Teachers in Pageantry

By: Shaira Casaclang

As part of the celebration of the TCU-CED's 12th Founding Anniversary, the department has once again held their annual event, “The Search for Mr. & Ms. College of Education 2021.” Two of the candidates were from TCU Mathematics Club. They had revealed some exciting truths and revelations about both of their experience on the pageant.

The two representatives of Mathematics Club are both Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics. Ms. Ganal is a 3rd Year student in Taguig City University while Mr. Mercado is a 2nd Year student on the same school.

Mathematics Club’s prides, John Michael Jr Mercado and Elijah Maryse Ganal, shared their great and eye-opening experience on the pageant. “To be honest, it was a great experience for me because that was my first pageant but it [is] quiet disappointing that they didn’t continue the coronation night,” said Mr. Mercado. According to him, he also felt bad since he had set his mind and got ready for the question-and-answer portion which was the part he was excited to do. “It was very difficult doing the pageant online but it gives me a lot of lesson specially on time management,” he added. On the other hand, it was an eye-opening experience for Ms. Ganal. “It was eye-opening, it was so hard to walk a runway with hot clothes on. However, it was fun, with the help of my friends Marco Betoya, Clarence Beatrice Nerona, Erica Dela Mujer, and Mosnaira Guiapson, I had the most amazing time. They backed me up online and, on my shooting, so it was an amazing experience overall,” she said. It was also her first time joining a pageantry since she was more interested on academic events. “I didn't win but at least I get to have fun as I joined the pageant,” she added.

They were asked, they were again encouraged to join the same pageant, would they give it a go. Mr. Mercado’s response was mainly about inspiring his future students. He wants to be their source of inspiration in prioritizing their education. “If that pageant is necessary, then I’ll go but if not, I don’t,” he added. Meanwhile, Ms. Ganal said she had a very unique experience joining the pageant, but she does not think she'll join another one. She said that her heart truly wants academic type of events or games such as debate, poetry, story making, demo teaching, and others related to these. “Thus, I highly doubt I'd join another pageant. Besides, there are a lot of beautiful TCUMC students, I'd rather they have the spotlight next time,” she added. This might probably a wonderful experience for them yet they do not prioritize joining pageants like this.

When asked about their inspiration on joining the Mr. & Ms. CED 2021, Mr. Mercado has shared something he rarely tell anyone: “I rarely tell this but my inspiration is my body, having a disease of gynecomastia (enlargement of breast of men) makes me shy and got so much insecurities but I was amazed how people of pageantry manage this kind of situation and become their main advocacy of why they join pageant, and said if women can empower other women, I can do also. I take this as my stepping stone to go out of my insecurities area and be the person who is not scared of judgement.”

It is indeed true that our fears and insecurities can be one of our inspirations to come out our comfort zone. Ms. Ganal, on the other hand, shared her main purpose on joining this pageant: "to raise the flag of my fellow Math Majors. That's why my inspiration are the Math majors who had been behind my back as I go through the event." ” She also added that the highlight of her inspirations was her friends who worked so hard making her pretty and helped her make the required photos and videos on the event.

“However, my main inspiration [is] my family, who had given me the courage to fight, they have also supported me through sharing, liking, and spreading my photo online.” We really can’t deny that most of the contestant’s inspiration is their family. Our family is one of the roots of supports for us.

Although they have experienced Mr. & Ms. CED and they had the potential joining higher and bigger types of pageants, it is still not their priority as of now. Mr. Mercado stated, “if [there’s] a chance, why not. but I do need more lesson of q and a and some things that I need to improve. [It’s] kinda challenging but if I have that confidence right now, I [would] definitely join higher pageant.” Pageants might not be one of his priorities, but he might consider joining bigger pageants once he has built his confidence in the future. Ms. Ganal was also asked if she would give it a go if she was given a chance joining Miss Universe and she stated, “I would love to answer "I am willing to try," but being a part of Miss Universe is a long and grueling process on my part. There are sacrifices that has to be made that I can't let go of. That's why our representatives for Miss Universe inspire me, that's their calling and that's what they're good at. I would like to focus my energy on my calling and what I'm good at which is teaching Mathematics.”