To Chase A Dream MJ LASTIMOSA: THE VILLAGE GIRL WHO DREAMED TO BE A BEAUTY QUEEN

By Manny Pinol

A week before the Binibining Pilipinas finals, my brother Socrates sent me a Facebook message.

He said MJ Lastimosa, the former first runner-up Mutya ng Cotabato from Tulunan, North Cotabato who was among the favorite contestants in the Bb. Pilipinas was seeking my support for her quest.

I felt sad but I told Soc that I was not in a position to be able to extend help to people now as I am still recovering financially and I was still up to my neck with payables following last year’s unsuccessful bid to regain the Governorship.

MJ Lastimosa’s family is not rich and I realized that to take care of and groom a beauty contestant in a national beauty contest needed a lot of money.

I told Soc we could help by starting a fund raising effort for her through our Facebook page. But by then, it was too late.

The next thing I knew she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas Universe, the first girl from the rural province of North Cotabato to win the title.

Now, she will represent the country in the prestigious Ms. Universe contest.

I remember MJ from way back. She was first runner-up in the 2004 Mutya ng Cotabato when I was Governor but I never really had the chance to know her up close.

(Cheche Maata of Pikit town won the Mutya ng Cotabato crown that year. Another Mutya ng Cotabato winner, Nadia dela Cruz of Midsayap, won the coveted Bb. Pilipinas International.)

But from that time on, she continued to participate in many beauty contests and at one time, won the Mutya ng Davao crown.

She joined the Bb. Pilipinas twice before but failed to catch the attention of the judges. Biut MJ Lastimosa believed in herself.

She persevered and finally, on her third try, she captured the attention of the jurors and realized her dream of becoming a national beauty queen.

MJ Lastimosa will no longer be just that beautiful girl from Tulunan, North Cotabato.

She is a beauty queen and her life will change forever.

She wanted to be a beauty queen and she chased that dream until the night she snared the Bb. Pilipinas Universe crown.

Now, she has the chance of becoming a Ms. Universe.

All because MJ Lastimosa believed in her dreams.

(Photo caption: Today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer front page shows MJ Lastimosa, the new Bb. Pilipinas Universe and the other pageant winners.)