30/11/2025
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ข, ๐๐ข๐๐
To be a person is to be many things all at once: honest and untruthful, fragile and fierce, seen and unseen.
Humans can live both as an open book and as a sealed vault. Often, this decision depends on personal choice, but at times, it is shaped by necessity. Careers vary greatly, and so do the demands they place on every individual; some may require transparency, and some may wish for discretion. One way or another, this influences how people present themselves to the world.
However, sometimes, a person canโt be fully an open book or a sealed vault because they lie. They lie not to deceive, but because they are far more than that. These lies become a way to express who they truly are, in all their complexity.
To put this description into its picture-perfect match is a beauty queen like Angelica Arwin C. Evora, a woman who embodies far more than what meets the eye on stage. A woman with a story that will prove that what we share with the world is just one part of a much bigger story.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ง? ๐๐ข๐๐ซ.
She is not a queen because far more than beauty and brain, she carries the spirit of an icon and the grace of a warrior.
โI am a sexual abuse survivor at the age of 6. I joined pageantry without a goal of opening my story to the world because just like other survivors, I wanted to keep my voice shut and find peace from it. When a news came to me that my perpetrator abused a lot of innocent minds, it hit me that this will never stop unless I speak and come out of my zone. I saw the power of my platform in pageantry and used it.โ
Beauty queens or the pageant industry as a whole are often subjected to unfair prejudice because of the perception people have about it. Those with a surface-level understanding of the industry believe that the only thing that matters in this field are beauty and body. But no, Ms. Evora, herself, proved that pageantry is a platform that can be a force for change. Through her story, we learn that sometimes, the greatest courage is found in using your voice for those who can not speak for themselves. A queen? Indeed. An iconic warrior? Suits best.
๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง? ๐๐ข๐๐ซ.
She is not an inspiration because itโs not enough to simply be captivated by her passion; instead, she should be seen as a role model whose actions speak louder than words.
Beauty queens are often seen as symbols of beauty, but Ms. Evora proves that there is much more to the title. Beyond the glamour she reflects onstage is an aspiring policewoman, who is extremely determined to serve her community. She is a living proof that being a queen doesnโt come from appearance alone; it comes from a deeper purpose. An inspiration? Absolutely. A role model? Yes, she is.
โI was also a young girl who was scared, but knowing that I can help others through my story, I know I am on the right path.โ
๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐? ๐๐ข๐๐ซ.
She is not just a beauty queen with advocacy just for the requirement of the competition. She is a queen who redefines what it means to wear a crown.
โIโve been joining beauty pageant for 13 years now, pero palagi ko lang sinasabi na โI will use this platformโ โI will use my voiceโ but donโt even know the real power behind those statements, ano bang ginagawa ko sa pageant for 13 years? Then I realized, I am healing little Jelai, because I understand that in order to find the light of helping others, I need to help myself first and I did.โ
Every ramp to the stage, every answer to Q and A portion, every title became a step toward something bigger than herself. From her own resources, she launched Project Alpas, a campaign aimed at creating spaces and raising awareness on social issues close to her heart. It is an initiative dedicated to protecting and empowering children through education, awareness, and safe-space conversations about sexual abuse.
She continuously proves that behind her huge crown is a little Jelai that creates impact, gives voice to the voiceless, and turns visibility into advocacy.
Throughout 13 years of competing beauty pageants in different places, she has celebrated the highs of winning titles and endured lows of coming up short. Indeed, while crowns may vary, it would not change the fact that they all reflect her one true advocacy, which is to be a source of hope for women who have faced the same challenges she once did. Now, she finally wears the crown she has long chased โ Miss Oriental Mindoro.
Jelai lied. What we see is just a partโthere's so much more inside her heart. Her โliesโ were never about deceitโthey were the armor of a queen who refused to be defined by others.
Article: Trishia Trillanes and Jelly Fajardo
Photo : Art Paredes, Paolo Cabrera
