Miss Mandaue 2018 fulfills her vow with Green Wave project

CEBU, Philippines — When Gabriella Ceniza Carballo was crowned Miss Mandaue 2018 last May, she promised to take off her sash, crown and heels in exchange for simpler clothes and be of actual service to the people of Mandaue City. Six months into her reign, the beauty queen is keeping her word through the advocacy project dubbed Green Wave.

With her first runner-up Nicole Borromeo and second runner-up Regine Garcia on board, the trio swore to each other after coronation night that they ought to become a court “remembered for making a change.”

Gabriella told The Freeman how, three weeks into their reign, they swept the Miss Mandaue Committee off their feet with a list of about 20 ideas for their advocacy project.

“I messaged them in our group chat to propose ideas for projects that related to our advocacies – mine and Nicole’s being waste management-related and Regine’s focusing on promoting equality and decreasing poverty.”

“Our list ended up having about 15-20 project proposals. We brought it up to the Miss Mandaue committee, who said they were shocked because we were the first court apparently to ever even propose a project, let alone 15-20 projects. We decided to focus on waste management, since it’s my reign this year,” began Gabriella, who saw the need to educate Mandauehanons on the issue after visiting homes and interviewing people for a school project.

Focusing on teaching children in their formative years, grades four to six pupils from different public schools around Mandaue City were eyed to participate in the educational drive. Meeting up with Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and City Treasurer Atty. Regal Oliva alongside other government officials which included the head of the Mandaue City Environment & Natural Resources Office (MCENRO), the ladies explained their project during a meeting at the Oakridge Executive Club.

“The government was extremely supportive! They were all smiles during our meeting and kept saying that they were proud of our work. They allowed us to push through with our project with absolutely no hesitation. Everyone seemed almost as excited as my court and I were.”

In partnership with the Children of the Coast Foundation through Miss Mandaue co-chairman Jonnette Alquizola, Green Wave now functions as an independent project run solely by the Miss Mandaue 2018 court and pageant committee.

Gabriella explained that the “wave” in “Green Wave” symbolizes the “ripple effect” brought by the change. It is also a nod on the pageant industry, since beauty queens are often seen waving.

Each visit starts with gathering the children and giving them snacks after a long school day. Showing a video presentation about waste management and environmental sanitation, the kids are then divided into three groups, each one led by Gabriella, Nicole and Regine.

Through games, the children discuss several questions about waste disposal: learning about biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, and explaining the importance of proper waste disposal.

Practicing what they’ve learned during the discussion, the students then play a game of “waste basketball” wherein they try to classify small balls labeled with different kinds of common garbage materials. With two clear garbage bags ahead of them, the team picks up a ball and places the garbage into the bag where they think it belongs. The team with the least mistakes wins and gets a prize.

Before saying goodbye with more food and a picture doing the pageant wave, the students summarize what they’ve learned and promise to share their knowledge at home.

“To be honest, I was a bit nervous, because I truly have never planned a project like this. Even so, I expected it to be very enjoyable…and it was. If you look on my Instagram or the Miss Mandaue Facebook page, we have some photos with the kids. The children were incredibly sweet and very attentive and respectful,” Gabriella says of their first session which took place at the Mandaue City Central School.

Losing track of time during their first run, Gabriella, Nicole and Regine quickly realized how much fun it is to work with kids. Since then, they’ve made sure to mind the time in consideration of the parents who were waiting to pick up their kids.

“The thing with a project like this is that the change initially starts at home. The children promised that they would tell their families what they had learned and make sure they do their best to apply it in their daily lives.”

Still, the limited time they get to spend with the kids has slowly influenced the children of Mandaue City.

“After our first class, I actually received a private message from one of the girls that attended,” shared Gabriella, “and she was telling me how much I inspired her to try out Miss Mandaue in the future and become a strong advocate for something like proper waste disposal. It totally made my heart melt!”

Despite her busy schedule, Gabriella – a third year Nursing student at Cebu Doctors’ University who attends class six days a week – said that the Green Wave sessions have not interfered with her academics. That’s because she and her runners-up decided to put their education first.

 “The kids at our projects always keep me feeling awake and happy even after a long day of work,” she said.

“The main challenge would probably have to be trying to find time within our busy schedules to meet up for a ‘wave’. Since school is really my main priority, the only way I can overcome it is to look far ahead in my school schedule and find the small gaps that I can fit in a visit. It really helps though that my school is just here in Mandaue.”

They use each class as a learning experience for the next one, making sure that every session is special despite discussing the same things.

“We are always improving and making the following ones better. We try to improve the flow and not take up too much time, so the students’ parents don’t have to wait on them for so long,” she added. “And we add details if we believe it would make the event more fruitful.”

