Team Cebu is ready to shine at Junior Idol World Philippines 2024

CEBU, Philippines — Ten candidates will be representing Cebu at the Junior Idol World Philippines 2024 in Manila this weekend, February 23 to 25.

They are Kelsey Niña Lopez, 11, from Cebu City; Aranah Tuco, 15, Cebu City; Jairus Fred Diaz Balucas, 16, Cebu City; Ma. Shaiya Oisha Diwa, 16, Talisay City; Zharren Kate Colina, 12, Mandaue City; Abba Nicole Comboy, 18, Mandaue City; Jahmeica Athena Canonigo, 11, Lapu-Lapu City; Samantha Nicole Camero, 18, Lapu-Lapu City; Nikolah Jayne Lavadia, 12, Cebu Province; and Nickoea Marie Whittaker, 14, Cebu Province.

The question of how they balance their studies and their preparations for Junior Idol World Philippines was brought up during their send-off press conference held at CityMall Bacalso, Cebu City.

“It was quite hard managing my time between training and my studies. Even if my studies are important, this pageant is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me, so I manage my time by dividing my studies after practice,” said Canonigo, a sixth-grader at Starland International School. “Sometimes, pageant questions can help my studies.”

Some of the candidates have prior pageant stints, including Lavadia, a sixth-grader at Pitalo Elementary School in the municipality of San Fernando, who finished first-runner-up at Kids Star International 2023 in Thailand.

“I don’t know what I can say about the advantages I gained from there because, for me, it’s still the same. We still compete, we still work hard, train hard to go to the stage, and show people that we are confident. When you are confident, it shows you glow on stage and you become a different person,” Lavadia said.

Comboy, Whittaker, Canonigo, and Tuco also joined Cebu Ultimate Catwalk Superstar last year and shared what they learned from the competition.

“I had to adjust from pageants to catwalk. But that left a mark on my heart that even though I am not confident in catwalks and runways, I still managed to do my best and win the title,” said Whittaker, a ninth-grader at Talamban National High School.

Shared Canonigo: “I learned how to get out of my comfort zone. I used to be very shy and I believed I was unfit for this field. Joining helped me get that confidence boost that I needed to join the national stage.”

Tuco, for her part, competed at Rampa Cebu a handful of times. “I joined thrice. I didn’t win but it doesn’t mean that I should give up,” the high school student from Mabolo National High School said.

“I was 15 when I joined my very first pageant because I was inspired by the beauty queens who walked on stage. They were confident, talented, and beautiful. I want to inspire young girls to continue with their dreams and achieve them,” said Diwa, a senior high student from Southwestern University Phinma.

Being the only male candidate from Cebu pushed Balucas to work harder, stating that: “I will try to show my worth there in the competition.”

- What Cebu has to offer -

The candidates plan to showcase the best that Cebu has to offer at the Junior Idol finals.

“I will promote Cebu by showcasing how beautiful our provinces are, the beaches, the mountains. With that kind of showcase, they would be in love with Cebu because it’s a beautiful destination to visit,” Whittaker said.

Added Balucas, “I think the best thing about Cebuanos is the joy of our culture and how we show it to the world.”

Lavadia, who is originally from Eastern Samar, shared the same sentiments. “I learned a lot from Cebu and the things I learned is what’s inside our hearts, how we treat people with kindness and respect. If we treat them that way, they will do the same to us,” she said.

Diwa remarked, “I know my co-candidates come from different backgrounds, so as a Cebuana, we can always use our voice and that’s what I love in being a Cebuana. I can further promote my advocacy and learn from my fellow candidates’ advocacies, and incorporate them with my advocacy and hopefully collaborate with them.”