Manila Bulletin

‘Honest’ Binibini gets crash course on ‘Build’ program

- By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

After she stumbled in the questionan­d-answer portion of the Bb. Pilipinas 2018 beauty pageant, Binibini semifinali­st Sandra Raymundo Lemonon went to the Department of Transporta­tion (DOTr) and took a crash course on the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

Images splashed on social media showed Lemonon meeting with Transporta­tion Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials to discuss President Rodrigo Duterte’s

infrastruc­ture program.

“Build, Build, Build” is a flagship project of the Duterte administra­tion that promises an infrastruc­ture boom such as building roads, subways and bridges throughout his term.

Last March 18, Lemonon made it to the Top 15 of the Bb. Pilipinas contest. But during the Q&A portion, she was clueless when asked: “What are your insights on the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program?”

Lemonon answered: “The insights of the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. Actually, I studied so much for this Q&A, but suddenly that’s something that I really don’t know much about. But, at least I’m here trying to answer a good question. Thank you!”

She failed to win any of the six titles but social media went abuzz with her honesty.

Lemonon, 24, said that she has no regrets joining the Bb. Pilipinas 2018 contest. She added she might join again in the prestigiou­s local beauty pageant.

“I do not regret anything, because in the end, at least now everyone knows what the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program is! I know what it is, everyone else who didn’t know what it was, now they know,” the Binibini said, during an interview on ABS CBN.

“Build, Build, Build” Committee Chairperso­n Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo shared the photos of Lemonon on Facebook.

“If the Binibining Pilipinas event happened today, I’m sure it would be an entirely different story. Time to #BuildBuild­Build. Thank you Binibining Pilipinas 35 Sandra Lemonon,” said Lamentillo on her photo caption uploaded on Facebook.

Born in Macau, China, Lemonon finished Fine Arts at the Escola Portuguesa de Macao. Aside from Filipino, she speaks French, English, and Portuguese.

The part-time model and baker is also into drawing, painting, rock climbing, jet-skiing, running, and football.

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