Former beauty queen-turned-actress Evangeline Pascual who is now the current chairman of the Screen Actors’ Guild of the Philippines has given her unsolicited advice to girls who dream of becoming a beauty queen.
“For as long as they know their responsibility as a beauty queen, meaning you’re representing the whole country properly and decently, then go ahead! That’s the way to do it,” said Pascual, at the opening of the art exhibit of stylist-entrepreneur Deniece Cornejo in Serendra, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City recently.
“If you are an aspiring beauty queen or a candidate, and if you fill up that application form, and you sign your name at the bottom, then you should first believe in yourself. Signing your application form or your contract with your management is a manifestation of your confidence,” said Pascual.
Pascual won first runner-up at the 1973 Miss World beauty contest.
But when Marjorie Wallace of USA was stripped of her title as Miss World after photos of her kissing Tom Jones on the beach surfaced, the title was never offered to her.
The former Miss World beauty also urged other girls to find other paths if they are not lucky in pageants.
“Find another path, don’t push it. Sabi nga, hwag mong ipilit baka ikaw ang maipit. There are other endeavors in life. I’m sure these people who are doing it over and over again have also other things to do. Maybe in between their work, it has become a hobby to join,” Pascual said.
She also defended the Philippines which is also called a “pageant crazy nation.”
“When something gets crazy about something, that means it’s fabulous. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just that it only sounds different,” Pascual said. “Even if they call us pageant crazy, as long as we bag all the crowns, then go for it.”
Pascual said that the only difference between the candidates during her time and the current ones would be their origin.
“During my time, the girls did not come from the showbiz world but they would come from schools. Before they get into the movies, they would join the pageant first;”
“Now it’s the other way around. It has become the springboard of candidates to become more popular or get an easy access to showbiz. The movie world or the fashion industry in which they come from became their school or training ground,” said Pascual.
A widow for 22 years now, Pascual gets busy herself with other activities. “I have an on-going exhibit at the National Bureau of Investigation. I have retired from radio where I worked for 20 years. Then I went back to school and graduated from the Loyola School of Theology and now I’ve been travelling livin’ la vida solo.
“I just came from Europe, US, and Australia. It’s on my bucket list and I’ve been pulling my bag here and there. I go to the gym regularly. I go to Slimmer’s. I always have a PT (physical therapist) to take care of my flexibility and make it a point that my joints, my bones are flexible. I work out a lot,” she said.
Still looking fit at 59, Pascual said that she keeps her body fit by eating healthy and does not take any maintenance medicine.
“God is good. I am not taking any maintenance medicine. Walang bawal na food. When you’re full, you stop. It’s not good to binge. I listen to my body. I pray a lot. I pray just to make it today,” said Pascual, whose children are now living abroad.
If there’s one big achievement she would like to have, it would be to run at New York marathon, she said. “I ran a lot and I’m a finisher. I would love to join the New York marathon in the future.”