Former Miss Mandaue places 1st runner-up at Miss Manila 2018

CEBU, Philippines — Malka Padayhag Shaver was but taking a chance when she decided to compete in Manila. That nerve sure got her somewhere as the beauty queen completed the court of this year’s Miss Manila victors, announced Tuesday night at the PICC Reception Hall.

Finishing close to the ultimate crown, the 23-year-old Dumaguete native is Miss Manila 2018 first runner-up.

 Kathleen Joy Paton was hailed Miss Manila, taking home P1 million worth of prizes (a management contract and P500,000 in cash). Paton, who also won Miss Teen International last year in Thailand, was Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimsuit, Miss Dermaworld and Miss Cherry Mobile.

 Paulina Labayo was second runner-up, Kristi Banks at third, while Agatha Lei Romero placed fourth with P250,000, P150,000, and P100,000 in cash, respectively.

 Although not quite a national title in the big leagues, Miss Manila is a possible step towards bigger stages. More so, placing first runner-up in the country’s capital is a commendable feat for someone who hardly comes from the National Capital Region.

 Apart from being P350,000 richer, Malka has been endowed with experience and knowledge after her Miss Manila journey after having had the honor and responsibility of representing Visayan pride and sensibility on the national stage.

 Malka – a Miss Dumaguete 2014 and Miss Mandaue 2016 title-holder – doesn’t only harbor good looks with that charming doe-eyes and a come-hither smile. With her beauty comes a sound mind swimming with ideas.

 The Mass Communication graduate from Silliman University has no problem expressing her thoughts. During her turn at the Top 15 question and answer segment, the Fil-Am beauty was asked: If you are given the power to be a man for one day, what is the first thing you will do to make the City of Manila a better place?

 Malka somewhat questioned the essence of the query as she responded:

“I don’t understand why I would have to be a man to make Manila a better place. I believe women’s nature is to nurture, and if women had more power in society, then we would have a better chance to really heal the world.”

 Giving memorable answers is something in Malka’s book. During the Miss Mandaue 2016 final Q&A, she was asked what she would like to see in the headlines the very next day. She replied, much to the crowd’s amusement (it was national election season so the expected answer was which presidential bet they wanted to see bannered as winner), that she would like to see her Miss Mandaue crowning moment splashed on the front pages.

 For the Miss Manila final Q&A, Malka, who was the last to be named among the final five, once again gave her answer a little spin when she was asked how she planned to engage the youth in Manila’s projects.

 “Since I am a graduate of mass communication, I would use the media. Specifically, social media because it is a platform that’s very engaging and which is something the youth is using nowadays. So through effective marketing, I would use social media to engage the youth,” Malka says, before adding, “And I would use my own personal Facebook account. So if you want to follow me on Instagram, it’s @malkashaver.”

 Malka also won for her designer, Tonette Berdon, the Best Designer’s Gown Award. Agatha Lei Romero won Best in Evening Gown, while Katrina Racelis won Miss Horizon Manila.

 Before joining Miss Manila, Malka finished among the Top 12 in the first staging of Binibining Cebu last year where she represented Mandaue City.

 As Malka wrote on her Facebook handle, she came in with no expectations but was armed with faith and hope. Currently a Cebu-based model but will soon be based in Manila, Malka is confident with the training and experience she gained from her stay in Cebu.

 Hosted by Xian Lim and Yassi Pressman, the Miss Manila coronation night was a star studded event, featuring performances from Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Nadine Lustre, Billy Crawford, and Ex Battalion.

 Proceeds from the competition will benefit the medical missions, livelihood and education pojects of the MARE Foundation, Inc., a non-profit institution headed by Miss Manila pageant director Jackie Ejercito.

The Miss Manila 2018 coronation night will have a delayed telecast this Sunday, July 1 on ABS-CBN’s Sunday Best.