Megan on life after the crown

After winning the Miss World pageant, Megan Young has made it her life’s commitment to continue reaching out to the world to share her passion for life, career and advocacies.

Delivering this promise through her chosen craft, she gives a fresh take on the iconic Marimar role and opens up about her life to depict what the essence of being a modern woman is.

 A daughter to a Filipino mom and an American dad, Megan was brought up in Subic, Zambales along with four siblings. She reflects upon her memories in the paradise she calls her hometown and remembers how she and her friends would run away to a secluded beach in Zambales to play games and set up a tent or even a hammock.

“I love Zambales. It’s so beautiful, it’s so nice. We like taking the bangka and going to the other islands in San Antonio, doon sa may port sa may Pundakit. Pagpunta niyo doon, mas maganda kung hindi Holy Week or holiday. Pupunta lang kayo doon, as a barkada. You know, the more the merrier,” Megan says.

She continues, “Before, I didn’t really enjoy walking as much, but I’ve learned to appreciate it because you see so much of the places you go to when you walk. You see so much culture, you see the things that you don’t really see from the tourist spots. I like going to the outskirts, or where the locals go. I discover the places on my own na lang and kunwari may isang kainan na medyo out of the way, talagang pupuntahan ko dahil masarap daw doon, kaya sige pupunta ako diyan.”

She admits to be at every adventure’s mercy. Looking forward to a refreshing break after a stretch of hard work is what excites her the most. This is probably the reason why she is always on the go and looking for new places to explore.

Aside from being a go-getter, the Kapuso actress’ demeanour is what makes her stand out. When asked about her upbringing, she admits that her mother is her biggest influence.

“One quote she said that always sticks with me is ‘kill people with kindness.’ You can never go wrong with being kind. Kahit anong itapon sa’yo, kahit na may masabi ang mga tao sa’yo, always be the better person. Kasi at the end of the day, it takes you very far and you will feel more fulfilled as a person when you’re nice than when you’re mean to people.”

She has carried this outlook in life with her, even through rejections, while also believing that the things meant for her would never pass her by. True enough, even though she did not get the ultimate princess title when she joined the GMA artista search StarStruck, Megan grabbed different opportunities that eventually led her to taking home the crown during the Miss World pageant in 2013.

She says, “I don’t know if I would have done showbiz if I didn’t do StarStruck. I would have done something else if I didn’t. I probably would have been a reporter, a writer, or a filmmaker. But it started the path for me to be where I am today and I will always be grateful.”

Megan’s grateful attitude as well as determination to improve her craft are what makes her the perfect Marimar — a brave woman with a sense of purpose.

“Marimar is just like anyone of us. She has a dream, she dreams big and she wants to pursue them. How does she do it with no resources? She works hard. She does everything she can, but always with a good heart. And that’s what I want the Filipinos to really look after,” says the beauty.

Megan would like her countrymen to aspire like her and follow their dreams without sacrificing being kind, “You don’t need to step on other people to get to where you want to be. You work hard, and if it gets noticed then that’s great, but if it doesn’t get noticed, work even harder. It’s all about hard work and making sure you do it the right way.”