Miss Universe in Manila 2016: The Dress Rehearsal

One of the perks of doing your job well is being given the opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime events that are just wished for by many. In my case, I had the chance to get three complimentary tickets to watch the dress rehearsal of the Miss Universe candidates just a few hours before the most awaited coronation day!

Upon receiving the tickets, I contacted a number of relatives and friends who I thought might be interested to go with me at the Mall of Asia Arena on a Sunday. Those who were almost instantaneously free to give in to my short notice invitation were my two single friends from U.P. – Tim and Cling. Tim is my daughter’s godmother, who’s an excellent photographer and a marketing strategist in a private firm. Cling on the other hand is a junior professor at U.P. DSCTA who used to help me sort my paper during my last attended M.A. class.

 

With Tim

With Cling

Not too many people watched the dress rehearsal. So even if our seats were located in a not so comfy side of the arena, we were able to move a bit to have a better view of the stage. Some of the audiences I noticed include model-like Caucasians, fabulous ladies in gown, tons of gays who were obviously pageant enthusiasts, Miss U fanatic teenagers with their families, women-government employees, and familiar faces from Valenzuela who perhaps were given free passes too.

I’d say Steve Harvey is really a seasoned show host. His voice inflection and intonation were very professional sounding, and I could see that he’s so much eager to correct his past mistake through this pageant. Pia’s scripted gesture in trying to help him become more careful in announcing the finalists worked so well at the rehearsal so I wasn’t surprised when their witty tactic really made some buzz on the news and the social media.

Unlike other beauty pageants that I have watched before on television, I noticed that this time, the stage design didn’t include a lot of steps for the candidates to catwalk on. The stage was almost bare of physical ornamental yet it remained posh and colourful because of the fabulous computer effects that play on the background. The lighting and the video coverage were impeccable as well.

The Candidates at the MOA Arena

Until the end of the dress rehearsal, I remained ecstatic for having seen all the beautiful candidates on the Miss Universe Pageant 2016 in person! My thrill was doubled for in one free show, I have also seen the live performances of Flo Rida and Boyz II Men.

Elan Hotel Experience

Quite frankly, I am overwhelmed with the tasks that I have been receiving lately at the office. It’s not that I am complaining but I think I need more time to stay in the office for me to be able to finish everything. This of course would entail having less time for my children again but since my work at the government is my bread and butter, I got to love my job. This is not difficult to do since writing is my passion anyway. It’s just that my pregnancy and other concerns somehow hamper my speed in delivering my outputs.

One advantage though of being a tenured officer is to become part of subgroups in the government organization that have brought me to places where I had the opportunity to relax and breathe a little. My most recent break is an urban escapade at Elan Hotel in Greenhills, together with my co-GAD members.

The purpose of our three-day hotel work was the finalization of the GAD Code of Valenzuela City and some other minor documentation requirements. It was once again a fruitful experience for us because we were able to hit our objectives.

Elan Hotel was a convenient choice for our group since our seniors were able to nail discounted rates for our accommodation. The function room was also the most convenient one we had so far, compared to the other hotels we have tried – Lewis Grand Hotel and Stotsenberg Hotel in Clark, Pampanga – not to mention the food and the rooms.

Buffet Area

Food @ the Seminar Room #1

Food @ the Seminar Room #2

Food @ the Seminar Room #3

Food @ the Seminar Room #4

Food @ the Seminar Room #5

Lewis Grand Hotel blog: http://missvalenzuela.blogspot.com/2016/08/seminar-at-lewis-grand-hotel.html

Stotsenberg Hotel blog: http://missvalenzuela.blogspot.com/2016/10/hotel-stotsenberg.html

At Elan, apart from doing our assignments, we were also fortunate to have a simple bonding. We danced two-minuter exercises, we sang through our improvised karaoke, we had fun activities, and we had tons of groupies as well. We discovered that Maám Lorraine was an excellent activity moderator and Sir Nhonho was a fantastic OPM singer! Maám Dorothy, Maám Gina, and Sir Uly were all generous sponsors too! It was another memorable experience for all of us GADdesses.

Positive Descriptions

I was happy that at least a few weeks before I give birth to my third child, I had another worthwhile experience at the heart of NCR. And, I had my swift, most-awaited breather!

2016: My Turning Point

During our last Christmas party, our big boss said in his speech that 2016 had been a roller coaster ride for him. He faced several serious threats in his political life, and yet he remained composed and focused with his job. He thanked all of us for supporting him through. His speech also moved me personally because like him, I also had a multitude of battles last year which I was able to overcome.

In my September 2016 blog, I wrote about the value of posting your goals somewhere that you can often see. I checked my 2016 list again and I saw that out of my 11 targets, I was only able to hit 4 or 5. Some of my goals became immaterial to my evolving routine, while some were unachievable yet. I thought of creating another target for 2017 but I’m still observing the people around me.

