By: Joey O. Luces
| VILLACAPA: Miss CAPSU 2022
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A story will be told of an empowered woman who is a force to be reckoned with. She exudes strength, confidence, and resilience in every aspect of her life. A symbol of hope who knows her worth and refuses to settle for anything less than she deserves. She embraces her uniqueness, talents, and abilities, and uses them to create positive change in her own life and the lives of others.
On November 23rd, Ms. Elcha Mae J. Villacapa stood out as the most radiant contender during the Mr. and Miss CAPSU Mambusao 2022 competition. Through her sharp intellect and wit, she outperformed candidates from various departments, showcasing her true embodiment of beauty and intelligence. As a student leader herself, she exemplified the essence of what it means to possess both qualities, ultimately earning the coveted crown. With her victory in the campus pageant, she was selected to represent CAPSU Mambusao in the larger quest for Miss CAPSU 2022, where she competed against contestants from three campuses and five satellite colleges.
Villacapa is a native of Barangay Banog-Banog, Isabela, Negros Occidental. She is a proud Babaylanes, an indigenous group that focuses on spirituality, healing, and cultural preservation. It gives her immense strength to represent the indigenous people as she proves that everyone has the right to quality education and are equal no matter what the status in life is. Being a newcomer in the town of Mambusao to pursue her studies is not a hindrance for she is resolute and unswerving to accomplish her goals in life.
She is a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Office Administration degree and previously held the position of Supreme Student Council President at CAPSU Mambusao. Alongside her academic achievements, she also worked as a student assistant at the school's library, taking the initiative to alleviate her family's financial burden in supporting her education. Despite the challenge of living independently in Mambusao, she transformed it into a source of motivation, driving her to exert even greater efforts in her endeavors.
Well driven, capable, and empowered. That is how she described herself amidst the adversities she encountered in her journey. Well driven because she possesses a strong combination of competence and motivation. She is capable as she believes that whatever she puts her mind into, she can accomplish what she wants because of her hard work and determination. An empowered woman who breaks stereotypes and continues to prove that she has what it takes to be worthy of anything she achieved.
Following her victory, she embarked on the next formidable chapter of her path in the world of pageantry. Dealing with body-shaming due to her physical appearance, she dedicated herself to enhancing her well-being through consistent exercise and a nutritious diet. Additionally, her team emphasized rigorous training sessions for her pasarela walks, where she had to navigate in six-inch heels. Consequently, she perceived herself as somewhat boyish or masculine, presenting her biggest challenge of maintaining a poised posture. Although she possesses confidence in her public speaking abilities, she diligently allocated time to study and rehearse potential interview questions.
The highly anticipated beauty pageant finally arrived, and all the participants displayed remarkable competitiveness. Villacapa fearlessly exhibited her self-confidence on stage during the swimwear segment, confidently strutting down the runway to emphasize that sexiness knows no body size. In the subsequent long gown competition, she captivated everyone with her alluring walk, surpassing all expectations and leaving the audience in awe. As someone that is considered as dark horse in the pageant, she completely stole the show, surprising the audience with her remarkable performance on the runway.
During the preliminary interview, the candidates faced an intelligence test where they were assigned hashtags to explain and elaborate on. Villacapa opted for the hashtag Indigenous People, a topic she could deeply connect with as a Babaylanes herself. Displaying unwavering confidence and strong conviction, she wholeheartedly shared her profound insights.
“Indigenous People nowadays are not given enough focus especially those who are from far places. I am also an indigenous person ─ from the community of Babaylan. I want to take this opportunity to say to the government that indigenous people also deserve a program especially those in mountainous places. I want to say to everyone that indigenous people also deserve education because I believe that education is the key to success,” Villacapa said.
Miss CAPSU Mambusao’s well rounded performance earned her spot at the top three. Joining her were contestants from the esteemed CAPSU Main Campus and CAPSU Dumarao, renowned for their exceptional candidates. During the final interview, all three contestants faced the same pivotal question that would determine the true winner of the Miss CAPSU 2022 crown. They were asked to articulate their personal advocacy and outline how they intended to leverage it to advance and promote the institution's vision, mission, and goals.
“My personal advocacy is youth empowerment... I want to use this advocacy to encourage every student of Capiz State University to study well, equip themselves with knowledge and skills to be able to be globally competitive and attain the mission, vision, and goals of this institution. (because) I personally believe that if the students don’t have the passion to learn, then equipping themselves with the mission, vision, and goals of this institution would not be possible and attained. So, students, the key towards attaining the VMGO of this university is not only on the campus administration but also within ourselves. Let us have that passion to learn and empower ourselves so we can be globally competitive. Thank you,” she answered.
The crowd erupted with excitement, fervently cheering for their favored contestants, as each candidate delivered an exceptional performance. The Dadivas Gymnasium reverberated with enthusiastic applause when the hosts disclosed the results. Miss CAPSU Dumarao claimed the title of second runner-up, while Miss CAPSU Mambusao and Miss CAPSU Main stood hand in hand, generating a sense of anticipation among the crowd. With bated breath, everyone awaited the unveiling of the new queen. As fate would have it, the stars aligned for Miss Elcha Mae Villacapa of CAPSU Mambusao, as she was announced as the triumphant winner of Miss CAPSU 2022.
History has been made in Villacapa’s journey. She is the first ever winner of Miss CAPSU from Capiz State University-Mambusao Satellite College. After years of relentless pursuit, Villacapa propelled CAPSU Mambusao to the forefront, shattering the stereotypes surrounding pageantry. Her victory served as a testament that being a beauty queen requires determination and purpose, extending beyond mere fame. Regardless of physical appearances and individual attributes, she exemplified that anyone can ascend to the throne of beauty and grace, as long as they possess the will to empower themselves and uplift others along the way.
Beauty pageants have long been a subject of fascination and controversy, captivating audiences worldwide. It cannot be denied that beauty pageants have left an indelible mark on popular culture, influencing perceptions of beauty, femininity/masculinity, and success. Exploring the relevance of beauty pageants allow us to delve into the complexities surrounding these events and gain a deeper understanding of their impact on individuals, communities, and societal norms.