Queen Gabriella is ready to make a difference

CEBU, Philippines — Gabriella Ceniza Carballo is barely out of her teens but her mind is beyond her years. Remarkably in touch with herself, the 19-year-old newly crowned Miss Mandaue 2018 is stately and soft-spoken.

Greeting us with a calm smile, Gabi sat down with The Freeman inside the halls of Mandaue City Hall two weeks after her coronation. Straight from hospital duty as a student nurse, she rushed in wearing her Cebu Doctors’ University school uniform, sash and crown in hand. Excusing herself for a few minutes, she later on reappeared in a pair of heels and her uniform was swapped for a dress.

Born in Miami, Florida but raised in Orlando, Gabriella and family moved to Cebu when she was 14 so they could be with her grandparents. Attending PAREF Southcrest in high school, Gabriella took to volleyball, wanted to be in the broadcast team and fell in love with writing and slam poetry, among other things.

Despite her shyness, she slowly worked her way onto the stage after learning to be comfortable in her own skin.

You would think that after a few quick outfit tweaks, a change of hairstyle, and putting on a glittering crown and sash would transform the unassuming college girl into a glamorous queen. But seated on the couch inside the City Treasurer’s Office was still easy-going, simple, thoughtful Gabi – and perhaps that has made all the difference.

Before moving to Cebu, how was life in the United States?

It was very simple. I grew up in a suburban household, went to public school in elementary, and to a Catholic school in middle school. I had a really fun childhood, I did the cliché knocking on your neighbor’s house, having fun in the afternoon, going biking, going to the park. Fun things you would normally hear.

How did you react when you found out you were moving to the Philippines?

In the beginning I wasn’t very happy. You’re in 8th grade and in this is where you make concrete friendships. With people talking about going to this high school, and normally they would all go to the same high school because we lived in the same area, and with them saying that and me knowing that I wasn’t going to be a part of their lives anymore—I wasn’t very happy. However my mom told me “I would never do anything to ruin your life.” And we came here, went to school and made friends right away.

Were you culture shocked when you arrived?

Not really. I visisted here every two years since I was about two years old. I’ve been able to slowly get the Filipino culture into my life. I grew up in a very Filipino home and I never really became Americanized.

How do you feel about being crowned Miss Mandaue, out of 11 other ladies in one of the toughest batches yet?

It has been a whirlwind of activities, from the Mandaue Gay Pageant, and just walking around hearing congratulations from everyone. It’s been a great two weeks. It still hasn’t sunk in that I won, and I think it never will. Even after my reign I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over the fact that I was crowned Miss Mandaue 2018.

This is your first major crown and out-of-school pageant. Why Miss Mandaue?

Because of my strong family roots here in Mandaue. The Ceniza clan  is one of the largest if not the largest families, and not only did I want to make them proud but also to bring us closer. An immense family like ours, it’s really easy to all lose touch especially over so many different generations that we have. I wanted to bring us closer and also because of my grandfather, Atty. Ramon Ceniza—he was a public servant in Mandaue.

Were you a bit apprehensive joining a pageant in a city you didn’t really grow up in?

Some people might think that I’m just using my family background just because I have strong roots here but on the other hand there is this side of me that felt like I have learned a lot throughout my life, being a leader and just doing well in school, knowing that my hard work paid off and that I could really do something in Mandaue even without my family background. Even though I wasn’t raised here, I still learned a lot along the way and I’ve definitely grown a certain love for Mandaue City. I had an aunt who won Miss Cebu Tourism 1991, her name is Vida Grace Ceniza, she’s a Villanueva now. A lot of her trophies are still at the house, and she’d give me a lot of tips.  I would get random texts and excerpts of the things my grandfather wrote about Mandaue or the government in general. And telling me to just be yourself on stage. Remember that you aren’t vying for a crown, you’re vying to be an ambassadress, and be a voice and so that really helped striving for the responsibility rather than the crown on my head and the title that I would get.

In the beginning, how did you feel when the other girls were getting awards and you weren’t?

I wasn’t surprised because I know all the other candidates were so strong, especially those who won. I really saw them as my toughest competitors. There were so many awards and hopefully I would get them. The Best in Production Number Award was something I really wanted because I really liked that dance and enjoyed practicing it and performing it. And once I won the award, I told myself that from here I can only become better for the rest of the show.

In the second set, you then won a lot of awards. Did you feel like you had it in the bag by then?

For the first one, I was very shocked, and the second one I was still shocked. I was walking back to the girls and I felt like 'Gosh I feel bad.' I didn’t feel like I had it in the bag, not yet because the corporate awards (Miss Maayo, Miss Sky Cable, Texter’s Choice) didn’t really have much bearing on who wins. From there I still thought that it’s still anyone’s game. People were already congratulating me and but I said, no don’t say anything yet until the final result.

