By: Dave Achondo
Photos By: Rhoel Chaves Condeza
In today’s Urban Life, let’s get to know Cagayan de Oro’s bet for the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines to be held on May 3, 2020 at the Mall of Asia in Pasig City. Let us hear her struggles, her passion in life, and who she is as a person – and as a Kagay-anon.
Before she became this City’s contender for the Miss Universe Philippines 2020, VincyValacalares joined Miss Cagayan de Oro 2019 where she won third runner up and would later be handpicked by Miss CDO’s pageant Chairperson Mags Cue and its pageant consultant and Barangay Chairwoman Gilda “Gigi” Go to be this city’s representative for this year’s installment of Miss Universe PH.
Feminine yet strong, courageous and down to earth these are the qualities that we immediately picked-up from her presence alone. Vincy described herself as friendly, kind, and welcoming.
“We Kagay-anons are known to be very friendly, innate nasa atoa that we are friendly, it’s in our nature gyud. I am kind because I grew up in a family where we really believe that values are very important not just sa pag-pakita sa family but also towards everybody. I am welcoming because from the school that I graduated, from my course we were taught this type of attitude to be welcoming in whatever and whoever we will get to see, get to know, get to talk with,” Vincy said.
In terms of values, Vincy is known to be well disciplined, and this is thanks to her parents especially to her mother that molded Vincy and imbued her with character, values, and goals from her younger years. She strongly feels that this value (discipline) should be instilled in every child so that they would grow up learning to respect others, to respect themselves, and develop a sense of compassion that is needed to understand people from all walks of life.
Vincy explained: “Angpagigingdisiplinadomaogyudnaanggi-main focus saakong parents, especially akong mother because siguro before nakita niya sauban niyang peers nga kulang ug values ang ilang guina pa learn sailahang mga kids. Mao gyud na ang powerful nga value that each person should have. And I'm blessed that my parents especially my mom taught that to us,”
Joining Miss Universe has been her long-time dream that became a reality because of the strong support of the people around her particularly the organizers of Miss CDO. She explained that this is not hers alone, but her family’s too.
“Actually this has been my dream ever since, not just my dream but my family’s too. So blessing nalang gyud ni siya na nag join ko sa Miss Cagayan de Oro and I was chosen by Capt. Gigi Go and Ms. Mags Cue to represent our city and it's really a blessing because first time nako mag join ug national pageant, so very excited,” she said.
Vincy is also an educator in real life she teaches communication at Corpus Christy School, the same school where Miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach studied. She would like to focus on education as her primary advocacy that she would be promoting during her stint in the Miss Universe PH – and would like to work hand-in-hand with the City government in accomplishing this advocacy.
“Since I am a teacher of Corpus Christy School and I am an educator, I would like to focus on that, and also since ang goal pud sa city government karon especially ni Mayor Oscar Moreno iya gyung focus is to build schools, and classrooms which is mainly focus on education so para pud inline me, ang government ug ako, education among focus karon,”
MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES
The prestigious pageant is just around the corner and Vincy is preparing herself and trying to better herself both physically and mentally, as the competition is fiercer than ever. For a food lover like herself who enjoys eating anything she wants, her discipline comes in handy in maintaining her beautiful physique through proper diet and exercise.
“My organizers from time to time Ms. Mags Cue together with Cap. Gigi, and Sir Sherwin we meet to talk about my advocacy, to talk about siguro being physically fit. But ang amoa gyung guina focus karon nga preparation is ang advocacy,” she said.
She also shared that prayer and support from her family and organizing team really help her maintain her composure amidst the pressures of carrying the city on her back. Especially when she is well aware that Pia Wurtzbach also represented CDO in 2015 and won the coveted crown.
“I feel pressured pero kani na pressure ako nalang guina welcome because again, just like what I said the Miss Universe Philippines is my first ever national pageant as well, so ako nalang ning guina welcome and enjoy na feeling because this only happens once, dili nagyud siya mo balik,” Vincy said.
For two months Vincy along with her fellow candidates would be in Manila preparing for the big day if ever she would be alone during the duration she said: “kung ako rapud isa, ako gyung guina make sure na I always have time to pray,”
In terms of her advantage against the other 51 hopefuls is being genuine during the competition: “I believe my edge would be… from what I observed, all of them are really queenly, beautiful, so thin, very material for pageants. But I believe ang only edge nalang gyud nako maingon is being myself.”
She shared that being true to herself and to everyone is the only edge she has against the others. Her attitude, personality and everything that she has learned over the past years from the people around her is what makes Vincy who she truly is as a person.
For Vincy, being Miss Universe Philippines is an honor and a once in a lifetime experience. She shared that this is one way for her to grow as a person, not just an individual but also professionally. “It's an opportunity for me to grow to be the person that I should be,” she said.
If ever crowned Vincy understands that the crown carries with it responsibilities: “Siguro the Miss Universe crown for me ana nga time is purely responsibility. Responsibility and love for me to the Philippines, the world, the Universe.”
During the competition, Vincy said that she would like to know her competitors' respective cities and get a better view and perspective of their lives.
TO HER CITY
“I joined because this is for the city, for our beloved Cagayan de Oro City. One thing that I just like everyone to know is that para ni sainyuha. I ask for your support and prayer during my journey in Miss Universe Phillippines. Dili lang para sa akoa, but also towards other Cagayan de Oro candidates Cinderella Faye “Cindy” Obeñita who is also representing the city in BinibingPilipinas, and kay Ms. Caroline who is representing Misamis Oriental in Miss Universe PH, who is also from Cagayan de Oro. Don’t forget to vote and pray for us,” Vincy concluded.
