Remembering the Late Paula, Ellen, Marcel, Suzette & Marecor

As we mark All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, we also remember some of our former Miss Bohol queens who have gone ahead to the Great Beyond.

PAULA  RAAGAS- VALLES. Paula (better known as Paulita and Daday) Baura Raagas was born on June 6, 1922 in Maribojoc, Bohol. Known for her striking beauty, winsome charm and intelligence, she was crowned Miss Bohol on May 4, 1941 at the young age of 18  and just a month away from her 19th birthday.

1941 Miss Bohol: Paula “Daday” Raagas- Valles (June 6 1922- July 8 2012)

She later on married her childhood sweetheart Dionisio Valles also from Maribojoc. She served as Municipal Mayor of Maribojoc from 1978 to 1986.

She passed away on July 8, 2012 at the ripe old age of 90 in Metro Manila (Thanks to Allouie Jumawan Escabarte)

ELLEN CAMPBELL. The tall and tantalizing Ellen “Jick Jick” Campbell of Tagbilaran City bested a field of 34 of the most beautiful and accomplished young women of the province.

1977 Most Beautiful Boholana: Ellen Campbell (1959 – 2001)

Mostly coming from the most socially- prominent families, the ladies had been chosen to represent their respective municipalities, the capital city, colleges & universities, socio- civic clubs and business organizations in the 1977 Most Beautiful Boholana Pageant.

Ellen "Jick Jick" Campbell passed away in Feb 26, 2001 after losing the battle with the big C.

MARCEL GATAL- DIEGO. Marcelina Marcel Orimaco Gatal was Your Roving Eye’s sister. Prior to winning the Miss Young Bohol 1983 crown, she was a popular DJ and newscaster of DYRD & KISS FM and had represented the province in the 1982 Hiyas ng Silangan- Pilipinas pageant where she was named Miss Talent and a Top Ten finalist.

1983 Miss Young Bohol: Marcelina Orimaco Gatal (1963- 2016)

She lost her four- year battle with breast cancer complicated by lung cancer on November 2, 2016. She was 53 years old.

SUZETTE AUZA GARCIA. Just two weeks after Marcel Gatal’s demise, another beautiful angel named Suzette Auza Garcia also went ahead to the Great Beyond. 

As Binibining Talibon 1992, Suzette represented her municipality in the 1992 Miss Bohol Pageant where her beautiful angelic face, charm & wit made her one of the favorites to win the crown. 

True enough, she emerged 2nd RU to Celevel Ranoco of Jagna and she was also selected as Best in Filipina Costume.

1992 Miss Bohol 2^nd RU: Suzette Auza Garcia

Suzette who has been based for years in Dubai succumbed to complications from lung cancer and left behind an only daughter Reina.  She was in her early 40’s when she passed away on November 15, 2016

MARECOR RECIO- BOLIGAO. She would always be remembered as one of the loveliest Miss Bohol winners after she was named 2^nd RU to Mellanie Wallace in Miss Bohol 2000.  

2000 Miss Bohol 2^nd RU: Marecor Recio- Boligao

It was  in September 2010 when news of the violent and senseless murder of businesswoman and former Miss Tubigon Marecor "Coi" Recio and her husband Alphonsus "Dodo" Boligao shocked the pageant community in Bohol.

They were on their way home on board their car when ambushed by still unidentified assailants. Marecor who was due with her third child reportedly tried to shield her husband from the killers but it was a futile attempt. She was only 27 when she met her untimely demise.  

Dear readers, do spare a minute of silence for the eternal repose of our beautiful queens who are now safely in the warm embrace of our Creator in heaven where there is no pain & sorrow and where the sun shines gloriously all day long.

Remembering the Late Marcel Gatal on Her Birthday

Today, April 26, she would have been 54 years old had she not gone ahead to the Great Beyond.  Last year, on All Souls Day, at three o’clock pm, Ate Marcel Gatal- Diego, the eldest child in our family lost in her three- year battle with breast cancer that was complicated by lung cancer.

 

 Marcel took the catwalk moments after
she was named Miss Young Bohol 1983  

Ate Marcel was a top radio newscaster and FM DJ of KISS 102.3 FM and DYRD 1161 AM during her college days after the inimitable Ardie Araneta discovered her during their Speech Lab class at the then Divine Word College now Holy Name University.