For the casual interview, you talked about your love for slam poetry. How did that start?

I liked the casual interview because it allowed you to relax, you’re in a casual setting even in front of a lot of people and they ask questions about you and that wasn’t really hard to think about. You just have to be yourself and show the judges who you are. So I had a really great English teacher, and ever since I was always quiet when I was younger. I started writing around middle school and one of my friends showed me a video of slam poets doing what they do best. I was listening to every word, and I really felt everything and thought 'If I can write, I should also be able to do this as well.' And so I started playing with different metaphors and tried to come up with something and I submitted them to my English teacher who told me to change this, or work on this part a little more. Eventually I came up with my first one and posted it on my Soundcloud, and people appreciated it. I’m also not the type to get angry and I guess one of the reason is because I write my feelings out. I don’t really have negativity left in me to project.

What do you write about? Love? The sad kind or the happy kind?

Yes, love. Well the sad kind. I have a hard time writing happy things because when you’re happy you want to feel it, you don’t want to let it go.

Tell us about your choice during the final Q&A. Would you still have chosen the Miss Mandaue crown over being an SK Chairman?

For the final Q&A, I felt like there was a bit of question not only because I was first one called but because I was first, someone might answer really well after you and think about them rather than you so all that was in my mind at that time was to give the best that I could and not worry about anyone else’s answer because I think that would have affected the way that I answered. And I did stutter a bit. But I just wanted to put my point across, and I wanted the people to know that I am very sincere and very honest with what I want to do in the city and my advocacy. I would still choose the Miss Mandaue crown. I think even after my reign that doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop the projects that I want to do. I think that Miss Mandaue is just a good starting point for me and just like my mindset in the competition, from here we can only move upward.

What is it about your Miss Mandaue journey that surprised you the most about yourself?

I think the night itself surprised me. I’m going to be honest with you, I didn’t practice my poses backstage and on stage I felt awkward, I wasn’t sure about them but I ended up getting an award (Best Runway).

Was joining Miss Mandaue everything that you expected it to be?

It was more than I expected. Growing up I played sports, I was very competitive. But one of my weaknesses during my whole journey, I mentioned that it was comparing myself to other people. I thought that joining and being with all of these other beautiful ladies felt like oh, maybe this will affect me in a negative way. But the reality is that all of us are so close, we still talk, we hang out, we make plans. For me, the candidates and the friendship we made is the biggest and best part of this whole journey.

Even being second to the tallest you still compared yourself with the others?

Oh yeah, for sure. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and I definitely see people’s strengths over their weaknesses. Surprisingly, when I was younger definitely being tall was such an insecurity for me. I have a slouch and it might have been caused by the fact that I wanted to fit in and be at everyone’s level so I wouldn’t sit up straight. The crown did not change the way I see myself, although I can walk in the mall without looking down anymore, stand up straight, and chin up. I’m proud of who I am but that doesn’t mean that I don’t compare myself to others.

Did your mentors tell you about where and how you should improve?

Yes. My eyes get small when I smile. It makes my face look different. So when we’re walking in the mall and Mommy Jonas Borces sees me through the shop window he tells me to open my eyes more, and more hip swaying when I walk. And when answering questions, I just really have to listen to the question properly.

Are you open to getting something done surgically if someone persuades you to?

I don’t have anything against people who do cosmetic surgery. That’s really up to everyone’s personal preference but I’d like to keep what I was given. We’re blessed with the face that you’re given. But if you want to change it, go ahead, no problem. I support that. If it makes you feel better about yourself, if it makes you feel beautiful. It’s just I’m comfortable with the body that I was given. Before, I wasn’t so comfortable but I’ve grown into it.

You seem very close with your fellow candidates, you even found out you were cousins with Mary Ann Antigua. Being one of the most competitive and toughest batches, where did you guys draw the line between friends and competitors?

I think the line is pretty much drawn right before we go on stage. I mean we’re still talking before we get on, and we when we get off the stage we’re talking again. So just the part where we have to showcase ourselves and our own talents. We don’t mess with each other. Right before and right after we get on the stage, we’re friends again.

You mentioned that you were very shy when you were younger. Even though you knew the answer, you wouldn’t raise your hand in class. Why were you so shy and how did you overcome that?

