congressman Barbero said: “THIS IS THE ONLY FIRST TIME THAT THE WARRING POLITICAL FACTIONS OF ABRA EVER UNITED TOGETHER, TO SUPPORT JOJO’S CANDIDACY.”
JBS December 8, 1995
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