A certified beauty, she was Hiyas ng Silangan- Bohol 1982. She represented the province in the 1982 Hiyas ng Silangan- Philippines national finals where she was named Miss Talent and made it as a Top Ten Finalist. The following year, she represented Tagbilaran City in the Kabataang Barangay- organized Miss Young Bohol 1983 Pageant which she won also.

 Ate Marcel will always be remembered

In a text message sent to the family, Gov. Edgar Chatto who was KB Bohol Federated Chair when Miss Young Bohol 1983 was staged said 

” Marcel was a standout beautiful teenager representing Tagbilaran City KB Federation when she was crowned Ms Young Bohol 1983. She inspired the Boholano youth then with her wit, beauty & grace.

We extend our condolences & prayers to the bereaved family of Marcel as she begins her peaceful journey back to our Lord's Kingdom- Edgar, Pureza, Trisha & the Bohol KB Family”

We still mourn for our loss but we are also comforted by the thought that Ate Marcel Gatal Diego is in a better place where there is no pain, where the sun shines gloriously everyday and where she is finally in peace.

 

 Mikey Gatal & Ate Marcel with Edi Borja, former Gallares St.
neighbor & DWCT HS batchmate on what turned out to be
her last visit home last year


.

When someone dear passes away, we realize that we could only talk to them and touch them in our dreams and in our memories. I did get the chance to see her in a dream just recently and I woke up to tear- stained pillows and the thought that I haven’t fully accepted that she is gone.

 

  Marcel : During the summer of her life

Ate Marcel, wherever you are, I know in my heart of hearts that you are at peace. Your reign as Miss Bohol may have long been over but you will always be fondly remembered in our hearts and in our collective memories.

And Heaven Gains Another Beautiful Boholana Angel

November opened in a somber mood for Your Roving Eye’s family. On All Souls Day, at three o’clock pm, Ate Marcel Gatal- Diego, the eldest child in our family lost in her three- year battle with breast cancer that was complicated by lung cancer.

Marcel, a top radio newscaster and FM DJ of KISS 102.3 FM and DYRD 1161 AM during her college days is survived by husband Tony Diego, children Kenneth & Katrina, Mama Fely, brothers, sisters and relatives. She was 53 years old.

A certified beauty, she was Hiyas ng Silangan- Bohol 1982. She represented the province in the 1982 Hiyas ng Silangan- Philippines national finals where she was named Miss Talent and made it as a Top Ten Finalist. 

 L-R: Hareth Inting Sepe , Belen Karaan Domingo, Erma Laga , Ate Marcel Gatal Diego,

Bohol First Lady & Balilihan Mayor Pureza Veloso Chatto & Sisinia Patalinghug Andersson

During a DWCT HS Batch 1979 Gathering

The following year, she represented Tagbilaran City in the Kabataang Barangay- organized Miss Young Bohol 1983 Pageant which she won also.

 At the summer of her life

In a text message sent to the family, Gov. Edgar Chatto who was KB Bohol Federated Chair when Miss Young Bohol 1983 was staged said 

” Marcel was a standout beautiful teenager representing Tagbilaran City KB Federation when she was crowned Ms Young Bohol 1983.

She inspired the Boholano youth then with her wit, beauty & grace. We extend our condolences & prayers to the bereaved family of Marcel as she begins her peaceful journey back to our Lord's Kingdom-

Edgar, Pureza, Trisha & the Bohol KB Family”

The family grieves for our loss but is comforted by the thought that Ate Marcel Gatal Diego is in a better place where there is no pain, where the sun shines gloriously everyday and where she is finally in peace.

Here are the important dates: Nov 9 & 10 – Funeraria Gomez Vigil, November 11- Necrological Mass & Interment. Final details to be updated soon

Miss Young Bohol 1983: Marcel Orimaco Gatal

She would always be my favorite Miss Bohol. After all, she is my sister Marcel who was crowned Bohol’s fairest in the summer of her life. 

Who could possibly forget the date she won? 

 Miss Young Bohol 1983: Marcel Orimaco Gatal

It was May 1, 1983, the city fiesta of Tagbilaran and it was the most talked about social event in Bohol for weeks since there were almost 40 candidates representing their respective municipal Kabataang Barangay chapters who competed.

