5x a week dialysis: Bea Santiago shares message of hope at Binibining Pilipinas 2021
MANILA, Philippines — Of all the world’s major pageants, the Philippines has been most successful and had the most wins at Miss International, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray said at Binibining Pilipinas 2021 coronation night concluded today in Araneta Coliseum.
As such, the 57th Binibining Pilipinas paid homage to the country’s Miss International winners by showing clips of their win. The past winners were:
- Aurora Pijuan (1970)
- Melanie Marquez (1979)
- Lara Quigaman (2005)
- Bea Santiago (2013)
- Kylie Verzosa (2016)
Binibining Pilipinas International 2019 Bea Patricia Magtanong even had an emotional final walk before handing her crown to the new winner, Hannah Arnold of Masbate.
But among the highlights of the pageant was an inspirational virtual interview with Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago live from Canada.
The Filipino-Canadian beauty queen is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that has given her end-stage renal failure. She said she is waiting for a kidney transplant and has been undergoing dialysis five times a week. She even underwent training so she can operate her own machine and can administer dialysis on her own.
When asked by Catriona's co-host, Miss Grand International 2016 first runner-up Nicole Cordoves, on where she draws strength from despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Bea Rose said: “You see, Nicole, it’s either you get better or you get bitter and it’s really that simple.”
“You have to allow life and what it has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, a better version of yourself or it will consume you. I don’t like my pain to make me a victim. I want my story, my battle, to make me someone else’s inspiration,” she stressed.
Nicole recalled that Bea once gave inspiration to many Filipinos when she won Miss International at that time when the country faced one of the world’s most devastating typhoons, Yolanda.
Her reign as a Miss International, said Bea, was “full of awesomeness, smiles and positive energy.”
“That energy inspires confidence. I learned that if you want light to come into your life, you have to stand where it is shining. So you always have to think positively. You have to think positively and that you’re braver than you believe and stronger than you think. I think that’s the kind of mindset I choose to live by.”
According to Nicole, this year's Binibining Pilipinas International winner, who was later revealed to be Hannah Arnold, will be a symbol of hope during the pandemic. Interestingly, both Hannah and Bea represented Masbate (Cataingan, Masbate to be exact for Bea) at Binibining Pilipinas.
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