DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A 36-year-old Cebuana who used to sell anything from hand-me-downs to gold, bags, accessories, even the lowly anchovies during tough times, has recently won at a major beauty pageant that qualified her to represent the Philippines on an international stage.
“Excited na po, but sobrang kinabahan kasi it’s really big and ang dami namin from different countries,” said Dubai-based Vevherly Camiguing Gador, a licensed criminologist who got her degree from University of Cebu – Main Campus.
(I am already excited and also quite nervous because the event is really big and there will be many of us competing.)
A single mom of a 13-year-old girl, Gador will be the Philippines’ bet for the upcoming Mrs. Universe 2024 to be held in Korea from October 2 to 10 this year. Coronation will be on the 9th.
Gador won the Mrs. Universe Philippines title over 11 candidates during the competition held at Dusit Thani Hotel – Makati City in late August, qualifying her for the next big thing. Having been back in Dubai, and to her day job as executive admin at a steel industries company, Gador said she has been preparing in the past weeks for the event.
“The preparations are a lot, like physical, wardrobe selection, mental and emotional, stage presence, walk and ramp walk, public speaking, as well as question and answer,” she said.
“I am doing it daily, especially the talking and self-presentation part, like the look and aura.”
Hard life
Gador, eldest daughter of a military officer and a farmer mom, used to live in “a very remote area in the middle of the forest with no neighbors and no electricity,” she said, referring to Bgy. Lawaan, in Alcantara, Cebu.
“I grew up in a very simple, hard life. But it was a great training that made me who I have become. There were no friends to mingle with; just me, my little siblings and my dogs, pigs, chickens cats and goats,” she said.
A contestant during the first season of GMA 7’s “Survivor” reality show, Gador was also in different jobs to support herself through college, and beauty contests were not new to her. “I did part-time modelling, joined pageants, worked in a fast food chain and call center to sustain some of my school allowances,” she said.
After obtaining her license as criminologist, Gador worked at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as civil aviation security inspector, but had to quit after a year and three months due to spinal health issues.