(Also read "Jot Down and Post Your Dreams" here: http://missvalenzuela.blogspot.com/2016/09/jot-down-and-post-your-dreams.html)

I can say that my 2016 is better than my 2015. These are the reasons why:

1.       I have become a more active blogger this year.

2.       I have been in nice places – dining places, hotels, etc.

3.       I was able to sustain my son’s annual birthday celebration quite memorably and picturesquely.

4.       I have attended worthy seminars.

5.       I have taught in PLV and Valpoly.

6.       I have identified some people who I should mistrust in the office.

7.       I have revived my suppressed career.

8.       I finally enrolled in master’s class.

9.       I was able to complete a qualitative study.

10.   I was able to provide a decent birthday celebration to my daughter with the help of my parents.

11.   I gained new friends.

Simply put, I had fun in 2016.

In a few, I will be doing some errands. I hope that one of these days, before January ends, I could already formulate my 2017 goals for me to become guided again with my actions.

Thank you Lord for always being there. 

What I Realized After Judging the Mr. & Ms. PRSES School Pageant

Before, I thought that my flare of being a local beauty queen would last only until I have turned over my crown to the next winner. Unlike my co-candidates before in Binibining Valenzuela who pursued their career in pageants, I have stopped joining such kind of contests when my strict boyfriend then did not allow me to try Miss Earth. He said that beauty queens are high-class prostitutes.

And so I shifted focus.

My boyfriend and I dated and dined. I gained tummy fats. Then I had a child. And so my gorgeousness meter dropped by 60%. Mommy duties robbed me my “me-time” and I became a “Manang Losyang” constant contender on the succeeding years.

At the time when I reverted back to working at the city hall, old acquaintances recognized me as the city’s former beauty queen. Some sheepishly commented that I have already neglected taking care of myself. I just laugh off at their comments while deep inside, I was a little ashamed that I have not sustained people’s expectations of an ambassadress. I am not remorseful though because I wouldn’t trade motherhood to glamor, of course. It is just that, my image at my home city is already connected to my past achievement that I could no longer erase in the memories of those whom I used to wow in the pageants I joined.

Now that I’m old, I have not expected that there will be a continuity of my life in local pageants – not as a candidate anymore, but as a judge!

I have been a pageant judge in countless occasions already. My latest was at PR San Diego Elementary School in Barangay Arkong Bato. I was invited by the PTA President to judge the Mr. and Ms. PRSES on December 16. The candidates were the cute and talented pupils of PR San Diego Elementary School.

Determining the candidates' fate.

It was a great experience. In fact, my student in one of my English classes was also there to be my co-judge. I was the oldest among the jurors who were all title holders in either local or school pageants. They were all slim. And I was so pregnant. Haha!

 Panel Of Judges

(I was their Mama Sang. Haha!)

I was very impressed to the organizers of the affair. It was so polished that it would definitely beat other like events – the over-all program, accommodation of guests and audience, trophy designs, prizes, and of course, the candidates, almost everything was impeccable! I even experienced what we call “LSS” or last song syndrome of Meghan Trainor’s single “Me Too” because it was repeatedly played in several production numbers.

Well Set!

Judging at that pageant made me realize that even if I am no longer young, the Miss Valenzuela image is already etched in my personality, hence the branding of this blog site. Whether I like it or not, prettifying my self has to be my thing even if this is laborious, costly, and tiring sometimes.

For Miss Valenzuela, will always be Binibining Valenzuela; and thank God, this is a cute additional income source for me to raise my kids. (Wink!)

Tita's Love Advice for Single Moms

Upon arriving at home from work, I headed to my daughter so we could stroll at the compound before we take our dinner. As we gazed at the night sky, I saw my aunt. She approached me and we had quite a long chat.

She asked me first how many months am I pregnant now. I said seven. She remarked that the reason why I rented a house last May was because I was still chasing the father of my children. That judgment irked me a little but I chose to understand that she has all the liberty in the world to have her opinion of me. I could only explain myself but whether people would believe or not, that’s beyond my control.

I told her that by the time my ex and I separated, it was barely a year when we called it quits. And even if we say that we’re better apart, it’s really difficult to forget the partner you loved for eight years. Eight long years with children. Eight long years that we were a family. When my aunt heard the word “love,” she nodded. Perhaps she understood that when you love someone, the sense of reason often disappears. She then shared that she had her own ordeals in her marital life and gave me some valuable advice.

1.       It’s more fun to be single. This is absolutely true. I have less stress now because I’m carefree with my actions. I can now decide on the clothes and make-up to wear. I can now socialize with my close friends more often. I can now handle my own money however I want, without being audited. I can now pursue my ambitions in life. And a lot of people also noticed that I look better nowadays.

2.       Separated women are prone to temptation. I hate this truth because I’m no flirt (my ex-boss who attempted to take advantage of my situation experienced my wrath). For me it’s fine to date nice people sometimes, only to gain friends; but beyond that, I’m not ready yet. I don’t even know if I’ll ever jump again into another relationship because with my children to mind, so far, I feel complete already. Right now, I receive 100% true, reciprocated, and appreciated love from my children and it feels wonderful!

