KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - A rousing welcome greeted Bininibing Pilipinas Mary Jean Lastimosa in her homecoming to North Cotabato Tuesday.
Lastimosa, also known as “MJ,†hails from Sibsib area in nearby Tulunan town in the 3rd district of the province.
The welcome honor for Lastimosa, who will represent the country in the 2014 Miss Universe pageant, was organized by the office of North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza.
Local folks are hopeful the 26-year-old Lastimosa, who is a veteran of beauty pageants, would have a good chance to win the Miss Universe pageant.
She won the title “Mutya ng Tulunan†during her hometown’s fiesta in 2003 and was also crowned in 2008 as “Mutya ng Davao†while she was studying in one of the schools in Davao City.
Some 10,000 people from Tulunan and other parts of the province gathered at the provincial capitol grounds in Amas District here to greet Lastimosa.
Her homecoming coincided with the “Sayaw Kutawato 2014,†a provincial ethno-modern group dance contest at the provincial gymnasium also inside the capitol compound.
More than a dozen groups from North Cotabato’s different towns joined in the dance contest, which is part of the activities meant to highlight the forthcoming September 1, 2014 centennial anniversary of the province.
Lastimosa arrived at the capitol here via a helicopter from the Davao City airport, straight from her Manila-Davao flight.
Mendoza told reporters the positive impact of Lastimosa’s win to the local eco-tourism climate is now being felt.
â€We are so proud of her. She placed the province in the pedestal of the country’s eco-tourism chart,†Mendoza said.
Lastimosa, in an impromptu message, said she is thankful to the Mendoza administration for supporting her participation to the 2014 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
She called Mendoza her “second hands-on mother,†as she repeatedly called on North Cotabato residents to pray she would win the 2014 Miss Universe crown.
Lastimosa also called on North Cotabato’s youth to study hard and rise from the daily challenges they face in their schools and in their homes.
“Dream on, keep on, keep struggling. That is life, sometimes we’re down, and sometimes we gain something good we can be proud off. I shall always be a proud child of Cotabato,†Lastimosa said.
North Cotabato boasts of eco-tourism sites, among them the wildlife sanctuary Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak at more than 12 thousand feet above sea level.