My winning formula: Bb. Pilipinas 1-0-1

I first joined a beauty contest when I was 11. It was a very new experience to me. I felt excited, and of course nervous. It was the first time I joined and I lost, and I didn’t really know what I’ve learned from my very first pageant. But experience is indeed the best teacher; it helps you to grow and mature in an aspect of life, and eventually makes you see it as a metaphor of life. What I learned from my experiences are what I apply when I come to face bigger challenges, like when I faced the challenge of joining Binibining Pilipinas 2010.

I came up with a list of things that worked for me during last year’s pageant. As the pageant proper comes closer, I want to share these helpful tips to those who are joining the search this year, and to others who also aspire to become a beauty queen.

Ask yourself if you really want to join the pageant. You have to have no hesitation because your wholehearted willingness would be your prime investment for the pageant.

Know yourself best. As a woman, you should be able to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. You should also have a clear purpose in joining the pageant: Are you joining to prove something? Do you want to be like someone else, or do you see the pageant as your door to enter showbiz? Are you doing this for your boyfriend, your family or for yourself? Having a clear reason will help you say something about yourself more than just your first and last name.

You have to be ready. Make sure that before the screening you are already physically ready, that you have already fixed yourself. You have to be set emotionally — be prepared to win or lose but set your mind that you will win. You can think about what could be your fallback if you lose but don’t let your mind focus on the losing part. You should always have the positive attitude. Like what others say, “You have to claim it, because it is yours.” God has promised you this before you joined, so claim your victory.

That’s me with (from left) Nicollette, Krissa Mae, Czarina and Dianne during the Bb. Pilipinas 2010 coronation night.

Being mentally-prepared is also a very important aspect when joining a beauty contest. Questions could be thrown to you from out of nowhere and you have to be able to give your best answer, and it should be a relevant one. Show the people that you can do more than just smile and pose. Q-and-As are the best part to prove to the audience that you also have wit aside from your pretty face.

I have strong faith in God. Before I decided to join the pageant, I asked Him if I was ready for the challenge; if I could compete along with the other candidates. I felt that He answered me a big yes! I felt how He guided me all throughout. Self-confidence alone would not be enough. No matter how intelligent, beautiful and sexy you are, if it is not God’s will, it will never happen. You have to be spiritually-set as well.

You will go through a lot as an official candidate. You have to wake up very early and should already be fully made up because you have to be at the office to meet the 6 a.m. call time. You’ll wrap up the day’s activity at around 3 a.m. because of the many gowns you have to fit for the preliminary show the next day. Although it would not be like this every day, you have to be ready once the time comes.

You should know how to fix yourself. Many join pageants without knowing how to apply even the simplest make-up on their own. It is important to have this skill because you have to be made up every time you go out, especially in an international pageant. It is important that you know how to do it yourself because you are the one who knows your face best, and you know when you are beautiful.

You have to feel like a queen, act like a queen, walk like a queen. However, make sure that it is not a play-pretend for you. Do not lose your identity. Do not imitate someone. Just be yourself.

During the Miss Bicolandia 2007 pageant where I was crowned second runner-up.

The type of personality you have is very important, too. If you are a good person, it will show. Even without you putting so much effort to show it, people around you will notice it.

Never compare yourself with the other candidates. The more you think that the other one has more chances of winning and is better than you, the more you give her the chance to believe in herself. If someone believes in you, you would also believe in your chances of winning.

Know each candidate’s weaknesses. With this, you would know where to place yourself. If you know their weaknesses, you would not be afraid even if you know their strengths because you know to overcome them.

You have to mingle and make friends. The stiff competition would sometimes make the candidates forget to enjoy because they worry so much about winning. If you don’t win and have forgotten to make friends, you will not only go home empty-handed but without friends, too. Having a friend is always more precious than a crown.

You have to give it your all on the coronation night. Do not waste everything you put on the pageant just because you feel weak inside. Set your mind that it would be the last day of the competition; it would be the culmination of all your efforts so you have to give your best.

When I was still joining pageants way back in the province, I never knew all these, but I learned in the process of having been to as many pageants as I could. When beauty pageants were still very new to me, I never really knew what to do. But I am very thankful that there are people who taught me my winning formula for Binibining Pilipinas 2010 and in my Miss Universe stint. If it weren’t for them, I might not be where I am now.