3.       Cheaters are toxic partners. I was no longer surprised when my aunt told me that my cousin saw our former shop attendant at Valenzuela Medical Center holding a tiny baby a couple of months back. I already knew that my f*ckboy ex got our shop attendant pregnant and their child is just few months older than Hami. I used to ignore a lot of red flags before about his womanizing spree because he said those women were just making stories. Now, I’m just laughing at the news of his women left and right because I know that my children will always be the advantaged ones. Not only because I’m their mother but because they are the only family acknowledged by their grandmother in their father’s side.

4.       Be thankful to your parents. I’m lucky to have this bad experience at a young age while I can still recuperate from the damage brought about by my broken relationship. Both of my parents are still alive and strong to help me through financially and emotionally. I feel like I’m born again to correct my past mistakes, and to lead a better life with my beautiful children and my ageing parents – such a perfect picture of the modern family without a stressor.

5.       Always cling to God. Always the best advice. I could change my perspectives on how I view things, but it is only the Lord who could give me genuine joys in life that need no paradigm shifts.

48th Family Reunion

Since I was a kid, our family stages New Year’s Party every 31^st of December. It’s simply a night of kiddie party with lots of games and prizes that usually ends through a joint media noche at the compound and some fireworks display by the men in our clan.  

This 2016, I volunteered to organize the party because I am the one who has the free time (although not the money, hehe).

Out of curiosity, I asked around for a little history about our annual party. I learned that it was first organized by Tita Glo Baria, the sister-in-law of my Aunt Zeny, and they first held it at a building rooftop currently owned by a family friend. They called the party “For the Young Ones” and they used to sell tickets to pool funds for the merry-making.

This year, for our 48^th reunion/New Year’s party, I thought of reviving the “ticket selling” part to generate funds for the party, instead of the usual “solicitation” per family.  Since I would like to express my support to our budding baker in the family, I opted to introduce a simple cake raffle. Instead of compulsory contribution, I sold tickets to my cousins and siblings. Our aunts and uncles were exempted because most of them are grannies already. But of course, those who were willing to share additional funds were heartily welcomed.  

Almost everybody extended help in making the party possible. One of my cousins lent her disco ball which made the party look better. Mama shouldered the rent for the tables, chairs, and the videoke (since it’s also her birthday on January 1). Some also helped in the physical set up of the party place. Others helped in the preparation of materials for the parlor games. Most importantly, some have been very generous in giving out funds.

During the party, on the invocation part, I asked the children to write their prayer on a piece of paper. I made them form a circle and asked them to read their wish for the clan for 2017. The best wish I heard was from my niece who wished for unity. Then one by one, the children placed their prayer in a clay pot. I asked my father to bless the children’s prayers, as I burned the pieces of paper as a ceremonial invocation.

We had games not only for children but also for couples. In between series of games, we conducted our cake raffle. On the side, our male relatives were drinking wine while watching the kids enjoy. We also had our photo opportunity session.

Perfect Score of 100 for the Videoke Challenge

The Young Once: Fulgencio Brood

Kiddie Game: Blind Folded Trip to Jerusalem

My only decent pic with my more beautiful sister

Food Sharing

Our party culminated with flowing food from all the households at the family compound. The celebration may not be perfect, but surely it was a blast! 

First Bonding with the Kids in 2017

Happy New Year!

For my first blog entry this year, I’m sharing my favorite activity in my life – outdoor fun for my kids!

Thanks to Mother Helen, my kids’ grandma, who had been consistently providing financial support to Hami, for I am able to bring my children outside Valenzuela at least once a month.

We went first to SM North Annex intending to purchase a new cellphone charger but my sister-in-law volunteered to give me her extra Samsung charger instead, so, I didn’t buy. We then ate at our usual dining place, Tokyo-Tokyo, where my son ordered his favorite Tempura. We also went to Kultura where I purchased three sets of simple fresh water pearls, then to SM Appliance Center where I bought a new toaster as my post-wedding anniversary gift for my mama and papa.

During moments when my daughter refused to walk, my sister-in-law would help me with Hami. She would carry my 15-kilo two-year old girl while we stroll at the mall.

At the time we reached Trinoma, I decided to allow Vladimir to play at Timezone while I sit and wait at McDonalds to attend to my sleeping Hami and to our few purchased stuff from SM North. Vladimir finished playing at almost dinner time so he ate first before we proceeded to Trinoma’s “Christmas Village” for some picture taking. Our last stop was Landmark.

I really enjoyed watching my kids have fun. Hami was no longer that aloof to her Tita Mama, and Vladimir had been a responsible big brother, chasing his sister around every time Hami speeds up her walking pace.

It’s almost 10:00 pm when we arrived home. Papa was anxious and worried. I felt like a teenager being subjected to curfew again. But the moment I showed my papa my anniversary present for him and for mama, his fury subsided. He just asked who we’re with, and I told him we were with the kids’ aunt.