Jeannie Jarina

 Philippine delegate to leave for Mrs Universe pageant

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Officers and members of the Tamaraw Toastmasters Club, including Miss World 1973 1st runner-up Evangeline Pascual, organized a send-off party for Mrs. Universe Philippines West Pacific 2022 Jeannie Jarina, who is scheduled to leave on January 28 to compete with over a hundred international delegates at the 46th Mrs. Universe pageant in Sofia, Bulgaria. The pre-pageant activities will begin by January 30 and the coronation night is slated on Feb. 4 (Feb 5 in Manila).

The 45-year-old chief executive officer of the Technofab Steel Company will fly to Eastern Europe with Mrs. Philippines Universe 2021 Veronica Yu and national director Charo Laude, who represented the country in the Mrs. Universe pageant of 2019.

"Filipinos are the best in the universe and I can be the best in this pageant. I joined the Mrs. Universe pageant because it is the most prestigious of the many competitions for married women and I want my eldest daughter to emulate me," intimated the MBA alumna from the Ateneo Graduate School.

"Pageants are relevant as they encourage and motivate married women and their roles as mothers in their respective families.  It also encourages moms to find their voices and empower themselves as women, in general.

"My being unique with a strong personality and being true to myself as a loving Ilongga woman are some of the qualities I'll be bringing to the pageant. All of us candidates will be addressing the issue of domestic violence in one of the symposia during the competition," she added.

Jeannie is blessed with a brood of three: Jean Marie (14), Henry (11), and Althea (10). She has raised her children on her own after separating from her husband a few years back.

"You need to tell your kids that they are your priority. And married women, before they decide to severe the marital bond, should make sure that they're already emotionally strong, financially stable, and spiritually strong. At the beginning of their married life, God should be the center of their families and lives," Jeannie intoned. She said that if the opportunity may present itself in the future, she would consider remarrying.

"The door to forgiveness is open. We need to enjoy life from day to day," intoned Jeannie at the close of our colloquy. When not busy with her pageant journey, she wears a hard hat and immerses herself in her duties as head of an engineering and construction firm.

"This is the 46th year edition of the pageant. The 47th edition will happen here in Manila in October this year. So our next national pageant will be in May or June," enthused national director Charo Laude.