Miss Cebu 2023 Up Close: Mipsen Calves

In just a few days, we will witness the crowning of Miss Cebu 2023.

Miss Cebu is one of the highlights of the annual Sinulog Festival. The pageant began in 1983, and it aims to “showcase the total beauty with the holistic personality of the Cebuana.”

This platform has been utilized to promote Cebu City’s tourism.

The Tourism Commission also emphasized the role of Miss Cebu as an inspiration and role model to young individuals and to the Cebuanos.

CDN Digital had a chance to speak to our 12 lovely candidates backstage and got to know them better personally. Here are some up close Q&A from Candidate No. 5 Mipsen “Mips” Calves, 22, from Cebu City.

**This article is part of a series featuring all the candidates for Miss Cebu 2023.*

Candidate No. 5 Mipsen “Mips” Calves, 22, from Cebu City. | Photo by: Dan Douglas Ong

Q: What makes you unique?

Mipsen: Well aside from my name, which in and of itself is very unique and hard to pronounce or spell, what makes me especially unique is my outlook in life. I am a person who puts value and weight towards the perceptions and opinions of other people of me — sometimes even to an unhealthy extent as I constantly compare myself to others — but at the very same time I also recognize the value of solitude and isolation, preferring to spend time alone on occasion. It’s a cognitive dissonance, a contradiction put simply, that shapes my distinct character of being able to be both selfless and self-regarding at once.

Q: Where is your favorite place in Cebu and why?

Mipsen: My favorite place in Cebu would have to be Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. I was very close to my late lola and one thing I will distinctly remember when I reminisced about her is how strong her faith was and how much she valued her religion. Every time I go to the Sto. Niño Church I’m always reminded of her teachings and how she wanted me to perceive life — with gratitude to the Creator. For me, the church is a manifestation of how I am as a Cebuana, that grounded with faith in the Balaang Bata. I am capable of whatever challenges life throws at me.

Q: What is your favorite Cebuano delicacy and why do you love it?

Mipsen: There are many delicious Cebuano delicacies to choose from, and it is difficult to say which one is my “favorite” since I enjoy everything. However, If I were to choose it would be dried danggit, its salty taste paired with some vinegar and eating it using bare hands is the perfect combination for me — something that best describes what really Cebu’s cultural identity is for me — simple yet able to satisfy us and accompanied by the feeling of wanting to always come back for more.

I have gone above and beyond in an effort to grow and empower not just myself alone, but also the people surrounding me and the people who are very close to my heart — the underprivileged farmers and vendors in the community.

Q: Which celebrity would you invite for dinner and why?

Mipsen: There are many celebrities in the Philippines, who are well-known and respected in various fields of entertainment, sports, politics, and other areas of public life. If I would have the opportunity to invite someone over for dinner it would have to be former Vice President Leni Robredo. As someone who wants to pursue a career in public service, I want to know more about how she handles pressure, and how she can turn it into something meaningful. Robredo has also been a strong voice for the poor and marginalized and has worked to promote social justice and inclusive growth, which I’m so passionate about. As a woman formerly in a position of leadership, she serves as a role model and inspiration for other women and girls, and her work has contributed to advancing the cause of women’s empowerment in the Philippines.

Q: Why do you deserve to win Miss Cebu 2023?

Mipsen: The 12 girls are equally deserving of the crown but I believe what makes me distinctly different and deserving is that I have poured out all of my faith, passion, and love in this journey. I have gone above and beyond in an effort to grow and empower not just myself alone, but also the people surrounding me and the people who are very close to my heart — the underprivileged farmers and vendors in the community. I deserve to win because I have actually already begun working on empowering this sector — not just in the form of intangible plans and projects but through actual initiatives that have already been implemented. I look forward to working more and expanding my capabilities to work for not just this sector but for every Cebuano that I am able to help with this title. Hopefully, what I put in is what I will hopefully receive and that is the Miss Cebu 2023 Crown.

Stay updated with Miss Cebu 2023 events and activities here.

Miss Cebu is the official search for Cebu City’s Ambassadress of Goodwill and spokesperson. Its coronation night is set on January 11, 2023, as one of the highlights of next year’s Sinulog festival.