The country’s representative to the Miss Eco International Pageant, Kelley Day, will be leaving the country for Egypt this coming Wednesday to try and capture the Philippines’ second eco crown. Even before she had her sendoff last Thursday, I was fortunate enough to have cornered the queen (thanks to my friend Gerry Diaz) for a one-on-one conversation in a mall in BGC recently. The country’s 24-year old, half-British, half-Filipina delegate gamely answered the seven questions that I asked her, each is supposed to represent a day of the week. Based on the answers she gave, I’d say local pageant fans may have something to really be happy about sometime in the first week of April, the international pageant’s coronation day.
(MONDAY) HOW WAS THE PANDEMIC LIKE FOR YOU? WHAT SIGNIFICANT THING HAPPENED TO YOU AT THAT TIME?
I went through a little bit of a heartbreak at the start of the pandemic. As in sakto siya like March talaga. That taught me a lot about independence and loving myself. Workwise, it allowed me to reflect on my career path and know what I want to achieve when the pandemic is over. I feel like I have a better direction now.
So I’d say the pandemic has actually been beneficial for my personal growth and development. I really grew a lot and learned a lot about myself. In the new normal, and back to work and largely socializing with people, I feel a lot more confident in who I am.
(TUESDAY) HOW ARE YOUR PAGEANT PREPARATIONS, SO FAR?
I’m mentally preparing for the past year because we never really knew when it was going to happen, so I was just like expecting that it was gonna happen at some point. Dapat maging prepared ako for anything. But physical preparations, have begun over the past month, I finally started working out again and na-start ko na rin yung mga Q and A training, pasarela and organizing my outfits and looks as the competition nears.
(WEDNESDAY) SHARE WITH US DETAILS ABOUT YOUR FINAL GOWN. The designer that we have is amazing and the gowns that I’ve seen so far are gorgeous. They’re unique, probably not what you might expect, but I am excited to showcase a different edge to Filipino design. I am choosing between a red and a gold gown.
(THURSDAY) STAGING OF THE INTERNATIONAL PAGEANT HAS HAD SOME DELAYS. DID THAT DAMPEN YOUR EXCITEMENT OR WAS IT A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT SINCE IT GAVE YOU MORE TIME TO PREPARE?
It was an up and down journey as I feel a lot of us went through during the pandemic. We had some good days and bad days. I did experience a bit of a dampening feel at some points. Miss Eco International Pageant was supposed to pull through in July then August and then September so it was very up and down, is it happening is it not? I was on my toes talaga. That kinda mentally drained me a little bit but correct as well that I did have a lot more time to prepare. I think when I compete this year I just know how I’m going to be, I feel like I’m going to approach the pageant being far more authentic to who I really am.
(FRIDAY) YOU WERE ALREADY IN SHOW BUSINESS EVEN BEFORE YOU JOINED THE LOCAL SEARCH. DIDN’T YOUR TITLE DERAIL YOUR SHOWBIZ CAREER?
I think the Philippines has such a grand appreciation for pageantry. That if anything it helped boost my career because I’m really trying to define myself in the industry. I like to do a lot of stuff. Sometimes when you try to do too much people don’t know you for something. One of the benefits of joining the pageant is that I will be recognized as a queen and as someone who stands up for women. A really positive image for me.
(SATURDAY) THE PHILIPPINES HAS WON MISS ECO INTERNATIONAL IN 2018, AND THEN FIRST RUNNER UP THE FOLLOWING YEAR. DOESN’T THIS PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON YOU?
The Philippines always places very well in all of the pageants, so there is that pressure to live up to the standards that the Philippines had shown that we have. I definitely feel that but it also helps me to feel even more pride for the Philippines just because of how well we’ve done in the eco competition.
WHAT IS THE NEW THING WILL YOU SHOWCASE IN YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PAGEANT TO SET YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPETITORS?
I think my personality in itself is quite unique. In a pageant, I feel that it hopefully will be refreshing that I approach the pageant as truly just being who I am. I’m quite bubbly, I’m quite open-minded and relaxed. Although I take it seriously, I try also not to take it too seriously. I think that will be something new that I will be bringing to the table.
The 5-foot-8 stunner studied in Dubai all her life and is finishing an online biological sciences program (UK Curriculum) at the moment. With credentials and a personality like hers, she’s the kind of queen the Miss Eco International Organization would surely love to have—any day.