𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦-𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘: “Beyond the Title, Under the Crown: HUMSS and ABM triumph in Mr and Ms Lyceum” by Ace Balangitan

Photos by: Raven Monroid and Mj Tamaray

Posted by: Danica Demaclid

Date Published: November 16, 2022

Time Published: 11:01 AM

Ms. and Mr. Lyceum candidates showed off their beauty and wit, and new title holders were crowned on the Coronation Day of the 19th Founding Anniversary of Lyceum of Alabang (LOA), Friday, October 28, at the Danilo V. Ayap (DVA) Gymnasium.

Among the many students from various strands of Senior High School, Charlize Tibay from Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) was named Ms. Lyceum, while Darein Catchillar from Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) was welcomed as Mr. Lyceum, besting other candidates.

Led them to victory, the instructors of Tibay were Ms. Lovely Gaye Revano, Ms. Cheska Ordejon, and Ms. Ronna Zapanta, while Catchillar’s instructor was Ms. Ellaine Pariente.

Other winners of the night’s event were also declared, proclaiming Ken Stanley G. Turtor from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as 2nd runner-up and John Benedict R. Horario from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as 1st runner-up for Mr. Lyceum, while their counterparts Princess Mae C. Delos Santos from the joined strand of Home Economics and Industrial Arts (HEIA) was declared 2nd runner-up and Rica Mae Cerujano from ABM as 1st runner-up.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Delos Santos from HEIA and Horario from ICT bagged the title of Best in Themed Costume displaying their salient and twinkling galactic-themed costumes to the crowd.

Catchillar from ABM and Delos Santos from HEIA later got the Best in Career Uniform title with their jaw-dropping outfits.

Dwayne Dustine R. Bautista from HEIA and Tibay from HUMSS were awarded the Best in Rainy Season Outfit as their outfits amassed the crowd’s amazement and screams.

The night did not end without the candidates unveiling their dazzling looks in formal attire. Bautista from HEIA and Tibay from HUMSS grabbed the title of Best in Formal Attire.

Aside from the above-mentioned special awards, candidates who bagged the titles Best in Catwalk, and Mr. and Ms. Popularity were also proclaimed.

With their striking and eye-popping walk, Bautista from HEIA and Tibay from HUMSS again bagged another title as they were awarded Best in Catwalk. Later announced, the strand of HUMSS made a mark as both of their bets, Tibay and Kyle Vierneza, were named Mr. and Ms. Popularity.

ASCENDING TO THE STAGE: DECIDING TO ENTER

To inspire and to be the voice; to tear the idea of the “social standards” drove Ms. Lyceum title holder Tibay to enter the pageant.

“Tall or short, morena or mestiza, thick or thin, we are gorgeous and we can conquer,” remarked Tibay in an interview with The Spiracle.

Weeks before setting foot on the stage, on October 3, details for the screening of HUMSS students who want to represent the said strand in the pageant were announced. Decisively and without hesitation, Tibay took her old pair of heels and, with her childhood gem weighed, reckoned, “Try ko kaya? Gusto ko naman ‘to dati pa. Kahit screening sana maranasan ko.”

Prompted by uncertainty, Tibay did not tell anyone she was about to join the screening. With she herself surprised, she was chosen to represent her strand in the pageant, making it her first-ever pageant joined.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lyceum title holder Catchillar holds a novel experience as he did not initially participate in the screening.

Originally, according to Catchillar, another student was set to represent the strand who later backed out. In disbelief, Ms. Lariza Conception, ABM’s strand head, approached him and said that he was the best choice to represent the strand.

Catchillar was fascinated since, just like Tibay, this was his first pageant.

“I simply accepted the challenge and mustered the courage to stand there and advocate for something,” Catchillar eloquently shared in an interview.

Brimmed with uncertainty, a plethora of advocacy. Such is a way to characterize how this year’s title holders joined and conquered to ascend to the stage.

BEHIND THE TITLE

Behind the title, struggles were untold.

Tibay shared that since they were given a short amount of time to prepare for the pageant and photoshoots, she had to contact random people online to get everything she needed, such as costumes and items. Tibay even went to different places from morning until almost midnight to check if she could get some stuff to use, even went to Binan Bayan multiple times, and asked friends for help.

Tibay also mentioned that she experienced multiple conflicts with respect to her schedule as she had commitments from other organizations prior to joining the pageant. It being her first pageant, Tibay also struggled with a lack of knowledge and experience, including not knowing how to do her own make-up and being clueless about the flow of a pageant.

Tibay also shared that her parents, though supportive, were not able to give their full support physically, making her do things on her own.

“My parents have always been supportive of me, but it hasn't been easy for our family because my mom had a stroke recently, our budget was very limited so I had to look for different ways to lessen the expenses,” shared Tibay.

Catchillar likewise struggled with the new environment as this is his first time joining a pageant.

“All of those things were new to me, and I couldn't deny how much I'd struggled with them. All of the overwhelming adjustments, having to find outfits to wear, and having to prepare myself to answer questions that could be posed to me—all of that was difficult,” Catchillar noted, citing the back-to-back rehearsal schedule, photoshoots, and filmings he encountered as a first-timer candidate.

UNDER THE CROWN

Both Catchillar and Tibay were not confident that they could get the crown. But under the crown, there were faces of real people and memories produced.

Catchillar considered everyone who worked behind the scenes as the most memorable part of joining the pageant as he witnessed all of the preparation, friendships formed, and how everyone worked together to support the candidates.

Catchillar was impressed by how hard everyone worked to make the event a success.

“It was an absolute honor to be a part of the entire process and to be able to obtain a title I never imagined I’d have,” Catchillar said.

For Tibay, the most memorable part is the awarding.

Tibay shared that she would pray whenever she would go on and off stage because her faith awakened her strength. During the announcement of winners, she closed her eyes, and, for the last time, prayed before the pageant ended while at the same time congratulated herself for being able to show her beauty and confidence.

When the winner was about to be announced, she encouraged herself, “Sa ‘yo na ‘to” and the emcee proclaimed, “Our Ms. Lyceum of Alabang 2022 goes to HUMSS!” making her feel shocked, blessed, and empowered.

“I will never let go of that unexplainable feeling when I heard I won the crown,” she stated. “To everyone out there, take the risk, conquer, and empower!”

Candidates made unimaginable feats at the end of the night.