One Hundred Fifty

07 - Coronation

"And the Miss World 2023 goes to.....!"

"Philippines!!"

Nag sigawan ang tao, may palakpakan, may mga tambol rin. I smiled victoriously, shook hands and hugged Miss. Valenzuela who's also looking proud at me. Alam kong may kirot ng pagkatalo ang nararamdaman n'ya, nevertheless, I know she's proud of me.

And even the crowds that cheered for me are proud. It's evident as you can watch their throat almost falling apart but still screaming with joy. I'm sure Dad and Mom watching the television would be too.

I stood at the center of the stage, remaining my balance and my poise as the former Miss. World slowly and surely made the crown's way on my head. It even illuminated in my sight before taking place at my top.

It suits me. I know. Because this is me. This is a part of me now.

Pag katapos ng coronation ay naiiyak na niyakap ako ng manager, assistants, my personal coach and even the make up artists that had been closed to me ever since I started big time pageantry. From Bicolandia, to other city pageants, to Miss. Philippines, then to Ms. World...

God... thank you for this guidance. I know that You are the one to thank for, for giving me skills that is enough and inclined with my desires. I think humbling me too got me in this path. If I was not humble enough I would play bitterly with the loss that I experienced. Or even stop...

Thankfully I didn't. Because here I am now.

One week after the coronation, umuwi ako ng Pilipinas. I decided to have a short one week vacation with my family before coming back to work. I'm a full time model in the company that I was once working as an editorial manager but shifted when the photographer loves my angle, and how I look so perfect and natural in camera. And the CEO also did love the artworks where I was the model in the area, until I decided to shift my job.

And it clicked!

"Girl, can't believe na bestfriend ko ang Miss. World champion. Omg lang ha!" Hermione said as she sips her Hokkaido flavored milk tea and sits elegantly at the simple couch chair.

I chuckled a bit. "'Kaw naman. Parang di tayo humahabol noon sa taho na dumadaan sa kanto."

Natawa ito saakin and even slam the table repeatedly as she laugh. A manner that I would always find funny. "Oo, o kaya yung bumili tayo ng text kasi naiinggit tayo sa mga bata na naglalaro noon. Pero 'di pala natin alam kung pa'no gamitin."

"Nag paturo pa tayo kay Doc. Alvarez!" Natatawa kong puna ng maalala iyon. Dr. Alvarez is a dentist near in our area who had happened to pass by while they stared at the texts with confusion.

We shared some good laugh together while reminiscing the past we had since childhood. Sometimes when a prayer meeting is about to come and susunduin na kami we would always hide and seek at our garden.

Buti nalang ngayon di na namin ginagawa.

Nag usap pa kami, we don't really pay attention to those camera that flashes before us. Because here my friend in front of me is also a beauty, a part time advertisement model and a creative photographer. She doesn't have a steady income but she's married with a doctor so I'm assured she won't go broke unlike before, they don't have a child muna. They said they wanted to enjoy the honeymoon stage and prepare themselves together for a child. Being a parent is hard. I witnessed that myself when my Mom got a miracle baby when I was 13 and Romanie, my sister, really gave her a hard time. Both of my parents had.

Being a parent is hard. Being a wife is hard.

Everything you have to commit to is hard. Being a christian while at the same time model and pagentry is hard. It's hard to swallow the values and conservative nature you adore just to be able to perform well and do your best to the things you love... If only I can remove the bikini's spotlight at a pageantry.