To this day, the pageant’s record of having the most number of candidates in a Miss Bohol edition has not been broken.

Ate Marcel who was Tagbilaran’s official bet in the pageant was also adjudged Best in Gown.

COMPLETE RESULTS:

FINAL PLACEMENT	CITY/ TOWN REPRESENTED	NAME
Miss Bohol 1983	Tagbilaran City	Marcel Orimaco Gatal
1st RU	Carmen	??
2nd RU	Dimiao	Josephine Tago
3rd RU	Jagna	Elizabeth Gales
4th RU	Loboc	Tessie Labunog

SPECIAL AWARD	CITY/TOWN REPRESENTED
Best in Evening Gown	Tagbilaran City
Best in Shorts	Jagna
Best in Interview	Dimiao
Best in Casual Wear	Loboc
Miss Photogenic	Tubigon
Miss Friendship	Tubigon
Miss Talent	Carmen

 http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHDaQh

 Miss Young Bohol 1983 & The Court of Honor

My Ate Marcel Battles the Big C

I have been trying to keep this to myself but I realized that by sharing our pain, people would get to be more cognizant of breast cancer and how it affects and devastates the families of its victims

It was only last December 2013 when I visited Ate Marcel and her family in Manila that I found out about the Big C. The biopsy results confirmed what she had dreaded ever since she felt a lump in her chest. The diagnosis was breast cancer stage 3b.  

I remember going to the toilet right after we talked. It was there at that very private area where I tore up and really cried. After regaining my composure, I went back to the living room where Ate Marcel, Kuya Tony and their kids were gathered

MY MANILA VISIT

I remember going out with the whole family and with younger brother Junjun for some bonding moments. It was supposed to be a happy occasion for Christmas was approaching and yet there was that dark cloud of gloom that hovered over us

That was one sad Christmas reminiscent of the one that we had the year Papa Rogie passed away  

with daughter Katrina after a chemotherapy session

Yes, my dear Ate Marcel is facing the biggest battle of her life and we need the power of a Prayer Brigade as she continues her treatment regimens

Ate Marcel’s last visit to Bohol was only last January. She insisted in coming home to pay her last respects to our late uncle “Papa Rey Gatal” before he was to be buried last January 3. It was a heart-wrenching reunion for Ate Marcel and cousins Ate Roni and Manoy Rocky who practically grew up together since our respective houses in Gallares St. were right beside each other.

I couldn’t help but shed a tear when Ate Marcel was sobbing on Manoy Rocky’s shoulders. Manoy Rocky, then Tagbilaran City’s Kabataang Barangay Chairman was the one who insisted that Ate Marcel accept the offer to represent the city in the 1983 Miss Young Bohol Pageant. She followed his advice and the rest is history

Cancer is such a treacherous disease. Once it latches onto the cancer patient’s system, it is irreversible unless there is medical intervention. The malignant tumour results from the abnormal and uncontrolled division of affected cells

Right now Ate Marcel has lost her hair as a result of her ongoing chemotherapy. Ate Marcel has always been a survivor and has been a veteran of life’s battles and wars. She has always been a strong, opinionated and determined woman who has never been known to back out from trials and challenges.

But Ate Marcel can never do this alone. Let’s rally behind her as she faces the biggest battle of her life. Give her some words of encouragement and please offer a prayer for her

Making this public has been a very difficult decision for us. We could just keep quiet about this but it would be unfair for family, friends and classmates

We want to share this so that everyone would realize that cancer is very real and can happen to anyone including your loved ones.   

Here is my Ate Marcel during the prime of her youth when she was crowned the 1983 Miss Young Bohol

 Her runners up: 4th RU Tessie Labunog, 3rd RU Elizabeth Gales 2nd RU Joy Tago- Yap 1st RU Miss Binangbang

Here's the link to her Miss Young Bohol victory:

The 1983 Miss Young Bohol Pageant

1989 Miss DWCT: Rollynda A. Gatal

After Ate Marcel, our eldest in the family, won two beauty titles in a row (She was 1982 Hiyas ng Silangan- Bohol and Miss Talent & Top Ten Finalist in the national contest the same year and as Tagbilaran City’s bet was the 1983 Miss Young Bohol where she was also Best in Evening Gown), another Gatal beauty made her mark in a beauty tilt this time, in a prestigious campus beauty search

My first cousin Rollynda Agcaoili Gatal, the fifth among six children of Reynald Torralba Gatal (Papa Rogie’s older brother) and Milagros Agcaoili- Gatal, was a graduating high school student when she was crowned the 1989 Miss DWCT. 

