Reluctant beauty queen

Ten years ago, my classmate Diane Luar backed out from being Ms. Cebu Daily News. Then publisher Eileen Mangubat and then executive editor Connie Fernandez agreed I was the most viable replacement for the Miss Press Freedom pageant.

Connie just told me on a Friday — a day before the pageant — that I will represent the paper and that there is no time to say no.

I fainted.

I joined hundreds of essay writing contests, spelling and quiz bees as a nerd girl, but I was never part of any pageant. So the idea of wearing an evening gown competing for the crown got me so nervous that I had to call my mother and ask her to tell my editors that I’m going to melt like ice cream exposed to the sun and will just bring humiliation to the newspaper.

But my mother said it’s no big deal of a pageant as it only involves walking around a small café in a long gown and answering a question most probably about how can I, as a journalist, help uphold press freedom. She refused to take my side and told me to go enjoy the experience.

I was 20 years old.

I was already a pageant buff, an interest which started when Sushmita Sen competed for the Miss Universe crown in 1994 in Manila. My favorite portion was the question and answer round. Later, I realized that pageants like Miss Universe is not a quiz bee. It’s not just about the brain; beauty and brawn count too.

I like analyzing pageants but never had I thought to be part of it as a contestant. But I thought, “Well, here I am. It’s going to happen soon. I’ll just do it to get over it.”

Although hesitant to participate, I was excited to be part of what I thought was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So I set aside my fear and insecurity and let Jet Garigade, the graphic designer of CDN’s Lifestyle section, bring me to the boutique of Ronald Villavelez to choose a gown. It was still a tiny space on Jakosalem Street, if my memory serves me right, and I tried on three gowns.

We settled on a black gown with a long trail. I remembered Jet telling Ronald that I had a high chance of winning because I could answer questions. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and thanked Ronald for his generosity. These days, I’m a big fan of Ronald and his endeavors in the fashion and food business. I feel very privileged to have worn his creation when I was still several pounds slimmer and lighter.

On pageant night, my editor Connie took me to the house of Wenwen Zaspa where I had my makeup. He reminded me that Karla Bautista — Bb.

Pilipinas World 2004 and Miss World Queen of Asia and Oceania, whom we call “Ate Karla” in our classes in UP Cebu — fights in pageants with positive spirit and intelligent answers.

“You should do the same,” Wenwen said.

We arrived in the venue on a Saturday night. It was a café in Crossroads Banilad. The rest of the contestants had armies of supporters with them. I died right there. I was brought back to life when Connie and photographer Lito Tecson told me that we can ace this.

When it was time for makeup retouch, Connie used the lipstick she had in her purse to make me more beautiful. It was a funny sight. The editor and the reporter working hard to compete for a crown. It was Connie and me against the world.

I was the lone news reporter in our batch. There was a lifestyle reporter, a marketing staff and an intern. My heart was swelling with pride when I answered the question: “What can you do to uphold press freedom?”

I replied: “As journalists, our loyalty is on the side of the truth. It should be our goal to inform, inspire and involve people in the work that we do. I uphold press freedom by working and writing stories which present the truth and which is balanced, fair and objective. I am proud to be part of Cebu Daily News, an organization that practices journalism that builds communities.”

I saw my editor clapping like a proud mother on the second floor of the café where the pageant was held. At that moment, I felt like I just won another quiz bee by explaining the quantum theory to the quiz master.

I did not win the crown that night.

I was first runner-up and was awarded — wait for it! — the Miss Vitaginseng Body! I laughed all night and ate a lot. It earned me a month’s supply of a certain slimming powder, which I gave to my senior reporter Jolene Bulambot. The entire newsroom called me “Vitaginseng” for years.

The following day, with the rest of CDN ladies, we were in our belly dancing attire for the dance competition. We practiced for weeks and we bonded over aching muscles and pain liniment.

Today, the small pageant is not anymore a tiny part of Cebu Press Freedom, an annual gathering of media practitioners to celebrate freedom of the press. It has expanded to become Mr. and Miss Press Freedom with four competing organizations — Cebu Daily News, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Sun.Star Cebu and The Freeman — vying for the most coveted titles.

Tonight, I’m going to be the one with the loudest cheer among all spectators. I’ll be cheering on Christian Orellano and Cheche Lara, our Mr. and Ms. Cebu Daily News. I believe we have the best bets in this edition.

There are no profound pieces of advice or “wisdomed” thoughts for the candidates tonight. Just a quick note to tell you to enjoy the experience and to never, ever forget to have fun . Because, clichéd and repetitive it may sound, it is an experience of a lifetime.

To this day, I still relish in the title which former CDN copy editor Althea Capacio bestowed on me: the reluctant beauty queen.

You’ll be talking about it 10 years down the road so get up that stage, show them what you’ve got and give the crowd something to talk and write about.