Amid the partnership between Miss Universe Philippines 2024 and BingoPlus on April 13, beauty queens Athisa Manalo and Joshell de Ocampo opened up about the advantages and disadvantages of being frequent contestants in beauty pageants.
Manalo, 26, who represented Quezon Province in MUP, had been participating in national beauty contests since 2018, winning titles like Binibining Pilipinas International. Despite initially applying for MUP in 2020 but withdrawing due to medical concerns, she returned prepared and determined.
On the other hand, de Ocampo, 26, formerly known as a “kontesera,” represented Siargao in the contest. With extensive pageant experience, especially in her province, she brought a wealth of confidence and skills to the competition.
Advantages:
Both contestants emphasized how their rich experience in beauty pageants helped them prepare for the prestigious competition.
Manalo highlighted the familiarity with the demands of pageantry, enabling her to condition herself physically and mentally well in advance. Her preparedness and unwavering focus on her goals were key advantages she relied on.
“You know the ins and outs of pageants, you know you’ve got early mornings and late nights, so you know how to i-kondisyon ‘yung sarili mo. You should be prepared for it. I think that’s one advantage that I’m really holding on to.
“Because I really prepared for it way ahead of time, and I made sure that I am resolute in my goals, in my values, in my beliefs, and I’m just focused on my goal,” said Manalo.
For de Ocampo, whose participation in pageants helped support her family financially, confidence gained from frequent participation was invaluable. Her extensive practice and familiarity with her abilities were assets during MUP preparation.
“I need money. The title is just like a bonus na lang sa akin kasi mas gusto ko ‘yung pera to support myself and my family,” she explained.
“So, I’m practicing my steps and things I would do since like hasang-hasa ko na ang sarili ko,” the Del Carmen native added.
Disadvantages:
Despite the benefits, Manalo and de Ocampo faced challenges due to their status as pageant regulars.
For Manalo, proving growth and uniqueness in subsequent applications was a struggle, especially given limited time for interactions during the selection process.
“Just having to showcase who you are as a person [and] how much you’ve grown. That can be quite challenging because we don’t have conversations with everyone for like a long amount of time.
“Usually, we get asked a question and we’re just supposed to answer for 20 seconds. So, it’s very hard to show people or showcase how much you’ve grown if you’re joining again a second time,” she lamented.
De Ocampo, despite competing in her first national pageant, encountered similar challenges. The perception of being a frequent contestant sometimes overshadowed her potential for growth and uniqueness.
“Even though this is my first national pageant, but I also feel the same way [of the] disadvantage that they said that, ‘O ako na naman’ lalo na kapag sa isang municipality halos lahat ng barangay sinasabi.”
Additionally, the pressure to win after multiple attempts can be daunting, with each loss potentially affecting others’ perceptions of future performances.
“The downside of joining a lot of pageants is that people think, especially you lose in the other pageants, so they would think, ‘I’m sure na matatalo ‘to’ gano’n.”
While the journey for pageant regulars has its hurdles, both Manalo and de Ocampo remain determined to make their mark in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 competition, showcasing their growth, uniqueness, and resilience.
MUP 2024 is scheduled to take place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Bay City, Pasay, Philippines, on May 22, 2024.