DWCT of course is the then Divine Word College- Tagbilaran City now HNU or Holy Name University

The prim and proper Adlay bested the ladies who represented the Engineering, Nursing, Arts & Sciences, Secretarial, Commerce & Education colleges. Hers was a remarkable triumph for she was the youngest candidate and had no pageant experience.

For the record, she is one of only four Miss High School girls in contemporary times to be crowned Miss DWCT. The others were Joji Almiranez 1977, Socorro D Marie “Talie” Inting 1995 and Rhea Echavez in 2004

Even without any pageant experience, the reluctant Adlay was a picture of confidence and allure. There was an unmistakable regal air that she exuded onstage especially when she came out in her Leonardo Igloria evening gown

QUESTION & ANSWER PORTION

During the interviews, her question was

” If you can save only one passenger from a sinking ship, who would it be?

An old man or a helpless baby? Why?

Her answer

“It’s not really a matter of choosing who to save. 

I  believe it's a matter of who is easier or more possible for me to save.  

After all, both of them have the right to live

She became an instant campus figure but her pageant victory never went to her head. She was still the same Adlay; reserved, well- grounded and very focused on her studies.

She was deluged with offers to join Miss Tagbilaran or Miss Bohol but she was firm yet polite when she declined the invitations.

Her reason? To focus on her studies

NAMED AFTER A BOHOL GOVERNOR & A PRESIDENTIAL DAUGHTER

Rollynda who is affectionately called Adlay was named after our uncle Rolly Gatal Butalid and First Daughter Linda Garcia.

Both Tito Rolly and Linda were Uncle Rey’s and Auntie Mila’s confidantes and advisers when the lovebirds were still working in Malacanang Palace during Pres. CPG’s term 

February 1989: with Papa Rey, Ate Ricca & Racquel

She graduated from DWCT High School, March 1989 with honors and pursued a BS Nursing degree in Cebu Doctors College where she graduated on March 1993.

After taking and passing the licensure examinations for nurses, she applied and got in at Cebu City Medical Center.

A few months after, she flew to the United States for a nursing job in New Jersey 

NEWLYWEDS with Father of the Bride
June 28, 1998

On June 28, 1998 or five years after she left for the US, she flew back home to exchange “I Do’s” with her first and only boyfriend Kevin Barga of Iligan City whom she met while both were in college.

I flew back home from Zamboanga City where I was based to emcee their wedding reception

During the interviews, her question was 

Presently, Adlai and Kevin are based in New Jersey, United States and they are blessed with two sons; Nicholas and Brandon 

Cousins: Your blogger with Adlay Gatal- Barga & Dominic Butalid
Photo Credits: Roger Gatal, December 30, 2013

We met again last December for a different kind of family reunion. Although under sad circumstances, I am glad to find out that she has remained not only beautiful but also level- headed and humble 

Please click the link for  The History of Miss DWCT/ HNU Queens

December Escapade in Manila

DREAMY DECEMBER

It was an early Christmas treat when Madame Conchita Che Toribio De Los Reyes gave me the opportunity to host her 4th Annual Beauche National Sales Conference last December 14, 2013 held at the glitzy Solaire Resort & Casino

 

FAMILY BONDING TIME

In between, I found time to bond with our eldest in the family Ate Marcel who is now based in Quezon City with husband Tony Diego and children Kenneth & Katrina

 

 

WITH ERMA & MY YOUNGER BROS

 

I also spent two days with my close friend Erma Pandan at her Eastwood Condo in Libis, QC. 

I also bonded with my Manila- based brothers Ryan Joseph & Angelo

BINIBINI BEAUTIES

 

Finally, I also got the opportunity to meet my Bb. Pilipinas friends, namely; 

- Bb Universe 1985 Joyce Ann Burton
- Bb World 2006 Anna Maris Igpit and 
- Bb World 2008 Janina San Miguel

 

Coming Up: My Pico de Loro Resort Adventure in Nasugbu, Batangas