The Returning Binibinis

One was just points away from the Top Five. The other made it to the Top 20 and was voted Most Professional by organizers.

After much rumination the past few months, Binibining Cebu 2017 candidates Lou Dominique Piczon and Tracy Maureen Perez are giving another go at the crown that was won last year by Apriel Smith.

Lou and Tracy are among the official candidates of Binibining Cebu’s second edition, and they are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a better outcome come coronation in October.

Lou, now on her 13th pageant foray, had always stuck to a personal rule of not rejoining a beauty contest.

“Honestly, I wasn’t planning on it. I don’t join the same pageant twice because there are always other ponds to fish,” says Lou, whose pageant portfolio includes titles as Reyna ng Aliwan 2016 second runner-up, Miss Intramurals 2014 (at the University of San Jose-Recoletos), Miss Mandaue 2014, Miss Summer Queen 2013 first runner-up and Miss Catbalogan City Athletic Association 2008.

“But Bb. Cebu immediately became an exemption because it’s not just any other pageant. It’s one of the biggest and grandest one yet and just to be part of it is already a rewarding experience. Friends and colleagues were also quite persistent in persuading me to join again especially my manager, Sir Danny Booc. It wasn’t until the last minute that I thought to myself, ‘Why not? Maybe I’d get lucky this time.’”

The 22-year-old ultimately decided to make a Binibining Cebu comeback three days before the August 4 screening.

“I haven’t started any pageant training yet but it has been a continuous self work even after Bb. Cebu last year like working out and proper diet because I still do events and modeling,” the five-foot-seven OZAR model shares.

“I just want to keep myself fit and ready for anything. I also don’t like to shock my body whenever pageant season comes, whether or not we decide to join.”

Lou – a Top 20 finalist and a Ms. SHS Batch ‘85 awardee (a.k.a. the Professionalism award) in Binibining Cebu 2017 – is still looking for a municipality/city that will endorse her as their candidate. She represented the town of Dalaguete last year.

Her game plan this time around? To be more present, get out of her comfort zone, and carve a better physique.

“I want to get more involved with what’s happening around me. Most people don’t know but I have the tendency to hide behind walls and isolate myself,” says Lou, known in the Cebu pageant and modeling industry to be a darling to work with: nary a complaint, not one to gossip, and never late.

“It’s not because I’m not interested but because that’s how I’ve always carried myself. It’s a comfort zone,” she continues. “I keep my circle small but I know I’m making progress because I’ve already met so many new, interesting and amazing people in the past year who I want to get to know more and learn from. I also want to challenge my body. I don’t want to be just another skinny candidate. I want to achieve the ultimate body goal: slim but strong and curvy.”

An Information Technology major and aspiring web developer, Lou hopes to represent the country in an international pageant before she turns 26.

Almost there

She was close to winning the Miss Cebu 2016 crown (she’s first runner-up to Gabriele Raine Baljak), and last year was a few points shy of making it to the Top Five in Binibining Cebu 2017.

Tracy, who placed sixth among 54 candidates, admits she felt even more defeated upon learning of her ranking.

She explains, “It’s just hard to know that you were so close yet somehow, at some point, you just fell short. I knew that last year I tried my best, but I also knew that I could’ve done so much better and so this year, I am committed more than ever to make up for whatever I lacked last year.”

The 25-year-old Associate Software Engineer at Accenture wore the sash of her hometown Argao last year, but is this year being supported by the town of Madridejos.

Tracy says friends and relatives were reluctant at her trying her luck again, but that she decided to take a leap of faith.

“The voice in my head and in my heart tells me I should give it another try and that this time, I could actually make it. I have prayed so long and hard for guidance, courage, wisdom, and a brave heart to endure everything that may come my way and now, I am happy to say that I am ready,” she shares.

“It was really a last minute thing. All year round I was always torn between joining again and just letting my doubts stop me from even trying. I just kept on preparing knowing that whatever my decision will be in the end, I can never go wrong with being prepared. My preparation mostly consists of conditioning my body, my heart, and my mind for whatever there is to come.”

Providing Tracy the added confidence this second round is the backing of Origin Model and Artist Management, the same team that Binibining Cebu Tourism 2017 Samantha Lo and Binibining Cebu Charity 2017 Maria Gigante are part of.

 “Last year, I joined Bb. Cebu all by myself. Although I had the full support of my municipality financially, everything else was all on me. But now, I finally am under a great team, Origin Model and Artist Management, who I know will support and help me reach my full potential,” says Tracy.

“For me, something that is sure doesn’t really exist because anything can happen at anytime. But I definitely know that I am more prepared this year with my added determination to win this time around.”