28/03/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?
By: Teosi Iya Velasco
At Universidad de Dagupan, different kinds of heels are worn: silver straps, the trendy kitten heels, or inches that are very hard to work with. Each pair prepared for one important walk.
Even before the competition begins, the atmosphere inside the Leisure Coast Resort grows electric. Dim lights and fog settle over the venue while cheers rise from students waiting for their candidates: the women brave enough to step forward.
As March marks the nationwide celebration of Womenสผs Month, Binibining Universidad de Dagupan becomes more than a highlight of Foundation Week festivities. It becomes a reflection of the women who shape the campus every day, each in their own way.
THE FIRST STEP:
Walking in heels is never easy at first. There is discomfort, blisters, and the worry of stumbling with every step. Yet behind every graceful walk lies preparationโtime management struggles, repeated pasarela practices, and sacrifices to strive for an unforgettable performance.
What is perceived as a simple pageant training is a picture deeper than it seems: a lesson in confidence for every woman learning to stand taller in her own space.
โMedyo mahaba ang preparation namin para maipakita สผyung ganoong performance sa audience, isa na rin doon na kailangan palagi kaming maaga, on time, para maibigay sa inyo สผyung best performance,โ shared Iya Lomibao, 3rd Runner-Up from the School of Information Technology Education.
Each candidate represents more than her respective school. With every step on stage, she carries the pride of classmates, instructors, and mentors who see fragments of their own aspirations reflected in her grace. No candidate walks alone; each stride echoes the community standing behind her. Whether through shouts, banners, or just an eye watchingโwishing for a good performance.
In many ways, the heels mark a beginning, the courage to face uncertainty while striving for growth and self-confidence.
THE BALANCE:
Balance defines not only pageantry but life itself. Beyond the elegant performances witnessed by the audience are personal struggles rarely seen beneath the stage lights.
โKahit na marami akong pinagdadaananโsสผyempre scholar ako, tapos sumali ako rito, magpa-pasarela training ka, [question and answer] training. Despite that, kaya ko naman palang lampasan สผyung challenges,โ shared Janet Raeven Galapate Cabreros of the School of Health Sciences, who was later crowned Binibining Universidad de Dagupan 2026.
The occasional stumbles remain hidden behind smiles and confident posture. Each contestant is more than a pageant number: a communication student, a nursing student, an information technology student, a hospitality management student, an education student, an accounting student, an engineering student, a criminology studentโand above all, a woman navigating multiple responsibilities and expectations from the world.
In their heels, they embody personal growth shaped by different academic paths with diverse struggles. The stage becomes a meeting ground where disciplines walk side by side, united by a shared identity as a woman, and as UdDians.
THE WALK HOME:
By the end of the morning, crowns and sashes found their rightful bearers: Janet Raeven Galapate Cabreros of the School of Health Sciences was named Binibining Universidad de Dagupan 2026, followed by Ashlay Eilenger from the School of Business and Accountancy as 1st Runner-Up. Angela Martin and Iya Lomibao, both representing the School of Information Technology Education, were declared 2nd and 3rd Runner-Up respectively, while Pauline Calpito of the School of Health Sciences completed the court as 4th Runner-Up.
Yet beyond the final results, the heels worn throughout weeks of preparation carried more than the pressure and tension, they carried experiences. Every step taken became a destination of its own, whether small or significant.
The heels held memories of nervousness, pressure, resilience, and camaraderie shared beneath the same stage where it was walked. Crowned or not, each Binibini stepped away having represented something greater than herself or her department.
โSa mga fellow women ko riyan, huwag kayong mawawalan ng tiwala sa sarili ninyo, lalo na kung gusto niyo ang ginagawa niyo,โ Ms. Janet Cabreros said. โKahit na walang bumibilib sa iyo, as long as kaya mo, just keep going.โ
As the competition ended, candidates congratulated one another while students slowly went to their break. One by one, the heels were removed, revealing tired but triumphant feet. The stage lights faded, but the footsteps remained, marking a path for every woman who dares to follow.
Because Binibining Universidad de Dagupan is remembered not only by the crown, but by the women who stepped forward; each walking her own path, whether in rubber shoes, school shoes, or heels.
Editor: Joselle Clores
Photos: John Malicdem & Binibining UdD
