Unang subok pa lamang ni Arlene Cris Damot na pagsali sa Mrs. Universe Philippines 2023 ay naiuwi niya agad ang korona.
“This is my first pageant actually,” ani Arlene tungkol sa Mrs. Universe Philippines 2023 pageant na ginanap noong June 18, 2023.
“For the international one, it’s gonna be on October 1-9, so it’s gonna be for nine days. But we will also have some activities..
Ano ang nag-encourage sa kanya para sumali sa isang beauty pageant?
Sabi niya sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), “Actually, when I was young, I was really bullied because of my weight, I was chubby back then.
“And also my skin tone, it’s morena. So I just wanna show everyone na parang if you set your heart and mind to it, you can be anything you wanna be.”
balancing LIFE AS A WIFE, MOM, BEAUTY QUEEN, BUSINESSWOMAN
Si Arlene ang proof na hindi nagtatapos ang mga pangarap sa pag-aasawa.
Paano niya napagsasabay ang iba’t ibang real-life roles na ginagampanan niya?
“Balance., time management talaga. Of course, family na muna talaga, di ba, that’s our priority.
“And then, for being an entrepreneur and then a mom and a beauty queen as well, time management talaga is very important.”
AS WIFE AND MOM
Parehong lalaki ang dalawang anak ni Arlene: isang 13 years old at isang 8 years old.
Kuwento ni Arlene tungkol sa kanyang mga anak, “Actually, yung mga boys, medyo hyperactive talaga sila, e, compared sa girls, pero nako-control ko naman sila. Both in grade school po, they’re studying in Alabang.”
Ang asawa ni Arlene ay isang Malaysian, at para kay Arlene ay “fun” magkaroon ng asawa na foreigner.
Aniya, “…our cultures are really different, pero my husband naman is very understanding. Like, for example, for religion, both my sons are Catholic, but my husband kasi is Hindu, e.”
Paano sila nagkakilala ng kanyang mister?
“We met in Malaysia back in 2013 at a friend’s party actually. I was working there in Kuala Lumpur.
“I lived in Malaysia before, but then we decided to parang stay here in the Philippines na because of the business, which is aesthetic clinic, so we decided to migrate here.”
AS BEAUTY CLINIC OWNER
Pagmamay-ari nina Arlene at ng kanyang asawa ang Royal Aesthetics Clinic na binuksan noong 2018, at may anim na branches na ngayon sa buong Pilipinas.
Nagsimula ang journey niya sa medical field after maging registered nurse.
At patuloy ang pagpapakadalubhasa niya sa larangan ng general surgery, dermatology, at otolaryngology (focused on ears, nose, and throat) sa Global Doctors Malaysia.
May Professional Certificate in Advanced Aesthetics si Arlene mula sa prestihiyosong European International University sa Paris, France.
Siya rin ay may certification sa Medical Aesthetics mula sa International Academy of Aesthetics Sciences, at aktibong member ng Association of Dermatology & Aesthetic Nurses of the Philippines.
Ibinahagi naman ni Arlene ang mga preparasyon niya para sa nalalapit na 46th Mrs. Universe 2023.
Gaganapin ang coronation night sa October 8, 2023, sa Newport Performing Arts Theater ng Newport World Resorts Manila sa Pasay City.
“First thing, of course, is I need to be fit. So I go to the gym, I go to the spa, so I will be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared, di ba, when you go to the spa mare-relax ka, e.
“Secondly, for the Pasarela [pageant walk], I’m being trained by Ian Mendajar.
“And then for the gowns naman, we have collaborated with a lot of designers here in the Philippines, like Mark Bumgarner, Ehrran Montoya, and a lot more.”
Ano ang adbokasiya niya mula noong manalo siya bilang Mrs. Universe Philippines?
Sagot ni Arlene, “My advocacy is, now the main advocacy is violence against women, but previously it’s women empowerment.
“Kasi sabi ko nga as a woman, before na-bully ako because of my weight and my skin.”
Meron na tayong apat na Miss Universe winners: sina Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015), at Catriona Gray (2018).
Pero sa forty-six years ng Mrs. Universe ay wala pang Pilipina na nananalo.
Si Arlene na kaya ang magbibigay ng unang korona para sa Pilipinas?
“Well, I really cannot promise, of course, kasi I’m no Pia naman, I’m no Catriona.
“But I am Arlene, so I will do my best, and I believe that I am unique.”
Anong masasabi ni Arlene tungkol sa mga bagong ruling at lesser restrictions sa pagsali sa Miss Universe, na puwede na ang may asawa, may anak, at ang transgender?
“I think if I will be given the chance to, for example, mamili ng any pageantry, I will still choose Mrs. Universe, kasi I believe na parang I think we share the same values, and I love being a mom, e.
“Mrs. Universe kasi… the requirement kasi is like if you’re married or widowed or divorced, so mas ano ko siya, yung Mrs. Universe. I think we share the same values.”
Wala na ring age limit ang Miss Universe, iniisip niya ba na puwede na rin siyang sumali sa Miss Universe?
“No, I think Mrs. Universe talaga ang nasa heart ko po.”
Hindi naman daw kontra si Arlene sa mga bagong rules ng Miss Universe.
“Yes, I agree naman po. It’s actually a good thing, kasi it doesn’t define you naman, like whatever age or whatever size or whatever height or anything, all those kind of things.
“I’m happy din na Miss Universe is parang opening up to these kind of things.”
