Two Cebuanas join Miss World Philippines 2018

CEBU, Philippines — Miss Cebu 2013 Namrata Neesha Murjani and Miss Hannah’s Tourism Ambassador 2018 Kylah Kristianne Yve Sanchez, both of Cebu, are among the 40 official candidates of this year’s Miss World Philippines search.

 Neesha, 25, is back on the national pageant stage after competing in Binibining Pilipinas 2015. The Fil-Indian is making her pageant comeback after focusing on her career for the past three years.

 The beauty queen says it was only late last year that she decided to join MWP 2018. Neesha, who has been with pageant camp Aces and Queens since 2012, somehow felt like there was some catching up to do having been out of the pageant grid for a time.

 “That was probably one of the reasons why I didn’t want to join after Binibini. But I also felt like I can do it. It was really just the weight that was holding me back. I still love the industry. I still model whenever I can, it’s a stress reliever for me. You can’t take it out especially if you love doing it and it’s a passion already,” Neesha tells The Freeman.

 Now that she feels like she’s built her career well, Neesha decided to pick up where she left off three years ago and get back on her unfinished business with pageantry.

 “Joining has always been on the back of my mind and I kind of neglected that but last year I was so determined. I feel like I’m good with my career. So I went for it and did the training,” she says.

 Although she moved to Manila for work four years ago, Neesha comes home to Cebu when she can to run the family business. And because Cebu is home. The Biology graduate from Cebu Doctors’ University, who is representing Cebu City in MWP, says she’s changed and learned a lot the past three years and feels like she’s more prepared now at 25. She says her walk has improved and that her Q&A and communication skills have developed since working in marketing communications and PR.

 “Emotionally, I’m stronger now. I used to get so affected. Now, when I read one comment, it’s nothing. And I’ve joined the nationals. It’s way different. I know how to act on certain things. I think I grew a lot over the three years. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve been active with charity works,” Neesha says.

 Bullied for her looks, Neesha would always be behind the camera because her classmates told her that she was ugly and that having her in photos would only ruin the photograph. That made her drop her beauty queen dream until she got to college more people learned to appreciate her beauty.

 Although she doesn’t feel like a self-assured woman and still deals with mean comments, Neesha muses that having a good career and running a business at 25 is a good sign.

“I’m at a good place right now. There’s always room for growth. I have a lot to learn and I’m only halfway to 30,” she quips.

 Neesha, who advocates for street children, likes to think that she would have a crown by the end of MWP.

 “Of course Miss World. But at the same time, at this point any crown would do because each crown has its own purpose. You can always achieve your advocacy whatever crown you win. But I like to think I have a crown and I don’t want to think otherwise because it’s going to change my focus.”

 Representing the municipality of Compostela, 18-year-old Kylah is the youngest MWP candidate this year. Despite her age, the Grade 12 General Academic Strand student from the University of Cebu has achieved a lot what with her Miss Hannah’s Tourism Ambassador, Miss Grand Chinatown, and Mandaue’s Panagtagbo Festival Queen titles and joining the first staging of Binibining Cebu last year.

 The teen admits that she didn't expect to get into the pageant industry. In fact, her lifelong dream is to play pro in volleyball. But Kylah says that people must have seen potential in her and it would be a waste not to give it a shot.

 “Off stage, I don’t think people see me as competitive, but when I’m on stage it just comes out. There have been a lot of discouraging people who ask me about why I even bother joining pageants. That I don’t walk well, and that I’m not fluent in English,” she says. “But I keep doing my best to prove them wrong.”

 Kylah says that her age could be a bit of a disadvantage but at the same time she thinks that being young is her edge as well.

 “I’m young and I’m dedicated. My parents taught me to aim for the best and to never settle for less because the higher you set your goals, the bigger efforts you exert. And that’s why I have my eyes on the Miss World Philippines crown,” she says.

 This year’s MWP staging is looking up to be an interesting fight early favorites such as Miss Intercontinental first runner-up Katarina Rodriguez; Miss Earth Air 2017 and former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Kim De Guzman; Miss World Philippines 2016 First Princess Arienne Calingo; Alyssa Muhlach, the daughter of actress Almira Muhlach and former basketball star Bong Alvarez and niece of Aga Muhlach; and Miss Manila 2017 Maria Gail Devora Tobes.

“It makes me feel pressured but I take it as a challenge to showcase what I’ve got,” Kylah admits when asked how she feels about not only competing as a relative rookie but also competing with national and international placers.

“But I’m staying positive. Getting into MWP is not easy. It’s a big deal for me to compete with these people. I’m going to learn so much. Being in MWP as one of the official candidates is already an achievement.”

 For Neesha, she thinks it’s inevitable, and the best thing that one should do is to roll with the punches and keep up with the competition.

 “It’s part of it. There’s always going to be someone who’s famous. You can’t avoid that. You can either be the famous one or the not as famous. But we all have an equal chance to get the crown. Our experiences in life our unique: whether you’re a title-holder or a career-oriented person. All candidates deserve the crown,” Neesha offers.

 The reigning queens, Laura Lehmann (Miss World 2017 Top 40), Sophia Senoron (Miss Multinational 2017), Cynthia Thomalla (Miss Eco-International 2017) and Teresita Winwyn Marquez (Reina-Hispanoamericana 2017) will turn over their crowns and make way for a new set of winners on October 7 at the Mall of Asia Arena.