The secret to Steffi's winning streak
Easily one of Cebu’s most popular faces, Steffi Rose Pearson Aberasturi is hard to miss. With her bright smile and friendly aura, you might find yourself endeared to the newlycrowned Binibining Cebu 2018. But little do onlookers know that it took a bit of gloom for her to realize just how brightly she could shine.
Known as Tepi or Teppay to close friends and family, Steffi was rough around the edges before she became a beauty queen. Growing up boyish, the future title-holder would shoot hoops and play billiards with her father. She preferred much simpler clothes back then and didn’t even bother dressing up. Her sister Crystal Star Aberasturi-Kang, older by two years, introduced Steffi to a new form of self-expression.
“My sister, she’s really kikay and super girly so she influenced me a lot,” Steffi tells The Freeman. “She taught me how to wear clothes and put on makeup. Thanks to her I turned out this way!”
Steffi looks up Crystal Star: they were partners-in-crime, frenemies and the best of friends. But she revealed it was a “great challenge” to grow up with someone as beautiful as Crystal. The way people showered Crystal with compliments did not go unnoticed for Steffi. She didn’t harbor ill-feelings though but instead, she put Crystal – a Miss Mandaue 2011 1st runner-up, Miss Mandaue Miss Cebu 2014 4th runner-up and a Miss Philippines Earth 2014 Top 10 finalist – on a pedestal.
“I never considered her as competition,” Steffi said. “Rather, a best friend and an inspiration.”
While their parents aren’t form Cebu (her father is from Malitbog, Leyte while her mother hails from San Francisco, in Mindanao), Steffi grew up in Liloan. With just the four of them, Steffi’s parents kept a close eye on their daughters, something young Steffi didn’t fully comprehend. Like any headstrong youth, she bemoaned her folks’ restrictions.
“Growing up, I never really had the freedom I wanted because I have strict parents. I would always complain and get mad at them because I never really understood their purpose,” said
SUNDAY
VANESSA A. BALBUENA
Steffi, now more mature and understanding. “As I grew older, I realized all the things they did was all for my own good and I’m thankful that I grew into the person they wanted me to become: a responsible, smart young lady.”
Now 24 years old, Steffi admires her parents greatly. They are her biggest influence. Among the many things they taught her are humility and the value of family.
“It’s because of my parents’ love that I am brought in this beautiful world and they didn’t only teach me how to humble myself towards others, but they taught me the most important thing in this world and that’s family,” she said. “Because of my parents’wisdom, I am living my life full of happiness and genuine love towards the people around me.”
She also considers her parents as her greatest mentors. Steffi believes that everything starts at home, which is why she values her family so much.
Perhaps, the restrictions allowed Steffi to become more amiable. When people meet her for the first time, Steffi said that people’s first impression of her is that she’s a happy person.
“They’re right. The more they get to know me, I’m more bubbly and funny,” said Steffi, who loves to read books and go on food trips.
When she’s not gracing one event after the other in the metro, you might chance upon Steffi on the beach. She loves going on trips, with the beach her happy place. Spending time under the sun with her family is her absolute favorite thing to do. Recently, Steffi went scuba diving and can’t wait until her next excursion.
Joining pageants at a very young age, Steffi already has a bunch of crowns under her belt. At first, it was the prestige and aesthetics of pageantry that drew her in. Seeing all the beautiful, confident women, Steffi loved the extravagant gowns and the sparkly crowns. As she learned more about the industry, the Tourism Management cum laude graduate from the University of San
Carlos
began to see beyond the glitz and glamour. “When I was young, I was always fascinated by women wearing beautiful gowns. But what really caught my attention is that being part of a pageant gives you the chance to inspire people, touch lives, promote your advocacy and make a difference to yourself and others,” Steffi shared.
While pageantry is mere entertainment for others, for Steffi, it’s the thing that gave her direction. While it was all fun during the countless muse competitions she’s joined, her passion for the industry has brought her to bigger stages and platforms to make a change.
“I just enjoy and love pageantry. It gives me a sense of direction,” Steffi quipped. “It’s a chance for me to share my passion, talent, promote my advocacy and for the people to hear my voice.”
Pageantry and modelling has become so much more than just a career for her. It has also