I’m not really sure why I was so shy. It was about fourth grade when our school had a news channel, and I looked at them and said okay, maybe I wanted to be that. I auditioned but I didn’t get in. I also auditioned for a talent show but I didn’t get in. For some reason, I just really wanted to try something out. I was at that point where I decided I was capable of doing more. So in the fifth grade I auditioned for the talent show again, and I got in. I performed “Party in the USA” with my best friend, we had a whole choreography. And from there I just slowly wanted to be on stage. I’m totally not out of my shell yet. I am confident to a certain extent. I don’t really like bothering people, I like to keep to myself but if I need to say something then I will say something, and I will really speak about what needed to be changed and do my best to change it.

Let’s talk about your advocacy. Why environmental sanitation and proper waste management?

It’s something I’m very passionate about. During student nurse duty, I’ve gone to visit the communities. One of our requirements was to choose a family, interview them and determine what the main problem was that they complain about. One very, very common thing was improper waste disposal. I’ve been to the community three or four times, and every single family complains about the same thing. They stated that the trucks are promised weekly, but sometimes it doesn’t come until two, three weeks. And it’s really manifested in the community. You see piles of trash, people throwing trash to the side. The first thing that I really want to do is hold classes, teach them how to dispose of their garbage properly in their own homes, and to figure out a way in order for all the people in the community to help clean up as well as fix or speak to anyone about what’s happening to the garbage trucks.

Are you the type of person to call people out when you see them throwing trash improperly?

I’m actually not. But I pick it up after they leave. I’m not really the type to disturb people. The main thing is, and this is my favorite part of my answer is that—I would really drop the glitz and the glamour of pageantry, and get people, get a group together from anywhere to rally and come together and pick up the trash ourselves. The winners, we try to speak about the plans as a whole court because this is something I definitely do not want to do alone and especially that my first runner-up Nicole Borromeo has a similar advocacy. So first is holding classes because I really believe that awareness and education should come first, and teaching the difference between malata and di malata, which bin to throw their trash in depending on the material and then the clean-ups and really trying to keep this a community effort.

You do realize that you promised this in front of a lot of people. Are you up to the challenge?

Oh yeah, definitely. I am so up for it. I think it’s really cool that I have a platform now, that I can really make a big difference. As a student nurse, I can make a difference but with Miss Mandaue as a platform, I can get a greater amount of people to help me and I think would be really nice to get all of Mandaue to make change rather than just myself. It’s my job to gather people in order for us to do it together.

What do you plan to do with your P100,000 prize money?

Deposit it, because if that’s just sitting there I might keep spending it. I’ve already shelled out some of the money for people I need to thank. But aside from that I intend to use a lot of it for my advocacy. I’d rather spend my prize money than ask Mandaue City to aid me in my projects. I mean that’s a lot, what does a 19-year-old do with all that money?

Your mom was a nurse abroad. You are also taking up nursing. Nurses in the Philippines aren’t valued as much as they are abroad. Do you plan to become a voice for Filipino nurses as well?

The main reason why I took up nursing was because my mom did nursing too. And apart from that, the practicality and the job security as well as being able to take care of people. Every case we handle is different. I think that in the operating room is the hardest yet one of the most fun things because you really get to see a different part of the medical field. I think the hardest part about nursing is all the standing that we have to do. I definitely want to speak about it. It’s nice that you’ve mentioned it as well. That’s probably the reason why a lot of Filipino nurses go to the States and to other countries. If we could make the environment for a nurse here good enough for them to stay, it would be nice to be able to say that yes, I graduated here and I stayed.

You seem to have a resemblance with Maxine Medina. Is that something you want to do, become Miss Universe Philippines?

Of course, yeah. For sure. Maybe when I was younger I would say no, I wouldn’t be doing these types of things but I’m starting to believe in myself more and that I could get something like that hopefully. My main goal is to go back home in the States to work. I have to take things at my own pace and see how things go, take it one day at a time. After graduation, I have to take the board and I want to focus on that first. I am a third year nursing student, this is the final stretch, the last half of nursing so I really need to focus. It was already so hard balancing Miss Mandaue and school. After nursing school, I might stay here for maybe two years to see if Binibining Pilipinas works out for me. If it doesn’t and even if it does, I plan to go home and work as a nurse in the ICU or ER and then proceed as a nurse anaesthetist. I just have to wait and see how things fall into their place.

Your message to those who aspire to be a beauty queen like you?

I think the biggest thing is to really be true to yourself, and never forget who you are. Throughout the whole journey, even in practice I was the type who tended to be very simple. Being true to yourself not only shows the candidates who you are, but also shows the organizers that you aren’t trying to be anybody else. That you’re comfortable in your own skin, with whatever you’re wearing, however much makeup is on your face, whatever you’re saying, how you perform. Stay true to yourself, especially after you get the crown. Photos by Yasunari Ramon Taguchi