Celso de Guzman Caparas (The Philippine Star) - January 18, 2016 - 9:00am

MANILA, Philippines – Babylyn Decena Newfield (photo), a mother of four and grandma of four kids, is the country’s representative to the 2016 Mrs. Grandma Universe in Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 19 to 23.

A successful entrepreneur and a staunch advocate of age equality in workplace, Babylyn is our first-ever delegate to the five-year-old pageant. Past winners were Christine Kam of Singapore (2015), Syntia Ong of Malaysia (2014), Marleny Figueroa de Reyes of Guatemala (2013) and Ivana Hamra of Sweden (2012). She was sent by Ovette Ricalde, the Philippine franchise holder of the tilt.

Now a widow (her American businessman husband Bruce Newfield passed away in 2006), Babylyn was my fellow alumni in Victorino Mapa High School in San Miguel, Manila (where celebrities Espie Fabon, Rico Puno, Julio Diaz, Verni Varga and Ogie Diaz also graduated). She is a Mass Communication undergraduate of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.             

BABYLYN BRUCE NEWFIELD CHRISTINE KAM OF SINGAPORE DECENA NEWFIELD ESPIE FABON IVANA HAMRA OF SWEDEN JULIO DIAZ MARLENY FIGUEROA MASS COMMUNICATION MRS. GRANDMA UNIVERSE NBSP