MISS CEBU 2015; Fierce battle of beauty and brains

CEBU, Philippines – Forgive the cliché, but as one of Miss Cebu 2015’s candidates so laughingly declared, this batch of 12 beauties vying to be the 31st bearer of the crown is turning out to be a Battle of the Brains!

No slim pickings here, as each lady can speak her mind, articulate her thoughts on socio-political issues, and face a crowd with the confidence of an experienced public speaker. And since this is after all a beauty contest, these women also have the grace and bearing of beauty queens to boot!

Unveiled October 23 at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel to eager press folk, the Miss Cebu 2015 finalists passed their first media encounter with more than flying colors, so imagine how much more impressive they will be on stage come coronation night on January 14 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel?

Here’s an initial look into the minds of the twelve faces who are wishing to be the next representative of Cebu to the world…

Hanica Rachael Arshia Ong, 24

This chinita cutie is often told she and Kim Chiu might have been separated at birth, and just like her superstar look-alike, Hanica, or Aika (as she’s fondly called by friends and loved ones), is always ready to respond at the compliments with a sweet smile. Don’t expect her to line up and audition for the latest reality TV contests though, for this Mandaue resident is dead-set on becoming a successful lawyer.

A fourth year Law student at the University of San Carlos (USC), Aika would like to dispel the notion that aspiring attorneys such as herself spend most of their hours with noses buried in thick  Legal textbooks. “We are actually just regular Joes and Janes who have hobbies,” she says. Aika, for one, is passionate about music, swimming, and self-learning. She mixed her interests by studying how to dance and play the drums. For this first charmer in the list, educating oneself doesn’t merely mean completing a degree, it’s also learning more about the craft she loves.

Among her hometown’s pressing issues, Aika hopes people will realize that the worsening traffic situation is a reflection of Cebuanos’ lack of discipline. “It says a lot about us as a people. We have rules, but we don’t follow them. What does that say about Cebuanos if we don’t follow traffic rules?”

Febb Flores, 24

She describes herself as an awfully timid lady, but interestingly, it was Febb who first picked up the microphone to answer the first question thrown at all 12 Miss Cebu candidates during their press presentation last Thursday. Candid and not afraid to divulge her areas for improvement, this nurse of Cebu Velez General Hospital revealed that Thursday’s event was her first time to speak before a sizeable crowd, and she was understandably feeling like a fish out of water. “I feel a bit mesmerized, but I’ve calmed down, so this is a good start for me,” she quipped.

A shy one during her college years who always sat at the back of the classroom, Febb hopes to emerge out of her shell by joining pageants such as Miss Cebu. She had previously participated in Miss Mandaue 2012, and won as Argao’s La Torta Festival Queen in 2011. With her entry into Cebu’s most prestigious pageant, Febb expects to further develop her personality and improve her communication skills in the process. Given a chance to join a national beauty tilt in the future, Febb’s top choice would be Miss Philippines Earth, as she is a nature lover.

Mary Cyrielle Wong, 22

Another chinky-eyed beauty, Cy completed her nursing degree from Cebu Normal University and currently works as a contact center agent of Convergys. She calls Minglanilla, Cebu home, but if this wanderlust had her way, she’d spend her days exploring the corners of her beautiful country and revel in the history and culture of our regions. Cy feels fortunate to have already visited many international destinations, and would now love to discover more of the Philippines.

She says people often misconstrue her because of her strict façade and seemingly strong personality. If you get to know this morena, she’s in fact a hopeless romantic who easily tears up over cheesy movies and love stories. “I still believe in the Cinderella story, where your Prince will always find you in the end,” she shares.

Influenced by her musician dad who’s adept with instruments, Cy’s typical bonding moments with him is when she sings while daddy dearest plucks his guitar strings.

Aivy Mae Castro, 20

This Daanbantayan native has one of the most riveting faces up close, and we would happily learn that her stunning exterior is matched by a generous heart. A fourth year Management Accounting major at University of Cebu, Aivy has spent her Christmas since 2010 with friends handing out food and other goods to street kids. What started out as a fun project among pals became an annual endeavor which Aivy hopes to formalize through an organization if she is lucky enough to be crowned the next Miss Cebu.

Her fierce interest in charity work is a perfect fit for the Miss World Philippines cause, and Aivy admits it’s her dream to someday follow in the footsteps of Megan Young and Valerie Weigmann.

“I love travelling and I want to enrich my knowledge about Cebu,” says the Miss Mandaue 2014 fourth runner-up and Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014 finalist.

Katherine Jumapao, 22

Ladies who go against the grind and buck the stereotype are fascinating, don’t you think? Such as this one Katherine who narrates how the Miss Cebu 2015 screening panel looked unbelieving when she divulged she was a basketball player. Here’s a gal who’ll willingly kick off her stilettos in exchange for rubber shoes and rule the ball court if she wants to.

Her sports inclinations aside, Kat is a Business Administration graduate from USC who currently earns her keep as a property specialist of Ayala Land Sales, Inc. This nature lover from Lapu-Lapu City brought up the subject of previous attempts to divide the province of Cebu into two (the so-called Sugbuak), stating she’s against the idea, as she thinks “there should only be one Cebu for us to unite and move forward.”

Rio Liza Vestil, 21

Born to parents who are both military soldiers, Rio grew up inside a military camp. Now residing in Consolacion, Rio works as an audit associate after securing an Accountancy diploma from USC. Her previous pageant titles include Miss Consolacion fourth runner-up, Miss Talamban second runner-up and Miss JPIA first runner-up. After her Miss Cebu stint, she expressed her desire to be the first Cebuana to win the Bb. Pilipinas Supranational title.

