A beauty queen’s passionate heart

In a world spinning around social media, Anna did not only embrace her advocacy, she lived it with all her might, connecting people, always pushing for support in the many stages of restoration. This, in between her major advocacy of helping aspiring beauty queens find their crown and destiny (as part of the Kagandahang Flores beauty queen camp, a select sorority of sorts, she was one of the mentors of newly-crowned Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago)

All these come with a high price: as a public figure, her life is put inside a rather exaggerated magnifying glass. Here, she sits down with Play! and opens her heart and vulnerability and not a tinge of admonishment but always, as a living and breathing beauty queen for life, imbibes the true measure that beauty is not only something that you have but also something that you can do.

You have been the poster girl image of the spirit of volunteerism in times of calamities. Did you ever imagine you will be treading this path to significance?

Honestly, no. I never imagined that it would go far like this. I was never involved in any relief efforts in past calamities like during typhoon Ondoy or Sendong. I never donated or even volunteered, to be honest. But when the earthquake happened in Bohol, my very own birthplace and province, there was this strong calling inside. My attachment to the place made me so emotional all of a sudden and just decided to do something. The calamities opened my eyes to how much help is needed even after supertyphoon Yolanda that’s why we extended help to other areas. And like they say “Difficulties break some men but make others.” It definitely made me.

How has this life experience changed you as a person?

Totally and tremendously! It made me realize that I can actually do all these things. It made me see just how much love the world has to give. So many people inspired me with their own selfless efforts. You see, I’m just one of those who responded to the call. There are so many unsung heroes out there. Relief work has strengthened my faith in humanity, that people are inherently kind. It’s just the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I am just so luck to witness this in my lifetime.

What made you decide to pursue this with so much passion?

Sharing the same cause with people with the same passion just inspires me. Our whole team of volunteers from Oplan Bangon Bohol and Team Patola working on many projects including Operation Santa, motivated and guided me through all this. My hard work is dedicated to them.

Did it help that you are a beauty queen?

Where do you get the strength in sustaining your advocacy because it could get pretty emotionally exhausting seeing so much devastation?

Two things. One, the sweet smiles and the sincere thank you’s of the people we helped gave us the strength to keep going. I have to admit there are times that we all get really tired, after all we are just human. But hearing their thank you’s just take all the tiredness and exhaustion away. Second, my team’s unstoppable energy and desire to help, motivates me a lot. I work with Oplan Bangon Bohol (OBB) team who dedicated so much time and effort despite their day jobs. I also work with Team Patola, a private group of international and local volunteers who have been responding since Ondoy. Their enthusiasm and selfless dedication to volunteerism inspires me a lot.

You just got out of a much publicized long relationship. Is your involvement in volunteer work your way of literally moving on? Tell us about it.

Hahaha! How did we get to this question? Well, my break up early this year opened doors to what I missed in my younger years. I was with someone for six years in which my whole world revolved in. Being single just made me rediscover myself and enjoy life as it’s supposed to be enjoyed. Even before all the volunteer work I’ve been doing, I believed I have moved on. We have set aside our bitterness towards what happened. We are now friends, in fact we greeted each other during our birthdays and I congratulated him for being a new dad.

What is your relationship status now?

I am currently in a very happy, fulfilling and romantic relationship with … myself! Which by far is the best relationship I’ve ever had.

After all that is said and done, what are the top 3 non-negotiables for you in finding a suitable life-partner?

I love the premise “non-negotiables.” Because in finding a life partner, nobody should ever settle for something less right? For me, I might need to ask 3 questions. 1. Does he treat me with respect at all times? 2. Does he inspire me to want to be a better person? 3. Does he make me smile with the little everyday things? And if the answer is yes to all three, I’d know I found myself a good man.

Tell us more about Operation Santa.

Operation Santa is I guess the most fun and cutest project we ever had. It’s a toy drive where we collect pre-loved or new toys, coloring materials, notebooks, pens, coloring books etc, and Santa will go to the affected areas of typhoon Yolanda and distribute it to the kids. The beauty of this project is the very personal approach. Santa surprises the kids, we go to schools, we don’t let the kids line up. It’s just one big, happy and spontaneous gift giving. The reactions of the kids are just priceless.

If you can play the real Santa Claus for a day, how would you spend it?

What are your immediate plans for the future?

I found myself and passion back with what I’m doing now, so I will definitely continue what I’ve been doing. I have an offer to work in an international organization. It is such a humbling experience, and even up to this, something that I am strongly considering. The rebuilding project of Oplan Bangon Bohol which focuses on fixing and rebuilding parochial schools will be taking most of my time in the coming months. OBB will be launching a foundation soon which we are all excited about.

Have you ever thought of entering the convent?

Hahaha! No, I don’t think the convent will be happy to have me inside.

Any piece of advice for those people who hate you with a passion?

Oh well, no matter what you do, people will always have things to say. And I don’t even have to explain or give them advice because they will only listen to what they want to hear. We can never please everybody. But I’d rather deal it by simply ignoring them and continue what im doing. As I always say, I’d rather be kind than be right, because in the end, I will always be right.