Janicel admits that the Miss Bikini Philippines contest was the toughest hurdle she had to go through in her young life. But in the end, she won the crown because of her almost perfect figure (34-22-35), towering height (5’10”) and a strength of character that could only be the product of a tough life in her hometown, Palawan. But Janicel still sees a positive side to it. “Poverty is the best diet,” she proclaims almost defiantly, refusing to look pitiful and pathetic.
As this year’s Miss Bikini Philippines, she won half a million pesos in cash, plus other prizes in kind. Like her predecessors, she was initially given P100,000 that she promptly sent to her parents in Palawan. (The rest of the cash prize will be given to her in the succeeding months up to the time she finishes her reign.)
After her reign is over, her option is to pursue modeling full-time. However, she knows that going back to school and earning a diploma is her only chance at stability. It is her dream to become a teacher and she doesn’t mind being a working student while pursuing tertiary education.
When Slimmers World learned about Janicel’s wish to study, the company officials asked STI (an events partner) to give the newly-crowned Miss Bikini Philippines a scholarship. She is also enrolled at John Robert Powers, which granted her a personality development course that will come in handy when she competes in the Miss Bikini International contest in China last quarter of this year.
Regardless of the outcome of the international pageant, Slimmers World will be behind her in the quest for a brighter future for her and her siblings in Palawan.
Janicel will not be the first Miss Bikini Philippines to be empowered through the help of Slimmers World. Miss Bikini Philippines 2008 Yen Lopena also came from humble beginnings. Although she finished Hotel and Restaurant Management cum laude at the Philippine College Technology in Davao, she had to work at the Marco Polo Hotel as a lounge attendant for which she was way overqualified because there were no other job opportunities that came her way.
Her winning Miss Bikini Philippines changed all that. She was trained directly under the supervision of lady boss, Helen Camacho. Today, Yen is the manager of Slimmers World Binondo center.
Another success story was that of Astrid Hernandez, a former Miss Bikini Philippines candidate who later became the manager of the Slimmers World Cebu branch. Also farmed out in Slimmers World’s various branches and assigned to different departments are other alumnae of Miss Bikini Philippines.
Miss Bikini Philippines was originally envisioned to promote health and fitness. But through the years the contest helped transform for the better the lives of several young women by molding their personalities, boosting their confidence and opening concrete career opportunities for them.
The Slimmers World formula for helping improve the lives of these ladies is simple: unlike in other beauty pageants where the “thank you” girls are sent off the stage after the proclamation of winners, Helen Camacho and her staff try to spot contestants with career potential (even those who did not make it to the finals) and, if amenable to working for the company, are absorbed by Slimmers World, and this eventually becomes their training ground.
Slimmers World has branches in Adriatico, Alabang, Binondo, Caloocan, Cebu, Greenhills, Legaspi, SM Megamall, Pasay Road, Pasig, SM City, Subic, and Trafalgar Plaza in Makati. For information, call 536-3333, 525-8771 or 091-SLIMMERS.
source: philstar.com