A fan of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects, Rio, detailed how she can help the awareness campaign of recycling or reusing waste materials by posting online a step-by-step guide on how to create beautiful things from garbage.

This beauty ambassadress aspirant is of the opinion that Filipino politicians should cease “destroying each other, and instead redirect their efforts towards more pressing matters.”

Lucena Rose Magdadaro, 23

One of this batch’s stand-outs is former taekwondo player and varsity basketball player Lucena, who last year represented the town of Sogod in the Miss Philippines Earth pageant.

Lucena, a sophomore Nursing student at Cebu Velez College, has dreamt since she was a kid to be hailed as a Miss Universe title-holder. But that’s getting ahead, because now, she is focused on being the 31st Miss Cebu winner. “I am not better than any of these girls, because we are all beautiful and intelligent , but I know for a fact that I am different because my confidence is not rooted from how I look or how I speak I mind, but because of who I was, who I am right now, and who I want to become, which is Miss Cebu 2015,” declared Lucena with unmistakable conviction.

She claims that while gender bias is not as prominent in Cebu as in other places, discrimination towards members of the LGBT community still exists. The solution, if you ask Lucena? “Tolerance. As much as we love our religious brothers and sisters, we should also love others regardless of gender,” she says.

Catherine Mier, 23

Pride of place is what this candidate admirably possesses. Catherine would not miss an opportunity during the Q & A to mention her beloved hometown of Argao each time she answered a query. Indeed, the Advertising Arts graduate of USC says she is passionate about promoting her hometown, and sharing her wisdom to the youth of Argao by organizing trainings for them every now and then.

A Miss Argao 2007 fourth runner-up, Cath is an accounts manager at Dranix Distributors P & G Division.

Rosalyn Clavano, 23

Ross is proud to disclose that she literally grew up in the mountains of Dumanjug…among cornfields and coconut trees, up until she finished high school and she needed to move to the city to pursue college. Plucked out of her comfort zone, her first two months in the city were spent crying  at being overwhelmed by unfamiliar surroundings. She shares, “That’s why I used to be so timid and shy and it’s hard for me to speak in a crowd like this, because I’m from the province. During interviews, I find it hard to express myself without my voice shaking. But I’m trying to cope.”

Cope she did, for Ross managed to graduate from USC armed with a Nursing degree, got herself hired as manager at Intellicare Asalus Corp., and is now simultaneously a second year Law student at USC. This online gaming fanatic had joined Miss Mandaue 2011 and Miss Resorts World Manila 2012.

Ma. Genefe Navilon, 23

Gen brought with her a self-penned poem during the Miss Cebu 2015 screening panel interview, and with the way things turned out, this looker apparently has a way with words.  A graduating Mass Communications major of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Gen deems it an achievement to have garnered 3,000 followers for her blog that she started just last January. This writer-model also organizes Sunday meet-ups for a group that calls itself the Young Cebuano Writers Club.

One current headline that Gen is particularly opinionated on is the Jennifer Laude case, and on that, she gave her two cents: “I believe that the VFA and Jennifer Laude case is one-sided and prejudicial. I think we need to send a clear message to these foreigners that they can’t just come into our country and exercise power against us and not have any consequences.”

Gen previously tried her luck in Miss Mandaue 2011 and Miss Philippines Earth 2012 pageants.

Domenic Reynes, 21

Architecture is Monic’s passion,  stating that she is interested in providing infrastructure that will develop “the island of Cebu into a better living community, and make it a place of interest in the country.” The dusky beauty is almost close to achieving those goals, as she’s in her fifth year as an Architecture student at USC.

One interesting tidbit about this Punta Princesa, Cebu City resident? She loves climbing trees! Not quite lady-like, but that’s why these Miss Cebu girls are not your run-of-the-mill pageant finalists. Naturally, her love for trees and everything else nature offers make joining Miss Philippines Earth an appealing option for her in the future.

Of what social issue in Cebu concerns her the most: “It’s the increasing cyber crime in Cebu especially among children in places like Cordova and Talisay. It is very important that we take care of the welfare of these kids and give them a better future.”

Wynonah Van Joy Buot, 20

Is there a high chance the Miss Cebu crown will go to another UP Cebu product, following in the footsteps of excellent speaker and Miss Cebu 2014 winner Cheriemel Diane Muego? By the look of things, Wyn (UP Mass Communications graduate, currently a sales and marketing associate at LOHAS Skin +Slimming House of Beauty) possesses the same sharp mind and model physique as last year’s queen.

Wyn, a Miss UP Cebu 2012 winner, migrated at age five to Saudi Arabia with her parents who found greener pastures that side of the globe. She lived there for 11 years, only coming home to Cebu four years ago to get a college education here. Back in Saudi Arabia, she spoke Bisaya at home, Tagalog in school, and learned Arabic also in school.

Talking about the causes that are closest to her heart, Wyn shares, “I have advocacies that concern the environment and education inequality, because in my university, I was a proud member of a socio-political organization that pushed advocacies concerning those areas. As a Mass Comm graduate, I’ve learned that communication plays a vital role in nation-building because it shapes people’s views, attitudes and interests. So if I were to address the problem of garbage, we should foremost utilize the different forms of media which the traditional forms of print and broadcast, as well as the new media or the Internet in order to forward our environmental advocacies.”