A PAGEANT victory fulfilled the childhood dream that was set aside for a successful career.
Thomasian alumna Giselle Barrion was crowned Mrs. Tourism Universe in Mrs. Tourism 2019, a pageant for married women and single mothers held at the Tanghalang Pasigueño in Pasig City last Oct. 28.
Barrion, who obtained her master’s degree in business administration from the University in 2010, said she had to set aside her dream of becoming a beauty queen to focus on her corporate job.
“I’m not saying that becoming a beauty queen [would hinder someone] from becoming successful in the corporate world. Maybe at that time, being a beauty queen was not for me,” she told the Varsitarian.
Barrion, who was also named Mrs. Gusto Drink and Best in National Costume 1st runner-up, said it was her first time to join an international pageant. She cited gender equality and women empowerment as some of her advocacies.
“It’s really [a matter] of empowering people and addressing issues with respect to one’s preference, equality and awareness in terms of those rights,” she said.
Launched in 2017, the Mrs. Tourism 2019 pageant had the tagline: “A mother who cares for the world.”
The Filipina was among the twenty-seven women who competed in the pageant. Mrs. Thailand Apipapha Jankaen took home the Mrs. Tourism Queen Mother 2019 title, the pageant’s top honor.
