No sibling rivalry between pageant queens
MUTYA ng Pilipinas Tourism International 2018 Juliane “Aya” Fernandez and her elder sister, former 2008 Bb. Pilipinas International Patricia Fernandez, come from two different national beauty contests. But the beauty queen-sisters swear there is no sibling rivalry between them.
“There no such thing between us,” says Aya during her send-off for the Miss Tourism International 2018 beauty pageant which was held in Makati City recently. “I’m a big fan of Ate Patricia. I used to carry her bags and other things in her events. I really have no plans of joining pageants but she encouraged me.”
She adds: “Right after I graduated from college, I want to get closer to the masses. So that’s one of my goals why I decided to join Mutya ng PIlipi-nas. There are things worth fighting for so I can say that my feat for the crown is 100 percent worth it.”
“Through my Ate, I’ve seen how the platform can help you be closer to the people. Looking back at what she used to do, it was difficult but she enjoyed it. I’ve seen her struggles as a beauty queen and how she worked hard. She was really an inspiration on pageants.”
The grand finals of the Miss Tourism International 2018 beauty contest will be be held in Malaysia on Dec. 21. Jannie Loudette Alipo-on of the Philippines is the reigning titleholder.
Aya is a broadcast communication graduate from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. She is also a recipient of the Most Promising Youth Social Enterprise for the year 2017.
Before she joined “Mutya,” Aya also won the Miss Teen Earth pageant in 2015. She promotes her environmental project for the local community dubbed “Project Lily PH,” a livelihood project for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) who are engaged in the production of eco-friendly charcoals from water lily and other agri forest wastes.
She was one of the semi-finalists in the Miss International 2008 beauty contest held in Macau.
Asked if she had a difficult time to choose between Mutya ng Pilipinas and Bb. Pilipinas, Aya says: “Every pageant has a peg. Through my observations, the peg of Mutya ng Pilipinas is much closer to me. Mutya ng Pilipinas focuses on tourism. There’s something in me that I want to bring back to the table what we have lost before. And that is keeping the heritage.”
There will be no swimsuit portion in the Miss Tourism International 2018 pageant. That’s why Aya will be bringing with her gowns for the contest. “It’s okay if there’s no swimsuit competition. It’s a different challenge for me. Gowns din ang labanan namin dito.”
Help Aya have a sure spot at the Top 10 through your votes at the upcoming Miss Tourism International 2018 pageant.
This year, three out of 10 finalists will be based on the countries with the most number of votes through the official Star Phone mobile app. So far, Aya is at No. 8.
“Every first vote by any individual voting through their mobile in their respective country is free. Download the Star Phone app to participate. Voting starts now,” Aya says.