The Spotlight is on Miss Avon 2005

She has been hiding in the shadows for far too long and it's about time that she takes the limelight. Jaylyn Diquiatco, 20-year-old lass from Caloocan City, is the first ever crowned beauty of the Miss Avon pageant. With her slender frame and striking features, it's no surprise that Jaylyn stood out from the 10 finalists who vied for the crown during the pageant's maiden quest last year. But more than her looks, it's her entrepreneurial streak that has helped her come this far at such a young age.

When she first signed up to become an Avon Franchise Dealer (FD) at age 19, Jaylyn was just a business-minded student who had a great fascination for Avon products. The many benefits and earning possibilities that Avon provided were more than enough for the University of Santo Thomas college junior, but little did she know that her entrepreneurial side will eventually help open even more doors of opportunity. Last year, after more than a decade of being a major sponsor to the most prestigious beauty pageants all over the world, Avon, the company for women, launched the Miss Avon pageant in the Philippines. The pageant was open to Avon female FDs aged 18 to 25 who best personify the Avon lady - beautiful, confident and business-savvy. The first ever Miss Avon pageant attracted hundreds of Filipinas who went through a stringent selection process. And in the end, it was Jaylyn who bested them all and went home with the crown.

To date, she has participated in the annual Avon Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye campaign and last Christmas' special gathering where she played Santa Claus to her fellow FDs. In the last few months however, her reign has taken a back seat because of her studies. But now that she has just graduated with a degree in Entrepreneurship, Jaylyn is more than ready to go all out with her reign as Miss Avon 2005.

"There are many more things I want to do as Miss Avon 2005. I want to be able to train other FDs on personality development. I know there are still many women out there who are hesitant to walk up to people and share the Avon experience. I want to help them to be more confident, to believe in what they can do and to excel in they're doing," she said.

Naturally outspoken and business-minded, Jaylyn has been engaging in small businesses as far back as her grade school days. She used to sell stationeries, stickers and trading cards before moving on to baked pastries and finally, Avon products in college. Now, months after her win and after gracing the covers of about a dozen brochures, Jaylyn is still at it - and sales are even better.

"Being on the cover of the brochure has actually given me an even bigger edge. I have friends who wanna see the brochure just so they can see my photos. But then, they end up buying a lot of things! They even ask me for advice on which products are best for them," she shared with a smile.

While she has remained down-to-earth and passionate about her Avon business, Jaylyn's experience in the Miss Avon pageant has made a great impact on her life. Among other things, the pageant has enabled her to truly believe in herself, to meet new friends and to dream even bigger.

"Miss Avon is, without a doubt, my biggest achievement so far. Because of the pageant, I learned to be confident about what I can do. There was a time when I thought I couldn't join something as prestigious as Miss Avon. But the fact that people around me believed in me and encouraged me has helped change that," she confessed.

Indeed, there's no doubt that Jaylyn can do even greater things. With her persistence, determination and passion for life, Miss Avon 2005 is destined to sparkle and shine brighter and better in the near future. So watch out for Jaylyn as she takes the next step towards realizing her biggest dreams with Avon.