While a bevy of Filipino and part-Filipino beauty queens joined the massive protest rally against corruption at the People Power Monument in Edsa in Quezon City on Sept. 21, a reigning Paraguayan pageant titleholder was also among the flood of people.
Yanina Gomez, Paraguay’s delegate to the 74th Miss Universe pageant next month, attended the ‘Trillion Peso March’ denouncing corruption in government projects attended by tens of thousands of protesters.
The Paraguayan human rights lawyer and teacher revealed this when she faced members of Filipino media at the Yugen Group headquarters in Taguig City last month.
The company helped bring her to the country, and has arranged for her to train under Filipino mentors to prepare for the 2025 Miss Universe pageant. And on the day of the rally, she said the car she was in got stuck in traffic. When the driver told her what had caused it, she said she did not hesitate to take part in the rally.
‘I participated in one like this in Paraguay. And I’m so happy here the people use their voice to make a difference. Because we need to grab now, don’t repeat the same, because money needs to go to things that make life better for the people,’ she told Inquirer Entertainment in an interview.
Gomez said she got inspired when she saw 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray onstage, and knew she made the right decision to get off the car, and cancel her supposed appointment.
She also said that she was aware that several other beauty queens from the Philippines had taken part in the same rally, including reigning Miss World Krishnah Gravidez, one of the several Filipino pageant girls that she looks up to. They both competed in the recent staging of the Miss World pageant in India.
‘No more people in the streets need to go hungry, no more children in the school need to go hungry. [There must be] good transportation, because here it’s one big problem, traffic every day, and how many times we spent in the traffic too,’ Gomez said.
The Paraguayan beauty queen lamented the traffic situation in the country, something she personally endured while staying in Manila, and noted the need for an efficient mode of public transportation.
She also addressed Filipino government officials: ‘Be honest, because the people are tired. And this is one big message and lesson for everthing. And this is one big example for other countries that are tired, leaving their house to commute,’ Gomez pleaded.
Speaking to Flipinos, she said, ‘Go, make the difference, and use this to serve as an example for the world. And I’m happy to participate because it’s one big lesson for me. And many, many people are so tired of this situation.’
Gomez will be among the more than 130 delegates from around the world, including the Philippines’ Ahtisa Manalo, who will be competing to succeed reigning Miss Universe Victori Kjær Theilvig.