By Rigel Kent D. Delfin
| A LEGACY OF WAMA WINNERS. A look back at the past winners of What A Mess Acquaintance (WAMA)—a campus tradition that has brought laughter, creativity, and unforgettable moments to generations of CAPSU-Mambusao students. |
What A Mess Acquaintance—or simply WAMA—an event students wait for because they know that, for one night, the campus is about to become a stage for laughter, glamour, surprises, and unforgettable moments.
For more than two decades, WAMA has been one of the most entertaining, funniest, and most anticipated highlights of the campus Acquaintance Party. What began as a playful pageant has evolved into a tradition that has outlived batches of students, witnessed changing trends, and crowned personalities who have become part of campus history.
In 2026, WAMA reaches its 24th edition, marking another chapter in a legacy that began in 2003.
Where It All Began
WAMA was conceived in 2003 through the creative minds of Dr. Rhodora L. Ticar, Prof. Freden S. Delgado, and the late Dr. Caster A. Kapunan. Their idea was simple yet unconventional: create a pageant that would bring students together through humor, entertainment, and a little bit of delightful chaos.
The concept was unlike the usual campus pageant.
Male students would transform themselves into “ladies,” stepping onto the stage in costumes, personalities, performances, and characters that could leave the audience roaring with laughter. The objective was not simply to look glamorous. It was to entertain, perform, and embrace the playful spirit of WAMA.
And perhaps that is precisely why the event has endured.
WAMA does not take itself too seriously. It celebrates the ability to laugh, perform, improvise, and confidently step into a character. Behind every exaggerated pose, dramatic entrance, and unexpected performance is a student willing to become the center of attention for the sake of entertainment.
For one afternoon, the campus gets to see a different side of its students.
Not Your Ordinary Pageant
WAMA may have a crown and a tiara, but it has never been an ordinary beauty pageant.
Its defining concept is the transformation of male students into “ladies,” making the event distinct from conventional campus pageants. Candidates are male students who take on female personas as part of the pageant's theatrical and comedic concept.
The result is a show where glamour meets comedy and confidence meets creativity.
A candidate may enter the stage looking like a pageant queen, only to deliver a performance that sends the audience into fits of laughter. Another may win over the crowd through sheer personality. Some become memorable because of their costumes; others because of their wit, stage presence, or ability to turn an unexpected moment into a highlight.
In WAMA, perfection is not necessarily the goal.
Memorability is.
The Battle for the Tiara
While WAMA is built on fun, the competition for the crown has produced an impressive history of departmental victories.
Leading the WAMA record books is the Bachelor of Arts in English Language (BAEL), which has captured the tiara nine times, making it the most victorious department in the pageant's history.
Following closely is the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) with six victories. The Bachelor of Science in Food Technology (BSFT) has produced four champions, while the Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA) has claimed three titles. The former Agri-Science High School has one victory.
These numbers tell a story of friendly departmental rivalry—one that has unfolded across generations.
The BSCS Dynasty
Long before BAEL established its dominance, BSCS built one of the earliest winning dynasties in WAMA.
The department's first champion was Anthony Jude Delos Santos in 2003, who claimed the inaugural WAMA crown. After Agri-Science High School's victory in 2004, BSCS returned to the top with Bien Paul Lava (2005), Nultran Esmeño (2006), and Jason Orteda (2007).
The department added another victory through Jose Lusabia in 2011, followed by Steve Binoy in 2017.
Across different years and generations of students, these six champions established BSCS as one of the most formidable forces in WAMA history.
BSFT's Winning Streak
The Bachelor of Science in Food Technology also enjoyed a remarkable stretch of victories.
Arjie Francisco (2008), Divar Samino (2009), and Jonaide Reyes (2010) brought the tiara to BSFT in three consecutive years, creating one of the most impressive winning streaks in WAMA history.
More than a decade later, Lourence F. Balatayo brought the crown back to BSFT in 2024, giving the department its fourth victory.
The Rise of BAEL
If BSCS dominated the early years, BAEL eventually became the name to beat.
