Positive changes for Mutya ng Pilipinas queens

MANILA, Philippines—Now that their reigns are about to end, the 2010 Mutya ng Pilipinas queens are looking back at the year that has passed, and how much they have changed since the day they received their prestigious titles last year.

Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International Barbara Salvador told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “the best thing about being a Mutya is being part of decades’ worth of legacy, at the same time making it your own. In many ways, Mutya has changed me positively.”

Salvador, who is now a Viva contract artist, represented the Philippines in the 2010 Miss Tourism International pageant in Malaysia where she was proclaimed Miss Cosmopolitan International.

Her quest for an international beauty title, she surmised, became successful because of the support of her mentors Jonas Gaffud, Albert Kurniawan, John Cuay, Nad Bronce and the rest of what she called the “Aces & Queens” team; and designers Martin Bautista, Nat Manilag, Nikki and Jonti Martinez, Lourd Ramos, Rholand Roxas, Ruel Rivera and Renee Salud.

Mutya ng Pilipinas Intercontinental Carla Lizardo, however, did not get the chance to compete abroad because she was focused on her studies. But she said winning the title made her “grow up.”

Doing the pageant also gave her a different perspective of contestants. “Now I know how hard these girls work. They work so hard for this. It’s not just an easy industry,” Lizardo said.

Proclaiming how highly she regards beauty contestants now, Lizardo said being Mutya ng Pilipinas is no easy task.  “Mutya is looking for a woman who is well rounded. I think that’s the most important thing of all. It’s not all about looks,” she explained.

Salvador added: “Mutya is looking for a young woman, with heavenly beauty, inside and out—someone who has an inner beauty that can inspire people to bring out their own goodness.”

“I will be passing that legacy of beauty to a new winner, who will in turn pass it on to the next, and so on. As Edith Wharton put it: ‘There are two ways of spreading light—to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.’ I am a candle, who was given a huge mirror,” Salvador declared.

But before relinquishing her title on Friday, Salvador expressed gratitude to the people who made her victory last year possible—her parents Drs. Raul and Bles, elder siblings Sandz and Ryan, and the Quesada, Doras, Dela Rosa and Cunan families.

Having represented the province of Pangasinan last year, Salvador also received immense support from the provincial government led by Gov. Amado Espino. She also thanked Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

Thirty women are vying for Salvador’s and Lizardo’s titles.

More than half of the contestants come from the provinces, thanks to the organizer’s move to establish satellite offices in Cebu City and Puerto Princesa, aside from its main offices in Quezon City.

Mutya is now led by Jacqualine Tan, the first woman to hold the presidency in the pageant’s 42-year history. Her family owns and manages resorts in both the cities of Cebu and Puerto Princesa.

For this year’s competition, 16 candidates are from different provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Seven contestants hail from Metro Manila while the remaining ladies represent overseas Filipino communities.

From among the seven overseas-based bets, one will be chosen as Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas Communities.

The Mutya ng Pilipinas coronation night will take place at the Arena in San Juan on December 2, at 7 p.m. It will be seen on Studio 23 on December 11, at 9 p.m.