Beyond beautiful

By Jose D. Patao Jr. August 18, 2017

MORE than the physical attributes of the contestants of the ongoing Miss World Philippines pageant, it is the nobler purpose on which the pageant is rooted that is highlighted.

“Beauty with a Purpose,” coined by no less than Miss World Charities chair Julia Morley, has successfully fused the outstanding beauty of their winners and the heart of the pageant to make a difference in the lives of thousands of underprivileged children around the world.

We focus on two of the thirty-five Miss World Philippines 2017 candidates who are giving their best to help others.

Candidate no. 26 Janela Joy Pigon Cuaton, 20, representing her mother’s home province of Masbate, is pushing for her “Fashion Meets Passion” advocacy, a continuing project over the last five years where she helps aspiring models and beauty queens in Doha, Qatar (where she was based for many years) and stages fashion shows, and creates fashion accessories where the proceeds go to beneficiary institutions in the Philippines.

Her first project in 2015 was an outreach program in St. Bernard, Southern Letye, her father’s hometown, where she and her team provided 1,200 students with food, vitamins and school supplies.

Last year, they went to Asilo de Molo in Iloilo where they spread love and cheers to the elderly, a way of honoring her late grandmother. They also visited the National Children’s Hospital where their charity program covered the whole hospital, including the private wards.

This year, Janela went to Igang Elementary School in Igang, Masbate where they provided food, slippers, school supplies and materials for their learning resource center and constructed additional toilets to augment the sole existing facility that is used by 407 students.

This future chef, who was Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International 2015, Miss Tourism Metropolitan International 2016 1st runner-up, is serious in helping empower the youth. “The Miss World Philippines crown entails responsibility. A beauty queen’s voice and platform can truly help a lot of people,” she said.

Meanwhile, candidate no. 24 Zhaniethia Antoinette Carbonell-Villanueva, better known as Zara Carbonell representing Lemery, Batangas, has always radiated positivity that allowed her to become the multi-talented young woman that she is today.

We met Zara who, together with her parents actor Cris Villanueva and mom Zhar Carbonell and younger bro Gian, hosted a sumptuous dinner at Salu Restaurant, which is owned by celebrity couple Romnick Sarmenta and Harlene Bautista.

She expressed her excitement and happiness at her current pageant journey, after her previous stints at Miss Philippines Earth 2010, and as Bb. Unibersidad 2012 titleholder and representative of the country to World Miss University in Korea that same year.

Possessing a bright and charismatic personality, the 24-year-old Organizational Communications graduate of De La Salle University admitted that she was once an introvert who faced her own fears and embraced her strengths to eventually become who she is today: assertive and independent and ready to face the world.

She advocates for “Self Awareness” and is ready to share to her three-pronged program – Competence for Confidence, Body Awareness and Self Defense – in helping others become the best versions of themselves in order to, eventually, be of help to others also.

This professional host, commercial model, and travel bug who has been on adventure-laden backpack journeys to Asia and Europe was also a cheerleader for Colegio San Agustin Red and Gold Boosters and DLSU PEP Dancers.

The grand coronation happens on September 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena to be aired live on GMA.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/entertainment/beyond-beautiful