JANINE TUGONON – Grace under pressure

Mari Raymundo Tugonon is used to being under pressure. Probably it’s her rigid training at the Ballet School of Manila that taught her to endure discomfort with a smile; or perhaps her difficult childhood in Orion, Bataan, where she had to help her folks sell fish in plush subdivisons; or maybe it’s the discipline she maintained to graduate cum laude in Pharmacy at the University of Santo Tomas and made her one of the board topnotchers in 2010.

“Grace comes from God,” Janine quips, her signature smile lighting up the ballroom of the Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, where she was invited to grace “Face-Off 2013,” held last month.

Then again, Janine’s glory as first runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant last year (after two attempts at the national crown to represent the Philippines) was momentarily overshadowed
by her breakup with the boyfriend, supposedly because of her attraction to “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.”

Truth be told, Janine remains the simple lady she is all these years. In person, she is really stunning—yes, in sheer simplicity and sans styling. She personifies the Pinay pretty: brown of skin, demure in demeanor, ever smiling and accommodating.

In between posing with fans for a souvenir shot, Janine candidly answers our queries the way she knows best—from the heart.

How has life changed since you became Miss Universe first runner-up?

My life? Hmm … basically the same. I’m a very simple person.

I still go out without makeup, wearing jeans and a shirt. In Manila, I live with my sister and we do everything ourselves… drive, clean the house, go to the grocery, cook food, run errands, pay the bills. We don’t have helpers. Everything I did before, I still do today. One major change lang is people notice me now, being a public figure. But everything else is pretty much the same.

If you can do it again, what would you have done differently in your performance at the pageant?

I’d fix my hair during the swimsuit competition nung final night. I would make it like the style in the preliminary night. It was kinda flat kasi, ‘yung top part ng buhok ko nung finals.

What are you busy with these days? 

Still under BPCI, but I’ll be leaving for a few months to study.

Have you decided on a particular field you’d like to further pursue, maybe a master’s degree in pharmacy?

Not yet, actually. I have things in mind na pero hindi pa sure. Psychology is my first option ‘cause I want to pursue forensic psychology. No dates yet. Still fixing a lot of thing.

At one point you were hailed as a hero by the Filipino people (after your Miss Universe stint), and barely a year after, you were bashed on social media. What can you say?

I never saw myself as a hero. Those who really know me can attest that I’m very low-ke. “Idol” and “hero” are two big words. And for me only Jesus deserves to be called such.

Well, what happened to me was my fault and I felt bad about it. But at some point, you have to move on. I won’t let that mistake define who I am. I learned a lot from it so now it’s time to fulfil His plans for me. I have a very solid spiritual family, my church family who has really helped me go through the experience. It was a trying time, yet I learned many lessons from it.

Are you still practicing your profession as a licensed pharmacist?

I’m not. But I want to someday.

Any plans or offers to join show business?

No plans as of the moment.

Who to you are your top three beauty queens of all time?

Oh, they are all pretty.

I don’t know what to say … Margie Moran, Gloria Diaz, Lara Quigaman. Mahilig kasi ako sa Filipina eyes. I love their eyes.

What part of your body makes you feel self-conscious?

I think I have big hips and thighs. That why I’m trying to lose more pounds.

How do you unwind on a busy or stressful day?

I am an outdoor person. I like challenging stuff like surfing, hiking.

Name three celebrities you want to get to know.

Ay, madami! Gwyneth Palthrow, Matthew Gray Gubler and Hugh Laurie are three I would like to get to know. Gwenyth Palthrow has a very strong presence and I really admire her. Matthew Gray Gubler is in one of the series I am fond of—”Criminal Minds.” Yeah, that’s me … huge fan of crime-related shows. Hugh Laurie is the lead in “House MD.”

He is a great actor. All three celebrities strike me as smart, strong and eccentric people. Their characters fascinate me.

Have you explored Cebu? What do you think is the best feature of this metropolis? If not, what have you heard about Cebu that you’d like to check out?

I’ve been to Cebu several times but usually for work. I would love to see the beaches.

What tips can you give to Ara Arida to bag the Miss Universe crown?

I know she’s getting all the training she needs, but one thing I can tell her… which is very important.. is to enjoy the moment! Have fun and savor the whole experience. Stop thinking “I have to act like this or that,” “I have to show off for them to notice me.” Just do your best, show your genuine self, and enjoy. But don’t do it just for yourself; do it for your country and do it for God. I am really excited for Ara. Joining Miss Universe is a very memorable experience—the people, the staff are all nice. The experience will surely teach her a lot.

If you can face God today, what would you tell him?

I’ll tell Him: “ Lord, use me once again to advance Your Kingdom here on Earth so when the time comes that I’ll be with you in eternity I can joyfully say … I am done, I am finished. Here I am, use me, mold me and send me for Your glory.”

What is the dream you would most like to fulfil?

I want to be a profiler/forensic psychologist. I really find the field interesting and fascinating!

How do you stay grounded, remain authentic?

Like I said earlier, I am the type of person who doesn’t care much about people’s achieves. For me, achievements here on earth are just temporary, superficial. Whatever I attain this lifetime, I strongly believe that it is not just because of my own efforts.. It is because of God … of Jesus … He gives me what I need, the right people around me—to either help fulfill my desires or teach me important lessons in life.

Describe your ideal man.

Someone who has a genuine relationship with Christ. If he has that heart, the heart open to know Jesus, a true believer, then everything else will follow … how he reacts to situations, how he treats me … everything!

If you can be reborn as a man, who would you like to be?

Let me think … wala akong maisip na particular person. Siguro if I were a man, I would love to have a great singing voice, play different instruments and possess an artistic flair like painting or drawing. Frustation ko kasi ang mga ‘yan. Nung bata ako, I used to sing and draw, but they were not
developed. I was focused on academics noon eh.

What’s your relationship status now?

I am sorry. I don’t want to comment on that. I don’t want to start a topic that people will react to. I know you understand where I am coming from.

Would you fall for a gay guy?

Hmmm …. that’s tough. I have a soft heart for gay people. I love them!

Really, I have a lot of gay friends. My bestfriend is gay. But in this light, if I have prior knowledge of the man’s sexual preference, that he’s gay and all, I would do my best to resist intimacy. Because it will be a painful reality for me. I saw that situation in real life. I know how a girl who’s madly in love with a gay person got really hurt. I don’t want that to happen to me.

But in the case where I have no idea na he’s gay pala and I fell in love with him and then we got married, only to find out much later—just like in “My Husband’s Lover”—I wouldn’t give up on our
marriage that easily. I value marriage a lot and I’d rather get hurt, go through a tough process and stay with him than leave.

As a married woman in the future, would you consider representing the Philippines in the Mrs. Universe pageant?

No! I am so done with joining pageants. I did my part in that area of my life so enough na.

Do you believe in destiny?

I believe that we have the freedom to choose, the freedom to fullfill our own destiny. God already planned our life. That’s a fact but He also gave us free will to choose which path we want to take. In love, I don’ believe in soulmates or those things. There is no such thing that one man destined to be with this specific woman. What God designed is for us to know Him first so that when the time comes, when we will choose who to love and commit to, we will know the right one. It’s all in our hands. That’s the power of free will. It’s God’s gift!