Philippines' bet in 2016 Mrs. Grandma Universe tilt

MANILA, Philippines – Babylyn Decena Newfield (photo), a mother of four and grandma of four kids, is the country’s representative to the 2016 Mrs. Grandma Universe in Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 19 to 23.

A successful entrepreneur and a staunch advocate of age equality in workplace, Babylyn is our first-ever delegate to the five-year-old pageant. Past winners were Christine Kam of Singapore (2015), Syntia Ong of Malaysia (2014), Marleny Figueroa de Reyes of Guatemala (2013) and Ivana Hamra of Sweden (2012). She was sent by Ovette Ricalde, the Philippine franchise holder of the tilt.

Now a widow (her American businessman husband Bruce Newfield passed away in 2006), Babylyn was my fellow alumni in Victorino Mapa High School in San Miguel, Manila (where celebrities Espie Fabon, Rico Puno, Julio Diaz, Verni Varga and Ogie Diaz also graduated). She is a Mass Communication undergraduate of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.