School pageant still unsure

Faculty members of the Arts and Humanities cluster will decide whether or not the pageant will push through

By Christine Estrella with Dhen Generalao, Mark Kavin Salomon

Will they be the last batch of Miss UP candidates? (From L-R): Second runner up, Clarissa Liporada, third runner up, Erika Palmera, Miss UP Cebu 2013 Francesca Fernandez, first rinner up, Dianne Muego and fourth runner up Mutya Collander. Further details of the next pageant will be known once the faculty of the arts and humanities cluster will approve of the proposal. Photo by Ryan Seismundo

The most anticipated and controversial pageant in University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu is still in deliberation of pushing through.

The pageant has been constantly facing backlash from the administration and the Arts and Humanities Division faculty.

“Although beauty pageants commodities women, I have no choice but to tolerate it since it is how the world goes and students want to have the Miss UP pageant,” said Mass Communication Coordinator Belinda Espiritu.

Espiritu along with the AH faculty hopes for a “Tatak UP” to differentiate the pageant among other organized pageants that also hold an advocacy campaign.

The pageant organized in 2008 was pioneered by the fourth year mass communication batch. It was in line with the university’s centennial celebration with the theme “Celestial Center Stage: 100 years of diversity, personified”.

Since then the pageant had varying theme that ranged from women and children empowerment to environmental advocacy campaign in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

It was only during last year’s theme were candidates took to choosing a charity or organization as the beneficiary of the proceeds of the winning candidate.

Reigning Miss UP 2012 Francesca Fernandez describes her experience as overwhelming as she extends help to her chosen charity, Missionaries of the Poor.

“It's also such an eye opener to how much more I can give back to society and those in need. Definitely life changing,” she said.

Fernandez relates her reign as a catalyst to self-acceptance.

“I’m learning to accept the person I have become, and to embrace my insecurities, and to even use these insecurities as my strength. If it wasn't for the thing i was insecure about my weight the most, I wouldn't be where i am in the first place,” she said.

Fernandez helped in converting nursery rooms into padded nooks, installing padded floors to the two rooms housing 24 children afflicted with cerebral palsy.

The padded play nooks project gained support and sponsorship from the Bicol Association which funded more walls and barriers for the children’s playroom.

“Given the responsibility with the charity, I have realized how happiness shouldn't sprout out from selfish tendencies. True happiness lies in serving other people, and making other people smile. Knowing that you have touched a life is an irreplaceable feeling,” she added.

According to Fernandez the pageant provides an avenue for skill development of the mass communication organizers.

However she adds how the pageant could be up for improvements stating the problems faced with the post monitoring activities.

“Probably, the next prod team should try to find more projects and exposure for them so that the other people won't believe that their title is useless,” Fernandez suggested.

The next production team plans to pursue the pageant to continue the tradition of organizing the pageant.

“We are pursuing Miss UP to comply to the pressure the students and the faculty has given. It would be a great shame if this pageant will be eliminated by our batch,” said third year student Jezrelle Rasonabe.

The production team proposed to make the charity a team building for the contestants.

“All of them will only have a single charity for the prod team to be able to monitor them,” said Rasonabe.

The production team plans to conduct dance, song, and cultural workshops to answer the faculty’s request of inculcating artistic and cultural values.

“For their photo-shoots, it will take place around cultural sites in Cebu City to shift from having them taken at random places before,” she said.

The production team plans to spearhead a better monitoring activity of the pageant’s winners to their assigned charities.

According to Rasonabe gowns and designs for the contestants will be exclusive to Fine Arts students to achieve the artistic value inherent in the pageant.

AH faculty Jason Baguia recommended a proposal to the organizers to declare the pageants objective and its significance in promoting the university’s general thrust for instruction, research and extension.

Bearing the name of the university and the institutional impact the pageant has a proposal must be drafted to the AH faculty for evaluation and approval before the organizers can carry on with the event.

According to Baguia’s recommendation the proposal must state the relationship between mass communication and pageant production and its relevance on the aspects of mass communication.

The candidates must be evaluated for their ability to advance women empowerment and ability to be a model of social responsibility among the youth.

The proposal must disclose the criteria for judging the pageant’s winner and in choosing the panel of judges.

It must also include the project plan and the monitoring of services rendered by the winning candidate. The proposal must also contain the duties and responsibilities throughout the duration of the pageant and their reign.

The deadline for the proposal will be on the beginning of the second semester.