Miss Cebu 2025 Candidate #3: Jolina P. Coronel, 22

CEBU, Philippines — When 2012's Super Typhoon Pablo destroyed Jolina Coronel’s bamboo house in southern Cebu, her family had limited resources to rebuild a sturdier home in the mountains. They could only afford to hire the main builder, and not an entire construction crew.

To overcome this, Coronel, the fifth of six sisters, stepped up to help her parents complete a new home while they worked to secure funds to hire a crew.

“My father mastered stabilizing the foundation of our home, while we sisters gathered all the hollow blocks,” she shared.

This experience inspired Coronel to pursue a career in civil engineering. “Building a house takes a lot of time and manpower, and labor costs are high. That’s why I’m studying civil engineering so I can try to create job opportunities for local engineers,” she explained.

Coronel also recalled a troubling incident while commuting, which shaped her support for Cebu City’s ordinance against unauthorized caroling during the holiday season.

“While I was commuting, a caroler approached us for money. The usual experience is that if you don’t give any, they would make scary facial expressions,” she recalled. “There was a student wearing a necklace, and the caroler kept eyeing it. She was so frightened that she threatened to call the police.”

“As a woman, the experience was terrifying. I believe it’s time for Cebu City to enforce that ordinance so commuters, especially women, can feel safe traveling around the city,” she added.

When asked about her favorite spot, Coronel chose Tops Cebu, saying its panoramic view of the city allows visitors to identify key landmarks in one breathtaking destination. — (FREEMAN)