Photo credit: Lynette Matencio
OPINION
By Noel Bautista – YLBnoel (Your Loyal Batchmate Noel)
In the bustling heart of Wellington, New Zealand, lives someone we’ve come to respect and admire—Noel Bautista, one of our community’s pillars. Not only is he an accidental migrant making his mark in this vibrant city, but he’s also a voice of celebration and recognition for achievements that touch our Filipino roots. Today, we shine a spotlight on his latest article, which beautifully captures the essence of a recent celebration in our community.
Auckland – At their very heart, beauty pageants are nothing more than barangay popularity contests. (barangay is our term for small-town neighborhood pueblo) Take any pretty face (and there are many back home), get the most generous sponsors, get the best dressmakers, and enlist the support of the most rabid stage moms and dads, and you have your beauty queen/Reyna Elena of the Santacruzan, the all-purpose utility beauty celebrity of the town plaza. Everybody happy, pics and vids for Tiktok and IG, budol fight for the winners and runners-up, and everyone goes home tired and happy.
But our modern Filipino obsession uses a model that has transcended the traditional Pinoy archetype. Sophisticated fashion orgies closer to America’s Next Top Model than Binibining Pinas, aggressive social media campaigns, and contestants becoming instant influencers and endorsers are all SOP (standard operating procedure) back home.
Getting lost in all the flurry of activity is: what are we all here for anyway?
It’s easy to get cynical about beauty contests. But for one brief shining moment that I was lucky enough to attend, a beauty candidate combined smarts, confidence, a total belief in herself, and yes, beauty, to impress, overwhelm, and win over the crowd, admirers, and judges of the pageant finals night for the 2024 Ms. Asia-Pacific International New Zealand on July 28th, 2024.
It has been a grueling, exhausting, and challenging last few months for Ina, as she is called. But she managed to make the best use of her gifts, combine it all into a complete package greater than the sum of its parts, and do everything possible to outdo herself and the rest of the competition, in the process representing New Zealand in the prestigious Ms. Asia-Pacific International this year.
From start to finish, she competed and participated in the process with 100% put in physical effort and creative input with flourish and did everything (plus more) that was asked of her.
She inspires each of us to realize and know that if we put in the work, stretch every bit of our skills talent to best use, and have the support of a team behind us, we can conquer the world. As Ina is fully capable of doing.
That she is part Pinay and Filipina only enhances our experience and awareness because she has made her journey all the more personal. Of course, she has Eurasian features, but she makes me personally feel that brown or fair, tall or short, using whatever gifts we have, there is no world we cannot conquer.
Ina has done this with her triumph, and for that alone, we should fully support her continuing journey.
I fully believe our NZ kabayan can be the next Ms. Asia-Pacific International.
Mabuhay ka Ina!
(first appeared in: www.ylbnoel.wordpress.com)
Honoring Noel Bautista in Pinoys in NZ
Noel Bautista’s insightful articles and support for our community have continually inspired us.
His latest piece on Katharina Weischede, lovingly known as Ina, and her journey in the Ms. Asia-Pacific International New Zealand pageant serves as a beautiful reminder of what we can achieve with dedication and passion.
Noel’s words remind us of the importance of community support and the power of personal stories.
As we continue to celebrate his work, let’s also embrace the spirit of encouragement and collective triumph that Noel so eloquently captures. Here’s to more inspiring stories and shared victories!
Mabuhay ka, Noel!
