A beauty pageant for mothers

MANILA, Philippines - Every beauty queen has her own story to tell about her success in taking home the crown. But what’s more interesting is the story of a married woman and mother who takes a shot at a dream she thought had already expired, and succeeds at it in spite of her age and civil status. This is the story of Mrs. Philippines-Globe 2012 Joycelyn Agsaway and Woman of Substance titleholder Pinky Siva.

“It has always been my dream to become a beauty queen,” says Agsaway, an avid fan of national beauty pageants who takes inspiration from her aunt, beauty queen Evangeline Pascual.

Prior to the pageant, Agsaway was juggling her roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend and career woman. It was her husband who encouraged her to join the contest. “He said he wanted me to fulfill a dream that I may have missed when I was still single. Soon, my parents and my company expressed their support for me as well,” she says.

Everyone’s help and encouragement weren’t put to waste as Agsaway was chosen as the grand winner of the Mrs. Philippines-Globe 2012. This also made her the country’s representative to the Mrs. Globe World Finals in Rancho Mirage, California.

The 28-year-old hotelier shares that the journey wasn’t easy, and that along with all the glamour came sacrifices. “I had to prepare not only intellectually, but physically, emotionally and spiritually as well. I had to be fit and healthy and at the same time achieve a certain weight so that I will look better in my swimwear and gown. On top of these, I had to be away from my family for two weeks, which was quite a long time.”

In the end, she says it was all worth it. Although she did not bring home the crown, she still made the country proud when she won the Face of the Year award in the international pageant. “It was the most amazing experience. It felt great to be called not by my name but by the country I represented — Mrs. Philippines. One of my favorite moments was the flag parade where we had to introduce ourselves while carrying our respective country’s flag. It really gave me goose bumps and it made me feel very proud to be a Filipino,” she shares.

Like Agsaway, Siva also considers winning in the Mrs. Philippines-Globe pageant a dream come true. Siva works as a director at a recruitment agency, and is a wife and mother to a five-year-old boy. “Joining Mrs. Philippines-Globe made it possible for me to meet women like myself — a wife and a mom, living with good morals and inspired to do something significant in the world,” she adds.

Apart from getting the chance to fulfill her dream, the Women in Need Foundation — the beneficiary of Mrs. Globe — was her motivation to join the competition. “I wanted to make a positive impact on the lives of married women and show people that pageants are not only about beauty and glamour,” she says.

Siva and her husband have a passion for helping the less fortunate and they teach the value of generosity and charity to their son by bringing him along to help in their charity works. “We do a lot of feeding program and as a family, we enjoy spending time with street kids. This way, not only are we able to help others, we also teach our son to appreciate how blessed he is,” Siva says.

Siva won the Woman of Substance award which is given to a candidate who constantly inspires others. “To be branded a woman of substance is one of the greatest compliments for a woman who wants to create positive change in the society,” says Siva.

Asked what they consider as the most valuable thing they’ve gained from the Mrs. Philippines-Globe experience, Agsaway says it’s her sense of self-worth. “Now, I feel more fulfilled and confident as a person. Joining the pageant also allowed me to expand my horizons and meet different people from different cultures,” she says.

After staging a successful search last year, Mrs. Philippines-Globe is now back to celebrate Filipina women who possess that rare combination of beauty and substance. On its second year, Mrs. Philippines-Globe also promises to become bigger and better as it opens its doors not only to married women but also to single mothers. To ensure a wider reach, the pageant also held screenings in key cities and provinces in the country.

Mrs. Philippines-Globe also teamed up with Solane, the country’s leading LPG solutions company, and opened a search for smart and talented kids and teens. Titled Little Miss Solane, the competition is an avenue for young misses to unleash their potential, and discover or improve their talents and skills, and develop a good sense of accomplishment.

The presentation of candidates is on April 25 while the coronation night is set on May 25 at the New World Hotel. For details, log on to www.mrsphilippinesglobe.com.