By Glen Andrea Omandam and AC Putong
Medical School student Alriz Gonzales made his Hibalag comeback on a different stage, triumphing as the new Mister Hibalag 2026 last Aug. 26, a year after his Silliman Idol 2025 stint.
He said the occasion felt nostalgic, finding himself in the same interview setting a year after his Silliman Idol win, calling his return “a proud moment of being a Sillimanian during the Founders Day celebrations.”
“I had to juggle going to 20-hour duties, coming back, having practice, rehearsals, going back again […] I’m a firm believer that if you have a go-getter mindset and you set your mind to something, you will find a way,” Gonzales said.
He clinched the crown at the Hibalag grounds, along with Best in Production Number, Overall Best in Talent, Top Three Best in Advocacy Speech and Defense, and People’s Choice Award.
As he looks toward being a “voice and sparking change for the Silliman community,” Gonzales fulfilled his advocacy titled “Advancing Better Adolescent Awareness and Nurturing Teens through Education.”
It is a community-based initiative with SU Medical School students and the Sibulan Rural Health Unit that aims to bring reproductive health education and support to out-of-school adolescents in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
“We will continue to produce memorandums and work closely with them to make sure that we can strengthen and continue my advocacy regardless if it’s me, if it’s you or who else it may be as long as it is running,” he said.
Following behind his crown are Uldarico Calasang II and Dan Esmeralda representing the Ang Sandigan and Medical Technology Society as first and second runner-up, respectively.
This year’s pageant is themed “The Renaissance Sillimanian: Rebirth of Passion, Enlightenment of Action,” representing its evolution into a platform driven by passion for meaningful progression.
The annual advocacy-driven Hibalag pageant is organized by the Renaissance Youth Leaders Forum (RYLF) and its Mister Hibalag committee.
Mister Hibalag committee Chairperson Elianarose Olarte said they faced workflow and manpower challenges after bringing back the pageant from its two-year hiatus.
“As of the moment, [RYLF is] currently on probation. And that really affected the flow of things early on. But nonetheless […] we were really just able to find our solutions around them,” she said.
Mister Hibalag committee Chairperson Jose Antonio Mission said they plan to provide more exposure and activities for all seven candidates in the school year’s second semester.
Gonzales succeeded Mister Hibalag 2024 Ryan Rikaz Ibrahim from the Kapunungan sa mga Mass Communicators, who passed the crown through a farewell video.
