Toledo City lass bags top Mutya crown

Angeli Dione Gomez, a film graduate from Toledo City, Cebu, is the country’s new Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International.

The 20-year-old Gomez, who also competed in the Binibining Pilipinas pageant early this year, will try to duplicate last year’s victory of fellow Cebuana, Rizzini Alexis Gomez, in the Miss Tourism International pageant in Malaysia.

Gomez got her crown from fellow-Cebuana, Rizzini, who is also the reigning Miss Tourism International.

During the final round, Gomez was asked what women from the West can learn from Filipino women. She replied: “Their virtue. They’re very strong and dedicated in their culture. That’s something Western women can learn from Filipino women.”

Gomez, who was also proclaimed Mutya ng Crimson, received the same prize package awarded to Koreen Medina who was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific International  in the 2013 Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant on Friday night at the NBC Tent at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Medina, an 18-year-old Mass Communication student from Quezon City,  was also proclaimed Miss Talent, Miss Sheridan Beach Resort, Miss Lancaster Hotels and Miss Zen Institute. She, received her crown from last year’s winner Camille Guevarra. The new queen received a prize package worth P1 million, and will represent the country in the Miss Intercontinental pageant in Egypt later this year.

Asdis Liza Karlsdottir from the Filipino community of Iceland was hailed Mutya ng Pilipinas-Overseas Communities, while Maureen Ann Montagne from the Filipino community of Arizona and Kristian Aubrey Nolasco from Caloocan City were proclaimed first and second runners up, respectively.

Destiny

Gomez, who majored in film at the International Academy of Film and Television in Mactan, Cebu,  knows she is destined to become a beauty queen, believing that beauty queens are born, not made.

She  was crowned Reyna ng Aliwan 2012 and was also named Miss Resorts World Manila 2012 fourth runner-up.

Her  father is a pediatrician while her mother is a businesswoman.

She attended high school at B.R.I.G.H.T. Academy, before majoring in film at the International Academy of Film and Television. She is the eldest of three daughters.

Gomez used to ride horses and play polo, but an accident forced her to give them up. She now does poi, hoops, and contact juggling. She also collects jigsaw puzzles and now has about 50 in her collection.

Pressure

Asked if she feels the pressure to win the international title after her predecessor’s feat, Gomez said:  “I’ll try not to think  about that”.

“But I’m going to get more tips from Rizzini, hopefully to help me win the crown again for the Philippines,” she said.

As Toledo City’s Festival Queen, Angeli won another national crown as the Reyna ng Aliwan. And early this year, as a candidate in the Binibining Pilipinas Gold, Angelie (who tripped twice on pageant night) didn’t advance to the semis despite being an early favorite among pageant watchers and bloggers. /Inquirer with a report from contributor Orly G. Cajegas