Mia Zeeba Ali Faridoon: Cebu's New Ambassadress

CEBU, Philippines -  In school at University of the Philippines Cebu College, she's the jeans-shirt-and-slippers kind of girl and doesn't even bother with lip gloss or a pat of powder.

After just being declared Cebu's fairest, Mia Zeeba Ali Faridoon would have to get used to getting dolled up, donning dresses and wearing high heels. Even when she's a natural stunner without all the beauty reinforcements, looking regal at all times is an expectation as Cebu's ambassadress.

The Filipina-Bahraini was enjoying a sheltered lifestyle back in her father's homeland.

Her Philippine high school in Bahrain followed the country's six-year secondary education curriculum. She did not want another two years of high school, so off she went to pack her bags for Cebu and enrol in the state university's Mass Communications program.

Winning Miss UP 2010 brought about her involvement with UP Tsinelas, a charity organization that aims to help underprivileged children from depressed areas in Cebu. She is also an active debater and member of the official campus publication Tug-ani.

The 19-year-old, who stands at 5'5, dreams of joining the media industry after graduation. But before she gets to do the drilling as a journalist someday, the newly-crowned Miss Cebu 2011 has some curious minds to satisfy with this interview the morning after her victory.

Who prodded you to join your first pageant, Miss UP 2010?

I have a friend in our debate organization Lantugi, she was part of the production of Miss UP and she encouraged me to join. She enlisted my name without my consent. She said just show up in the screening, it's up to you if you want to join or not. But then it turned out okay, so I took it as a challenge. All candidates were asked to make a proposal for a community project. I called mine "Move It Up in Fuente", it's a community involvement project for streetchildren. I opted to organize a vocational workshop for the out-of-school youth, including arts and crafts lessons, arnis and a handcrafts course. Right now, it's being critiqued by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation because they're going to fund it. I'm still waiting for their call. I went there last week and they said it's under final revision.

How about for Miss Cebu?

After Miss UP, Joseph Navales, one of the designers who participated approached me. He's my handler now. He encouraged me to try modeling, which I had no experience whatsoever in before. Around June, he also talked me into joining Miss Cebu. I said, no that's too big and I don't think my Miss UP experience was enough. But he really believed in me so I gave it a try.

What kind of support did your friends and classmates give?

They would always cover for me. If I missed some classes, they would help me catch up. If there were hand-out's given, they would save one for me. After I won, I received 55 text messages from UPians alone. I didn't know how some got my number, but that was quite flattering.

Were you a bit down after not getting any award during the pre-pageant?

During pre-pageant at Fuente, the feedback of all designers and make-up artists was that I didn't have confidence in walking, that they didn't feel my presence on stage, I lacked attitude and I wasn't smiling all the time. I was quite down when I heard that. I told myself I'll just do better on coronation night. And even during the morning before the pageant when we had rehearsals, my designer Wendell Quisido and my make-up artist Vanessa Gamus kept on advising me that I have to smile, I have to put attitude. They said I have to be flirty on stage so that I would leave a mark on the judges. I didn't know how to do that because in modeling, you don't show any emotion when you're walking. So I just remembered all their reminders, and thankfully, that was enough.

Describe the feeling of standing in front of an audience, while you have to maintain composure and think of the best answer for the final question.

It's just about being focused, especially during the final Q&A. I was the first one called to answer so I didn't have time to think about being nervous. I even forgot that it was being aired live. I forgot that there were panelists or judges watching in front of me or that my friends who would probably criticize me if I answered it wrongly were there. I just focused on the question.

As an aspiring media practitioner, what beat would you like to cover?

I'm thinking of taking up another course related to business, probably Marketing or Finance. Because if I'm going to be a journalist, I want to be a business reporter. It's either that or news. I don't want to deal so much with politics because I think they're really problematic. I have a family friend who's an AP reporter and she discouraged me to take up Journalism. She said, you know the issues but you can't do anything about it. I was quite discouraged which was why I thought of focusing on business. I'm also a big fan of sports, I love reading and watching events about it even if I'm not at all athletic. But I think the writing style there is more on feature-type, and that's not my forte. If ever I won't be a writer, I'd like to be a TV reporter.

Other interests or hobbies?

I'm really focused with academics so if I have other hobbies, they would be a secondary priority. I'm the homebody kind of person, I like spending time with my cousins and just chatting with them. Or sometimes, go to the mall with friends and watch a movie.

What major concern do you and your friends often deal with?

I think it's conforming to our peers. Cebu is a big city. Bahrain is a highly-urbanized place too, but the people who go out there for nightlife are the adults or working class, not really the college students or high school teenagers. So I wasn't used to it here when some classmates invited me to go out. I wasn't comfortable with that. So I was just with myself, I didn't go with them, wala ko nagpadala ana.

Tell me a bit about your second country, Bahrain.

It's a Muslim country but it's more open than Saudi Arabia or Qatar. During weekends, it's usually packed with ex-pats and other nationalities because it's pretty much open. Alcohol is served there, there are cinemas...it's quite unlike other Muslim countries. It also has a Philippine school, where I spent high school. I think Filipinos are the third ex-pats with the most number of population there.

How difficult is it to be away from your parents?

I called my mom after I won. She must have watched online, because she said she cried when I was crowned. She was pretty dramatic, saying that I was alone here and no one was really helping me except for my designer and my make-up artists. My aunts and cousins were working so they were only present during pageant night. It was tough, especially during my first year in Cebu without my parents, being independent and no one to rely on. I wasn't very close to my aunts in the beginning, but now I've grown closer to them. It's a journey. It's a good thing. I've learned a lot of lessons through my experiences.

Do you follow any diet or beauty regimen?

The only diet that I follow is that I don't eat rice in the evening. My family is not really a big fan of rice. When I was in Bahrain weeks ago during the Christmas holidays, I think I only ate rice twice. We have a lot of vegetables instead. We never run out of it. As for beauty regimens, I'm also not into that. I even go to school without powder, nothing on my face.

You have a boyfriend?

No, haven't had one yet. Others would think I've never had a boyfriend because my parents used to guard me a lot. But I think that would be the secondary reason. The primary reason would be, because I'm not yet ready.

What type of guy would catch your attention?

Preferably taller than me. I'm not particular with looks, as long as he's not really ugly. I'm also not looking for a strikingly handsome guy, since that will call for a lot of competition from other girls. Just an average guy. I want him to be a God-fearing man because then, other values will follow. He should also be understanding and a busy one. Because I'm busy myself. I have school, I'm part of our school paper Tug-ani and our debating team Lantugi. I usually go home at night because of all the projects and meetings. I don't want to have a boyfriend who asks of my attention all the time. So I'm really not interested in having one yet.