The department's winning era began with Arnel Vigo in 2012, who represented AB Pol Sci/BAEL. He was followed by Mark Christian Gayoma (2013), Niño Roseller Lim (2014), Peter Jhon Alido (2015), and Krystian John Marc Frias (2016).
The winning tradition continued through Niño Orale (2018), Vladimer Louie Hibionada (2019), Reynan James Lacupa (2021), and Clarence E. Frias (2023).
Nine victories later, BAEL now holds the record as the most successful department in WAMA history.
BSOA Joins the Winners' Circle
The Bachelor of Science in Office Administration has also carved out its own chapter in WAMA history.
Angelo Alayon (2020) secured the department's first victory, followed by Jasper Wayne Artificio (2022) and Renzel Jhon Reca (2025).
With three crowns, BSOA has established itself as another department capable of producing WAMA champions.
Twenty-Three Crowns, Twenty-Three Stories
Every WAMA winner has a story, and together they form a colorful timeline of campus life.
2003 — Anthony Jude Delos Santos (BSCS)
2004 — Leonard Laraya (Agri-Science High School)
2005 — Bien Paul Lava (BSCS)
2006 — Nultran Esmeño (BSCS)
2007 — Jason Orteda (BSCS)
2008 — Arjie Francisco (BSFT)
2009 — Divar Samino (BSFT)
2010 — Jonaide Reyes (BSFT)
2011 — Jose Lusabia (BSCS)
2012 — Arnel Vigo (AB Pol Sci/BAEL)
2013 — Mark Christian Gayoma (AB English/BAEL)
2014 — Niño Roseller Lim (AB English/BAEL)
2015 — Peter Jhon Alido (AB English/BAEL)
2016 — Krystian John Marc Frias (AB English/BAEL)
2017 — Steve Binoy (BSCS)
2018 — Niño Orale (AB English/BAEL)
2019 — Vladimer Louie Hibionada (BAEL)
2020 — Angelo Alayon (BSOA)
2021 — Reynan James Lacupa (BAEL)
2022 — Jasper Wayne Artificio (BSOA)
2023 — Clarence E. Frias (BAEL)
2024 — Lourence F. Balatayo (BSFT)
2025 — Renzel Jhon Reca (BSOA)
Twenty-three editions have produced twenty-three winners, each leaving a small but permanent mark on the pageant's history.
Some names may eventually fade from everyday campus conversations, but their names remain permanently attached to the WAMA crown.
A Tradition that Refuses to Diasappear
What makes WAMA remarkable is not simply the number of years it has survived.
It is the fact that every new generation seems to rediscover the same excitement.
Students who once watched WAMA from the audience eventually graduate, while new batches arrive knowing little about the pageant's history. Yet when the lights come on and the candidates take the stage, the same laughter returns.
That is the power of a campus tradition.
WAMA creates stories that students carry with them long after graduation—the outrageous costume, the unforgettable performance, the candidate who had everyone laughing, the department that celebrated all night, and the moment when the tiara finally found its new owner.
It is a celebration of personality as much as performance.
It is where the shy student can suddenly become a stage sensation. Where a seemingly ordinary night can produce an unforgettable campus legend. And where a playful competition can become a tradition passed from one generation to another.
And then there Were Twenty-Four
In 2026, WAMA steps into its 24th edition.
The previous twenty-three winners have already written their names into the pageant's history. The departments have established their rivalries. The tiara has traveled from BSCS to BSFT, from BAEL to BSOA, and even once to the Agri-Science High School.
But the story is far from finished.
Another candidate will step onto the stage. Another costume will be unveiled. Another performance will make the audience laugh, cheer, and perhaps wonder, “What just happened?”
And by the end of the day, one more name will join the growing list of WAMA royalty.
Because for 24 years, WAMA has proven that a campus tradition does not survive simply because it is old.
It survives because every generation finds a new reason to laugh, celebrate, and remember it.
And when the lights come on for the 24th time, the question remains:
Who will wear the tiara-and what kind of mess will they make along the way?