A Pearl out of its Confining Clam
By Rogie Beringuel
In the quaint town of Abuyog, a spirited young woman who in her eyes gleams the reflection of a thousand stars, and in her heart, the unwavering belief that dreams, no matter how audacious, are within reach. Her name is Ma. Criszeth Cezar who despite the whispers of skepticism that echo through the narrow streets, her spirit remains unbroken. Defying the odds and chasing her dreams under the radiant Leyte sun after being chosen as the candidate of Abuyog in first-ever Miss Universe Philippines-Leyte (MUPL). With the coronation night of the said grand pageant on October 18, at the Leyte Convention merely hours away, Criszeth stands at the intersection of hope and doubt, embodying the aspirations of every small-town dreamer.
Aligned in an array of twenty-one stunning and gorgeously empowered women candidate hailing from the different municipality of Leyte namely; Alangalang, Barugo, Baybay, Burauen, Calubian, Carigara, Dulag, Jaro, Kananga, Lapaz, Mahaplag, Matag-ob, Ormoc, San Miguel, Sta. Fe, Tacloban, Tanaun, Tolosa, Tunga, and Villaba. Criseth representing the municipality of Abuyog gracefully carries the weight of her town’s pride on her shoulders in the preliminaries of the pageant, her head held high and her posture regal, reminiscent of the beauty queens gracing glossy magazine covers, during the Swim Wear competition and Evening Gown competition. With great pride of the town’s people and rich culture she was adorned with an attire an embodiment of festive tradition of the town which is the widely known as Buyogan Festival during the Cultural Costume competition.
HOW SHE MANAGE HER TIME
Threading such demanding track of academics and beauty pageantry, Criszeth seamlessly weaves her responsibilities as a first-year college student in Abuyog Community College (ACC), Bachelor of Hospitality and Management with her aspirations of wearing the Miss Universe Philippines-Leyte crown. During a close and personal interview, when inquired about her time management secrets, she shared her simple yet effective approach “I adhere strictly to my planned schedule,” she explained. And when face with the inevitable conflict in her schedule where her pageant duties clash with her school commitments, she prioritized based on urgency. “Kun magkadungan kasi it akun activities with my pageant and school I would prioritize the ones that’s in my top priority, after, I will reschedule those activities that can still be extended.” she added. Her words show wisdom and discipline of how an aspiring beauty like her understood the value of both responsibilities and how set the equilibrium between her pageant and studies.
HER ADVOCACY
Beauty comes with a cause, and for Criszeth, beauty isn’t just superficial; it reverberates from within her heart, fueled by a passion to have an impact in the lives of children. “Project ATE (Acquire Teaching and Educating the Young Generation), aims to teach the children in their literacy and numeracy or to enhance adtun may mga talent or skills, pero we will focus not to lecture but more like in a fun way like games, story-telling etc ” she said. This advocacy towards children is more than just a noble cause—it’s a reflection of her childhood memories with the patient teachings of her elder sisters. Despite their overlapping schedules, her sisters would make sure to have precious moments on weekends to impart knowledge and love. Those cherished memories of her, imbued with warmth and guidance, now serve as an inspiration of Criszeth’s mission where she added, “Since may sentiment ako sine, like it’s a core memory from my childhood, why [not] be an Ate to other children.” Project ATE is not merely an advocacy; it’s honoring the selfless dedication of her sisters, and a ray of hope for the young minds she aims to empower, reminding us all that kindness, like knowledge, knows no boundaries.
REDEFINE BEAUTY STANDARDS
Beauty queens became unconsciously the standard of beauty where they are viewed to be beautiful if they possess such resembling quality and somehow this became a negative norm. When Criszeth were asked about this she responded with an amazing statement, “Learning to accept your body shape is a crucial step towards positive body image. All of us have the power to change how we see, feel, and think about our body… kahit gaanu kapa diyan ka-taba, kahit gaanu kapa diyan ka-plus size, kaliit, that’s your own body so love your self talaga.” She encouraged women out there to be secure and never let those fictive standards of beauty defines them, because truly, beauty has no confining standard, an individual is beautiful the way she is.
WHY HER?
The reality, how that, when we reach a certain heights people beneath will either look up on us, or look down on us and Criszeth has an equal share of that, how people cheer for her small wins and there are also those who doubted her- if she can worthtily represent Abuyog in the MUPL pageant. She humbly acknowledge the right of those people who ask “Why Her?” and in a conversation she said, “… since of course everyone saw my performance in the Miss Abuyog 2023, everyone has the right to ask, but the organization, the accredited partner saw something in me; they saw that I am already determined and I am ready to step up on that stage of the Miss Universe Philippines-Leyte.” She takes it now as a challenge to prove herself as an ambassadress of the town of Abuyog.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Before she be in the heights of her current state, in the labyrinth of her memory as she reminisced back to the days. When she was merely a pint-sized girl, blending into the background of her elementary class. She saw herself tomboyish girl, she found herself at home in the rough and tumble of boys’ games, a far image from the poised pageant contender Ma. Crizeth Cezar that she is now. It was unexpected transformation set in by her older brother’s playful suggestion, a seed of an idea that grew under the nurturing guidance of her mentor, Sir Aljor Tomines. His words, imprints in her soul, a wisdom that continues to echo in her heart and anchor her feet always on the ground and set as a compass in her journey; “Tumumatak talaga sa akin ito, be confident but be humble, be confident but not arrogant, just be humble lang talaga.” These words, spoken with heartfelt conviction, became the moral that defines and guides her through the glitz and glamour, reminding her of the essence of her humble beginnings, grounding her even as she stands in the spotlight of the stage of the Miss Universe Philippines-Leyte.
As she finally set foot on the grand flickering stage of MUPL she is not just a contestant, she is an embodiment of a queen who embrace her flaws and a conqueror of those confining doubts. She will represent the municipality of Abuyog, with each step she will take, she will carry the hopes and aspiration of the town on her shoulder. And as she tries to captivate the judges and audience with her poise and intelligence may she feel the collective spirit of Abuyog firmly behind her. Where Abuyog will not be just a town on a map; but a force, a presence, and a family that believes in the dream of their own. Because as the curtains falls, the applause will resonate not just for Criszeth but for the entire community where she came from. May we be in unity that in the face of dreams, together, we are unstoppable.