E takeextra November 2009 filipino globe 19
Three of a kind
Fifteen
minutes of
Maricel Dano
(left) receives
fame to last
her sash and
a bouquet of
flowers. Cheryl
Coyme, first
runner-up (below
a lifetime
left) and Reymalyn
Alcantara, second
runner-up, savor
their time in the
spotlight.
It’s no coincidence that these three young
Che-Che decided to try her luck in Hong
beauties are basking in the limelight. But
Kong for a year. The eldest of four
daughters, she had been planning to join
as Gabby Alvarado writes, they all shine
former classmates who are now employed
by airlines or hotels overseas.
in their own right But the 25-year-old has become so
comfortable living in the city that she has
T
hey are proud to be honored
put those plans on hold. She is currently
for their looks, prouder still of
working for a veterinarian at Ho Man Tin
their talent and their job. While
and looking after his beloved cats and
sashaying in their swimsuits in
dogs. However, Che-Che knows this job is
front of a huge crowd took some courage,
only temporary. She still dreams of having
it certainly was a piece of cake compared
her own career and practicing what she
to the demands of keeping house for Hong
has learned in university.
Kong families.
“Hindi puwedeng naghihintay ka
The three winners of the Smartone
lang ng opportunity. Ikaw ang gagawa ng
2009 Miss Barkadahan were already
future mo,” she says.
champions in their own right before they
even stepped onto the stage.
Reymalyn Alcantara, Second Runner-
Through their daily chores they
up. Playing her guitar, Reyma brought
have shown not only perseverance but
the pageant crowd to its feet with her
independence as young women carving a
rendition of What’s up and Panahon na
future away from their loved ones. This is
Para Magsaya. From her savings, she had
the story of how they got here.
bought an acoustic guitar for $860 and
an electric guitar for $2,100. She uses
Hindi sa lahat
Maricel
them to entertain crowds when invited
Dano, Miss
to perform at gatherings by the Filipino
ng panahon
Barkadahan.
community.
From the carefree
Reyma, 28, graduated cum laude at
life of a local
the Nueva Vizcaya State University and
nakasandal
politician’s
passed the board exams for teachers. The
daughter, this
eldest and the only girl in a brood of five,
tayo sa parents.
former Mutya
she went to Hong Kong, encouraged by
ng Kidapawan
relatives who within a few years as OFWs
left her job at the
Dapat maging
have been able to save for their dream
city’s tourism when she was growing up in North “Bahala na kung manalo o hindi, basta
homes.
office and set Cotobato. rarampa ako.”
Her first two years here were a
independent
out to become a An elder sister who liked doing
constant struggle against loneliness and
domestic helper household chores took care of all that Cheryl Coyme, First Runner-up. Since
self-pity. She was working for three
despite her while Dadz went around with friends. she was 17, Che-Che has been taking
households and also was a part-time
admittedly limited skills. “Hindi sa lahat She is now into her third contract with on jobs while working on a hospitality
dishwasher in her employer’s computer
ng panahon nakasandal tayo sa parents,” a family at Mid-Levels caring for an infant management degree at the University of St
cafe. “Walang time na hindi ako umiyak,”
says Dadz, 26. “Kailangan maging and five-year-old kid. An Industrial Arts La Salle in Bacolod.
she says. “Tiniis ko, hindi ako nagreklamo
independent. Kailangan pumunta dito para graduate from the University of Southern From private secretary to city hall
for fear na mawalan ako ng trabaho. So I
sa sariling future.” Mindanao, she sees nothing wrong in employee, Pizza Hut staffer, tourist
feel blessed na pagkatapos ng contract ko,
Her mother cried when she learned working as a DH. “Marangal na trabaho,” guide and hotel receptionist, this Ilongga
nakalipat ako sa mabait na amo.”
Dadz had applied for a job in Hong Kong, she explains. charmer has done it all,
Reyma helps her father, a carpenter
fearful that her daughter was ill prepared Dadz had always relished joining “Masarap magtrabaho,” she says.
foreman, send her siblings to school.
for what awaited her here. beauty pageants. “Kahit maliit lang ang “Marami kang natututuhan. Hindi na ako
“Nakakatuwa. Kasi ang sipag nilang mag-
Dadz had to start from scratch since premyo, basta makarampa,” she says, nanghihingi ng allowance sa parents ko.”
aral. Willing talaga at pinagbubuti,” she
she never learned to cook or iron clothes laughing. Because of the low pay back home,
says.
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