Modoka Kudeken from Japan won the Noble Queen of the Universe in the third edition of the Noble Queen of the Universe Pageant 2021 held in San Diego, California.
She is a dietary education instructor and her advocacy is not only to empower women by eating the correct food to achieve a healthy physique but also to improve a woman’s mental health, so she can continue her duties as a mother, wife, and a member of the working community.
Modoka thanked Mika Tanaka, who is the equivalent of Rodgil Flores of KF (Kagandahang Flores beauty camp) here where they teach aspiring Japanese women to walk properly in a pageant (also called pasarela), to look good in the pageant (make-up and gown) and to answer questions with brilliance in a pageant.
Actress and public servant in Pampanga JC Aguas was crowned Noble Queen International. Her livelihood projects in Pampanga empowering women to start their own businesses at home impressed the international pageant judges. In her application, she stated, “I am a feminist leader in my city. I believe in the social, economic and political equality for women which is the reason why I am running again to serve my constituents here in Pampanga. One of my advocacies is to promote livelihood projects for the women here in Pampanga. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. At a young age of 17 when teenagers should be in school, I had to work to take care of my two siblings. At a very young age, I was already exposed to the worry when I had no source of income. I would never want that feeling for any woman that is why I create projects to provide livelihood opportunities to women like me.”
Queen Jeannette Kamphuis of Sweden was originally part of the first edition of NQULI pageant held last 2019. Since she continued her advocacy educating women and children and caring for the environment, she was crowned with a special award as Advocate Queen of the Universe. Other winners were Horteciana Manzano from Mexico who was crowned Noble Queen Earth. Queen Horteciana helps abused women in Mexico. Ellen Sexsion, a realtor based in California, was crowned Noble Queen Earth. The judges were impressed with her answer when she was asked the worst problem that women face during modern times, and she answered, “Gender inequality is still an issue in our modern society. We need to be relentless in our drive to voice our concerns and be part of the solution by being a support group to them. Gilda Valleser, who won Noble Queen Tourism, also had a good answer to the same question, “The worse problem that women face in these modern times is the pressure to achieve exterior beauty rather than to be beautiful inside in order to be happy.”
The international pageant was a success. My greatest regret in 2021 is not to have been able to join the coronation night in the U.S. to turn over my crown to the next Queen because I already accepted the invitation of the Metro Manila Film Festival Awards 2021 night to be their one and only host which was also my dream since I was 12 aside from being a beauty queen and a comedienne in television movies and live stage.