Leah C. Salterio - The Philippine Star
February 4, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — One of the challenges in mounting a contest like Miss World Quezon City is the schedules of the ladies, especially their studies for those who are still in school, insisted Jeannie Jarina, national director of Miss World Quezon City.
“There are candidates who sacrificed their studies because that’s one of the important things in their life,” said Jeannie. “We don’t want them to sacrifice their studies.”
Jeannie is also keeping her fingers crossed that the Quezon City government will support the Miss World contest, especially since they already sent a letter to the QC government. “We will showcase the cultural and heritage places of Quezon City,” Jeannie said. “We are very happy to collaborate with them.”
This early, the Miss World QC contest is “blessed” with sponsors, and they are expecting more sponsors to come in as the competition nears its coronation night on April 5 at Novotel Hotel in Araneta Center.
“We are expecting sponsors to join and collaborate with Miss World QC,” Jeannie said. “The winner will receive a P100,000 cash prize, P50,000 for the runner-up, and P25,000 for the princesses.”
JR Atienza of BNY Jeans and Harley Manalili, officer in charge of New Placenta Kojic, were also recently welcomed to the contest.
Ten candidates were presented to the press recently. Twenty-year-old Primrose Ivy Suarez of Barangay Litex Commonwealth debuts in a national pageant by joining Miss World QC. She is advocating for animals which she believes is also her purpose in life.
“I want to share it with others to be an inspiration to many,” said Primrose, who is taking up veterinary medicine at the Cavite State University (CvSU). “I want to give my all for the animals and for the world to have a better place to live in.”
Twenty-three-year-old Cherline Dalangin of Barangay Bagbag graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) with an AB Communications degree in 2023. She was a scholar and an athlete then. She is presently a model and writer.
She joined Miss World QC because she saw in the application form that the girls were required to have a “beauty with a purpose” project. “One of my interests in life is studying philosophy,” Cherline granted. “I am very much a purposeful person. Pageantry is here in order to give back our advocacy, our life story, in order to inspire others. This is my first time joining the pageant outside of my school. I can start wherever in life and I can dream big and achieve it.”
Cherline’s beauty with a purpose project is called a purposeful world of words. “I believe that good words are free. It’s the freest act of kindness we can give. Every time that we speak, if we are given the platform, we can use it in order to give a voice to others.”
Nursing student Jasmin Rivera Lee of Barangay Payatas B marks her third time joining a pageant. At 23, discrimination against women is something that the Far Eastern University (FEU) student will never tolerate.
Ericka Saldivar is 19 years old, representing Barangay Central Alberta, studying at the Lyceum University, taking up International Tourism Management.
“I joined this beauty pageant because I want to show everybody that even though we’re not rich, we have the capacity to make me join this international beauty pageant,” said she. “Joining this beauty pageant, I have the opportunity and platform to share my advocacy and what I want to do. I want to enhance my advocacy of helping little children, and I want to inspire young ones.”
Twenty-two-year-old Anabela Solasco of Barangay Lupang Pangako Payatas, Quezon City is studying at the National University (NU) taking up Tourism Management. She is also a public servant in their barangay.
“I always want to prove to everybody that women are empowered. All women are diverse. We have different shapes, different colors,” said she.
Ashley Nicole Fernandez represents Barangay Empire Payatas. She is presently studying at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Open University, taking up Tourism Management.
“I believe that pageantry is not just showcasing our beauty, our body, and talents,” she said. “The platform given to us is to inspire, empower, and embody positivity and diversity in our community, in our country, and the world. I believe Miss World QC will give us women the platform to be an inspiration and be an empowered woman in our country.”
Shane Denise Ganate of Barangay Sto. Cristo, 22, is presently enrolled at Rizal Technological University (RTU) as a senior student taking up Electronics Engineering.
“The reason I joined this pageant is not only because I enjoy pageantry,” Shane said. “It really felt like Miss World QC was best for me. This is the first time I will join a city pageant. This is my fate and destiny.”
“I would love to participate in this pageant not just to showcase my talent, my looks, and my intelligence. This will also inspire the youth in my barangay, especially the girls who love to join pageantry,” said she. “I would love to teach them and share my knowledge on how to inspire other people and help them in general. I will form a community of women who inspire each other and foster friendship.”
Angelika Triumfante, originally from Albay, represents Barangay Novaliches. She holds a degree in Education. Not her first pageant, she has been joining contests since she was 16. Due to the pandemic, however, pageantry for her stopped. Instead, she decided to focus on her studies.
Seventeen-year-old Asia Rose Simpson of Barangay Socorro is a junior high school student who joined pageantry from the time she was 14, when she participated in Miss Mexico USA, where she won first runner-up.
From there, Asia has always competed in pageants, including Miss Teen USA. To her, pageantry is all about purpose.
“Anything and everything without purpose is useless,” she maintained. “Being a beauty queen is sharing the hope, the love, the grace, and the salvation that come from Jesus Christ.”
Asia’s family has been missionaries since she was a small girl. “I would love to continue to bring my advocacy which I call reserve, share and shine,” she said. “No matter where you come from or your age, you can make a difference. You can use your talents, gifts, abilities, interests, and influence to make a difference to the community and the people around you.”
Jalila Maranan, 19, of Barangay Matandang Balara, QC, is not a first-time pageant contestant. “The true purpose of pageantry for me is finding your core,” she said. “I have a brother who is a PWD (person with disability), and I’m inspired to be his voice and to see his abilities. I believe that if you spread kindness, you are able to share and make this world a better place to live in.”
Not surprisingly, all Miss World QC hopefuls expressed their desire to join showbiz after their pageant experience.