Gabriella’s favorite part is the warmth that spreads through her heart at the end of each class. Sharing hugs, taking pictures, and talking with the kids, she is reminded that their purpose goes beyond the projects they implement.

“Knowing that I, a member of the youth myself, have been able to implement change not only in terms of proper waste disposal, but also in the hearts and lives of the youth, truly gives me another reason to wake up each morning. Nicole, Regine, and I are nothing but smiles at the end of a class.”

Gabriella speaks for her court when she says that they wish they could do more projects. Apart from being a voice and the face of change, she feels extremely proud to back her words with deeds.

“I wish I could say I was satisfied, but I’m not, because I wish I could do more!” Gabriella laughs, wistful at thought that she, Nicole, and Regine were just normal girls who found a way to lend a hand.

“I’m so happy, because seeing firsthand the impact that I have on the kids gives me this unexplainable joy. I’m proud because being normal girls who tend to doubt themselves and their capabilities at times, my girls and I have been able to bring an idea to fruition.”

Launching the Green Wave movement last August, they wrapped up their third and last class with the Mandaue City Central School students this month. For their final meeting, Gabriella emphasized the value of gratitude, describing the event as bittersweet.

“As much as we have seemingly changed a part of their lives, they are unaware of how much they have changed ours,” she quipped.

With the end of their first batch of classes comes another chapter for other kids to learn. Eyeing the rest of the public schools in Mandaue City, more students will be able to ride the next Green Wave at their respective schools come January.

“We want to reach as many public elementary schools as we can here in Mandaue. The three of us are currently students, so it’s quite difficult to be able to hold a ‘wave’ every other week. But with the time we can find, we hope to reach as many children as we can.”

At the moment, Green Wave is centered on kids, since their main goal is to empower the youth. To mobilize and involve the rest of the Mandaue City locals, one of Gabriella’s goals is to organize a clean-up drive. Apart from proper waste management and environmental sanitation, the aspiring medical practitioner is also concerned about the vaccination of children throughout the city.

“I would just like to ensure that parents follow the vaccination program set by the Department of Health, including vaccines for Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tuberculosis, and others. These vaccinations have been proven to provide immunologic armor and should be trusted. Being a student nurse, I feel that I have a responsibility to promote awareness on this issue.”

Gabriella, who has about six months left as Miss Mandaue, has realized how quickly the year has passed. Asked to describe her reign, she said that the question makes her sad.

“My reign has been life-changing in the sense that I believe it has made me grow as a person. It has pushed me to achieve for change outside of my own self – like waste management for Mandaue – which also makes my reign unique, I suppose,” the 49th Miss Mandaue title-holder mused.

Gabriella – born and raised in Florida before moving to Cebu at 14 years old – was able to foster a “great deal of love” for the city she serves, and knows that that love will go beyond her reign. Most importantly, she’s learned that each of us is capable of doing something and leaving a mark.

“no matter who you are, you are capable of so much more than you ever thought possible. And because I’ve learned that, I now have fuel to boost me for the rest of my life.”

Gabriella and the Miss Mandaue Committee haven’t spoken about what to do with Green Wave post-reign. But whether or not the next queen will pick up where they left off, she hopes to have done enough to inspire the next winner to take action on things they’re passionate about.

“In the end, I’d really just want to inspire the succeeding Miss Mandaue winners to do something significant with their title and use it to make a difference,” she shared.

As someone who never thought she would join pageants, Gabriella can’t believe it herself when she says that she would like to sign up for more. The decision would have earned a laugh from her 11-year-old self. But with her window of experience, she doesn’t see any reason to quit now.

“With plenty of training from my Kagandahang Flores Cebu family and adequate time to improve my skills in Filipino, I would love to join Binibining Pilipinas at some point after graduating. My goal there would really just be to do my absolute best. And if it wins me a title, then great!”

Before becoming Miss Mandaue, she was not short on beliefs and advocacies she was passionate about. But she felt like just an ordinary girl who had no resources to be actually of use.

She wants to give people who thought the same a boost.

“I learned later on that everyone truly respects those who advocate for positive change, no matter who you are. So if you’re lying in bed for an entire day thinking about the things in your town, your city, or the world that need to change, step out of bed and refuse to be confined by the four walls of your bedroom,” urged Gabriella.

She advises other kids to look for people who have the same passions. What happens after that is in your hands.

“Talk to people who can help you bring your beliefs to life. Grab a few friends who feel the same way and find ways to promote your thoughts. The course of your change is entirely up to you – start today and keep pushing through. It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it, as long as it’s truly something you want.”