“I have my own share of personal struggles in the past because I always feel the need to meet society’s idea of perfection. I am now ready to stand up and break the barriers we have long been keeping. I am phenomenal because I AM A WOMAN and not ‘just’ a woman.”
22 year-old Noreen Victoria Mangawit is the representative of Kalinga in Miss Universe Philippines 2020. She is a proud member of the indigenous peoples with which she takes pride in knowing the language of her ethnolinguistic group. At 16, she learned how to live independently when she moved to another city to pursue her studies. Back in 2018, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences Major in Economics and Minor in Political Science from the University of the Philippines Baguio. Prior to such, she was elected member in two honor societies. Concurrent with her studies then, she was a museum volunteer for Museo Kordilyera. She is now a proud civil servant who loves to serve the people.
“I have learned that to be a beauty queen in this modern age is to be a leader and a role model as well – the kind of person that I have always aspired to be when I was little.“
So for Noreen’s cause, she believes that it goes beyond doing lip service.
”Advocacy entails devoting yourself, your time and effort in studying how to actually impact a sector(s) in society. The Philippines is diverse in terms of the various cultures we practice. Thus, we need to reiterate the importance of cultural relativism. Indigenous peoples have always had their own voices and I would like to use my influence and this platform to help amplify their voices. It is time to start a conversation on the most important yet overlooked part of our society – its people.
“Being a beauty queen is not a requirement in instigating change. I want to show my community that it is our responsibility to look after one another. We can only thrive in doing so by being educated on the things that affect us as individuals and as a community. I want to be able to contribute in this process. To echo Miss Universe 2019 Zuzibini Tunzi, a modern empowered woman is someone who is not afraid to take up space. Keep leading!”
normannorman.com 
@Flor on the front runners being “more consistent with the overall MU package“: I think the directional guide adhered to by MUP is the MUO tradewinds towards inclusiveness and diversity. Not only it is good business-wise but in keeping with the global cultural trends. Look at how the Black Lives Matter, Me-Too, Gay Pride and other movements, groups, “tribes”, and sub-cultures all wanting to advance their causes and want to be part of the global conversation.
It is a positive development that this move reflects a more holistic view of beauty. That’s why as I keep on discovering more details about the candidates, what used to be simply beautiful faces and bodies are now a bevy of outstanding beauties inside and out. This is a batch of top models, top athletes, outstanding scholars and students, sought-after motivational speakers, remarkable career women, respected health and cultural workers, and credentialed community organizers and leaders– all beautiful in their own right!
That’s why, as Pia Wurtzbach emphasized at the latest Astie Nights episode, the MU aspirants are no longer “judged” but “selected”. The nuances of the two words are significant in the light of the adherence to the cause of inclusiveness and diversity. Pageantry should not, and must not, pit one beauty against another. It is a process of selecting who amontg the aspirants will be bestowed with the honors of taking the lead role in advancing the causes of the pageant’s brand.
So culturally relevant theme. I think her cause is timely now that our indigenous peoples (IPs) are left in the dark. It’s time to value their existence because IPs are the reflection of our past.
Win or lose, I hope this girl’s advocacy will be advanced. Go on, girl!
That’s all.
@Ana Winter- Lund, I absolutely agree. Win or lose, Noreen’s advocacy should be advanced, and should be supported by MUP through the AP. MUP,after all is not just a beauty contest but a platform for worthwhile advocacies. That makes a pageant truly a celebration of beauty!
Noreen may not fit the stereotypical physical beauty standards of most Filipinos, but physical beauty being culturally defined, makes her a very beautiful modern mountain maiden to her people. @Flor was right, Noreen reminds her of H’Hen Nie of Vietnam who was literally plucked from a northern indigenous Vietnam tribe and made waves in the beauty circuit all the way to MU Top 5! So we cannot dismiss at this point her chances at the crown. Who knows?
I couldn’t agree more, Scorg. Let’s see how she shines bright like a diamond on the final’s night. If she can pull off the H’hen Nie trademark, then why not?
@ scorg & @ Ana Winter-Lund Now we realize how JG’s assumption of the MUP franchise dovetails with his modelling agency, Mercator. HE CAN USE THIS TO DISCOVER FRESH FACES. 🙂
That being said, I am of the impression that all the front-runners at MUT 2020 are fashion models. MUP must be given credit now for putting together a somewhat more diverse line-up of early favorites, which includes nurses (Sorsogon and Albay), a pro-volleybelle (Quezon City), and a flight attendant (Cavite). I have to admit that while the faces there are more pretty in general, the ones here may be more consistent with the OVER-ALL MU package (including back story).
Oh, I just watched Heyadamg’s interview with Amanda Obdam. She confirmed that she went to the same (preparatory/high?) school as Daniel Peters in Thailand. He’s our Rachel’s younger brother.
Mr. Tinio, is it safe to assume the three candidates you will feature in PN’s S2E2 will no longer require individual posts here in the blog, po? So, we commentators will simply have to tune in this Sunday, 20th, to know who they are…? 🙂
I will post soon
Pretty but she won’t win any national pageant
Guess who had a similar back story…
H’Hen Nie.
🙂
@Flor, I agree. It is a welcome development that indigenous communities get to be represented in the national celebration of beauty. And take note– Iskolar ng Bayan! I wish her the best.
@ scorg I have a funny-silly story about UP Baguio…
When I was still unaware of just how accessible (read : manageable walk for the strong-footed) everything is in the City of Pines, I took a jeep at the Burnham Park Terminal, thinking the school was “from Quezon City Rotonda to Echague” in distance. Juice mio! Malapit lang pala. 🙂
Baguio City is a STORIED place! I wonder if Bea Maynigo’s own will be just as thrilling-magical.
The written personal account of herself and her views has depth, reflective of an above average intellect that is solidly grounded in her indegenous roots. I hope to see more write-ups on her.
* “indigenous”, not indegenous
Pretty, tall and smart… but not the best bone structure.. I hope she lands a rich foreign husband…