The usual fairy tale ending for any Filipina international beauty queen aspirant often shows the ambitious but kindhearted protagonist finally getting the crown she really worked hard for on her head. She gratefully waves to an adoring crowd, makes the headlines the following day, gets welcomed in a glorious homecoming and then becomes a celebrity for life. Last year, three Filipinas had these storylines written for themselves when Maureen Montagne won as The Miss Globe 2021; Cinderella Obenita bagged the Miss Intercontinental 2021 title; and Alexandra Faith Garcia brought home the Miss Aura International 2021 crown.
A fourth Filipina could have been afforded the same royalty treatment if not for the COVID-19 realities that prevented her from getting it.
Samela Aubrey Godin left the country on Nov. 26, 2021 to represent the Philippines in the annual Miss Culture International Pageant in South Africa. Together with her costume and wardrobe designer Jomar Peralta and stylist and mentor Rich Masangkay, Samela was supposed to join international delegates from 35 countries for the competition. While in transit to the contest venue, news broke out that a new COVID-19 variant, known as the Omicron, has originated from South Africa.
“Nasa Dubai na kami when we heard about the Omicron. Nung marinig ko yun, naisip ko agad na malabo akong makauwi agad. Imbes na ma-down, inisip ko na lang na tumuloy at lumaban pa rin para sa mga memories na maiku-kwento ko sa pamilya ko,” Samela shared.
Arriving in South Africa on Nov. 27, the Philippine trio found out that stricter travel protocols to and from South Africa are already being implemented, and have prevented at least 14 other countries from joining the competition. Undaunted, the team pursued what they came to the African nation to do. With her natural beauty and charm, Samela raised the country’s flag and won the title in the pageant’s culmination on Dec. 5.
“Pati yung mga Africans, ang isinisigaw nila Philippines. Sobrang saya. Every beauty queen pinangarap magka-international crown. Ako, nakuha ko na yung pinapangarap kong international crown,” the Pinay queen said as she recalled her proud moment.
However, the sweet ending to her beauty queen tale took a halt immediately after she stepped out of the pageant stage. After world economies decided to close their respective borders to slow down the mobility of the new COVID-19 variant, the victorious Philippine team found themselves trapped in South Africa with nowhere to go. After two failed attempts to book flights that will bring them home to the Philippines, they were left to live on the small amount of prize money that the beauty queen won in her pageant.
Jomar Peralta narrates their experience: “We were forced to rent an apartment that we had to pay for roughly P4,500 a day. Wala pa dung food at yung uber nila na sobrang mahal. Our money lasted for 13 days doon sa apartment.”
With their funds running on empty and Christmas drawing near, the team became desperate looking for some Filipinos they can seek assistance from or at least talk to. Then came a lucky break. While strolling in a mall, they passed an Indian food kiosk where they somehow heard someone speak Tagalog. Pretending to buy food from the same kiosk, the three started talking in Tagalog amongst themselves, catching the interest of their kababayans. The breakthrough, sparked an immediate fire of bayanihan among the Filipinos they met and who offered to help them while they are on an extended stay in SA. To this day, they are hosted by Filipino couple, Claro and Nehmia Bermudez, parents of former beauty queen Patricia Bermudez.
“Kinompose ko yung sarili ko sa lahat ng nangyari. First time ko malayo sa pamilya ko, eh family-oriented pa naman ako. Yung homesickness nababawasan ng video calls. Tapos nung nagkaroon na nga ng Filipino community, Nawala na yung homesickness ko. Hindi na kami alone,” admitted Samela.
For now, the team has reserved a flight home for Jan. 28, which makes the beauty queen hopeful: “I have three wishes po. One, mag-open sana na yung Dubai for layovers; two, talagang magpush-through na yung flight namin; and, three, umuwi kaming healthy at negative sa Omicron virus.”
Godin’s experience in South Africa is actually not her first taste of heartbreak in pageantry. Peralta revealed, Samela had her first bitter taste of pageants during her stint in a national competition last year, where she ended up unplaced.
“May mga false promises sa pageant na yun. Pinaasa sya dun. Ang sabi, bilhin mo yung maraming tickets sa gala night para sure ka sa isang fasttrack at kami na bahala sa iyo at lulusot ka dun. P100K to P150K per table, P1.2M ang nagastos namin sa gala night. All in all, mga mahigit P3M gastos naming pati tickets at swab test ng mga nanood. Kaya talagang brokenhearted siya pati ang family nya.”
Just like any gracious and magnanimous queen, however, Samela is ready to put her setbacks aside for now and just focus on the victory she will be bringing home to the country if and when she finally sets foot on Philippine soil.
“Kahit hindi humingi ng tawad, pinatawad ko na lang din po yung mga yun kasi blessing din naman ang dumating sa akin,” she said.