Forever Young

The road to the world is paved with good intentions and great expectations, even if burdened with the challenge to bring home the crown, the only universal/international/world honor that has eluded the country. The closest the Philippines got to bagging the crown was in 1973 when Evangeline Pascual placed first runner-up to USA’s Marjorie Wallace who was dethroned (but the vacancy was reportedly never offered to Evangeline who was quoted as saying that she wouldn’t have accepted it because she didn’t “win” it, anyway). The record was duplicated by Gwendoline Ruais who placed second to Venezuela’s bet.

“I’m aware of it,” 2013 Miss World-Philippines Megan Young in her first extensive interview Sunday last week, two days before she left for Indonesia for her appointment with destiny. At the grand finals of the 2013 Miss World Pageant is held on Sept. 28 at the outskirts of Jakarta, Megan said she has set her mind not so much on winning but on “simply enjoying the experience” so she wouldn’t feel pressured.

Like when it was held in Nigeria a few years ago when a series of protests forced the organizers to haul the girls in the dead of night to London where the coronation night was held without further hitch, this year’s pageant hit an obstacle when, according to an Agence France Presse report, Indonesia’s religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali called for the event to be cancelled, despite the pageant organizers’ concession to axe the bikini round, because “it doesn’t fit with Islamic teachings that say Muslim women should cover immodest parts of their bodies…”

Megan is unfazed by it all.

“I abide by whatever decision is made by the Miss World organization,” said Megan who had barely two weeks to prepare for the pageant in which she’s competing with 127 other girls as gorgeous as she is from around the world. But thanks to a group called The Aces & Queens whose members who have been doing it “for passion” during the last decade, trained Megan, as they’ve been doing to Bb. Pilipinas winners, on poise, right way of dressing/putting on make-up, and how to answer and conduct herself during the crucial Q&A. The Queens are the girls (naturally!) and the Aces, all professionals are: directors Jeffrey Jeturian and Cesar Evangelista, Mercator Agency head Jonas Gaffud, lawyer Nad Bronce, Jimmy Estopace, John Cuay, Mark Besana, Arnold Mercado and BDO executive/Funfare “beauty-watcher” Gerry Diaz.

“Upon arrival in Bali where the pageant was kicked off on Sept. 4,” reported Funfare’s “other beauty expert Celso de Guzman Caparas, “Megan found out that one piece of luggage was missing, which had her make-up items in it. Good thing Miss Japan Michiko Tanaka, her roommate, lent Megan her make-up kit.” (Miss World-Philippines chairwoman Cory Quirino confirmed that the missing luggage had been found by PAL and returned to Megan.)

Although born in Virginia, USA, where she spent the first 10 years of her life, Megan grew up in Olongapo City. Her father is with the US Navy and her mother is a Filipina. She’s taking up a course in Digital Filmmaking at La Salle College of St. Benilde. A Pisces (born in February), Megan stands 5’7.5”. (She refused to reveal her weight and vital statistics.) 

How do you feel about the move for the Miss World pageant to be cancelled?

“I read about it. You know what, when it comes to issues like that involving religion, I really respect people’s opinion. At the same time, since I’m under the Miss World-Philippines and Miss World organizations, I also have to respect and follow whatever their decision is.”

In how many pieces will your heart be broken if, knock on wood, the contest will be cancelled?

“Uhm, I’d be very sad but you know, I still have my responsibilities   and duties as Miss World-Philippines, and that’s what I will continue to do. Like I said, win or lose, I have plans. Whatever happens, I will do my best to live up to my title as Miss World-Philippines and help the Miss World organization.”

The swimsuit competition has been scrapped as a nod to the host-country’s tradition…

“…actually, it hasn’t been scrapped. It was just revamped. What they are doing is that they’ll make us wear one-piece bathing suit but covered with a sarong.”

Oh my, aren’t you somewhat disappointed that you won’t be able to show the world the body-to-die-for that you’ve been working so hard to achieve?

“Well, naipakita ko naman dito sa Pilipinas so, whatever the rules would be in the Miss World pageant, like I said ‘yon ang susundin ko. You know, I’m very obedient naman when it comes to rules. Besides, you can be fully-clothed and be the sexiest woman in the world. People can still see your curves in how you carry yourself. You don’t have to be in bikinis for people to see it.”

How much sweat (and tears?) did you have to shed to get that kind of body?

“I sweated a lot, as in a lot!!! I’ve been working out non-stop for more than two months before the Miss World-Philippines pageant, not only me but the other girls as well, kasi we knew that the winner would only have two weeks to prepare for the Miss World pageant. I won the competition on Aug. 18 and day after tomorrow (on Sept. 3), I’m going na to Indonesia.”

Finally, you realized your long dream to be a beauty queen, nurtured since you were 14.

“In a sense, I’ve really been, quote-unquote, training for the big contest. I think the experience really molded me to the person that I am today. I’ve learned a lot from the people that I’ve met and from different experiences. I am the sum total of what I have been through. The first time I joined in a (regional) beauty contest was when I was 13, Miss Teen SBMA (Subic Bay  Metropolitan Authority), and I finished third. It was just a fun thing for me. But I’m glad I went through it because it educated me about beauty pageants. It gave me a preview of how it felt if you didn’t win in a pageant. Since then, a lot of people had been urging me to join a national beauty contest and I always told them that I wasn’t ready. I waited until I was so that everything that I would say and I would do would be coming from my heart.”

Is it hard to get a body like that? Did you have to starve for it?

“Oh no, I didn’t have to starve for it, I didn’t go to that extent. I followed what may be called healthy eating. I don’t want to call it a diet. Ang ginagawa ko is I eat vegetables and fruits, fish and chicken. I do a research on what kind of food will make me bloat, make me retain water, and it helps.”

Some people felt that you were over-confident during the Miss World-Philippines pageant.

“Who said that? Ang natutunan ko sa mga beauty queens, they always say that you should have self-confidence and it helps to have a mindset that you are the winner. You have to exude that confidence onstage; it makes you shine like a diamond.”

Did you feel that you would be “it” after you bagged six special awards?

“Actually, no. The only time I realized that I won was when my name was announced as the winner. I was very nervous during that finals night although people might not have noticed it.”

How well-prepared are you as you face more than 100 other equally gorgeous hopefuls in the Miss World competition?

“Actually, we are 128 candidates all in all and I wish I had more time to prepare.”

What’s your mindset during the pageant?

“I’m going to Indonesia with just one thing in mind — enjoy the pageant and make the most out of it.”

What do you think is your edge over the 127 other girls?

“I saw them online and I guess my edge over them is that, because I have so much experience meeting all kinds of people and being able to interview them, maybe that’s an advantage. I am able to adjust to all kinds of people.”

Win or lose, will you resume your showbiz career?

“Uhm, let’s see what happens.”

A Venus Raj question: What is one big mistake that you’ve made in your life and what did you do to make it right?

“Uhm, I guess one mistake that I’ve made in life is that I haven’t been able to communicate with certain people as much as I should have. I know that communication is a big factor in sustaining relationships. You know, it took me time to learn to speak Filipino fluently. I did it by speaking to people and it was easy for me because, as you can see right now, I’m very madaldal.”

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