In Focus: Binibining Consolacion

CEBU, Philippines — She was no stranger to school pageants during her elementary and high school years, so joining her town’s grandest beauty search would have been a breeze.

That wasn’t the case for Marz though, as she considers joining Miss Consolacion 2015 the biggest risk she’s taken so far. It was her first time in a pageant outside the academe and the crowd that awaited was much larger. She was also an Industrial Engineering major at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, which, like Miss Consolacion, required her time and attention.

“However, it made me more responsible in terms of setting priorities and managing my time,” begins Marz. “Honestly, I never dreamed of becoming a beauty queen because I’ve always been shy and self-doubting. I even remembered when I was in high school, I cried in front of my teachers because I really didn’t want to join Miss Intramurals. But I felt a sense of responsibility. I must at least show that I can be a confident role model to my fellow students, to be someone who’s not afraid to go out of her comfort zone.”

It was the same feeling that pushed Marz to join Binibining Cebu. “I thought that Miss Consolacion would be my first and last pageant, but the person who encouraged me to join again was Hon. Dr. Joannes ‘Joyjoy’ Alegado, pageant chairman of Miss Consolacion and son of our Hon. Mayor Teresa ‘Nene’ Alegado. I owe everything I am learning and experiencing now to him. He is the ideal mentor anyone would be lucky to have. The Honorable Mayor put her trust on me as well, reassuring me that the whole of Consolacion has my back. Of course, the undying support of my family and friends help me face each challenge.”

Currently employed as an industrial engineer and account executive at a domestic freight forwarding company, Marz loves best the fact that her job allows her to solve problems through creative solutions.

While the course wasn’t her first, or even second, choice (she wanted to take up Elementary Education major in Special Education), Marz says she’s since learned the value of patience, determination, hard work, excellence and eventually, acceptance.

“I learned and now tend to approach things, like problems, systematically. As an industrial engineer, you do not just jump into conclusions, instead you get to the root cause and create solutions to alleviate the problems,” Marz makes a case for her profession.

“We are known as a ‘jack of all trades.’ We use the language of business to build confidence in our ability to deliver timely reports, audit firm performances, and are excellent in dealing with people. Thus, we are the groundwork for future leaders that can demonstrate accountability,” adds Marz, who, after graduating last March, was lucky to have a job waiting for her in the family business of one of her closest friends in college.

The plan for now is to acquire experience to build her credentials in the industry. But Marz isn’t losing sight of her first dream: that is, to follow in the footsteps of her grandmothers who were both teachers.

Consolacion is currently dubbed as the Northern Jewel of Cebu, and here Marz explains why: “Consolacion is a first-class municipality with rural and urban dwellers living in harmony. It is sparkling with opportunities and shining full of promise and hope. It serves as the gateway to the north of Cebu. In terms of commerce, investors and businesses could benefit from the strategic location and accessibility of the municipality from the city to its neighboring towns. In fact, three big commercial establishments have been built here already (SM, Fooda and Citymall).”

“The municipality’s former Municipal Councilor Julius Alegado also said Consolacion is an ideal place for agri-tourism because of its mountain and coastal barangays, some of which have been identified as ideal places for projects. A couple of dining destinations, the man-made baywalk by the mangroves, Cansaga Bay, our San Narciso Church, the heritage exhibit in SM Consolacion and the view of the city from our mountain barangays are must-visits as well. Currently, the town’s tagline is ‘On and On Consolacion’ which definitely imbibes continuing progress.”– VAB