MOST PUBLICIZED PAGEANT
FALL. It was the eve of the 2001 Mutya
sa Tagbilaran Pageant and everyone involved was at the DWCT Gymnasium for the
Technical Rehearsal
There was one final run- through
for one of the segments when it happened. Jacklyn Joy Pilayre Yam, candidate 9
representing Bool District tripped on top of the staircase and fell head first
from the top all the way to the foot of the stairs. Since I was the pageant
emcee, I was also onstage for the cueing and the blocking assignment. In fact,
I was actually looking at her when she fell and that horrible scene has been
etched in my memory bank since it happened.
To this day, I still remember how
she fell. Everyone froze for a moment followed by awful screams. I remember picking her up and driving her to
Ramiro Community Hospital where on- duty resident doctors were assessed of the
situation. I still remember telling the doctors and nurses not to give her
access to a mirror. Yes, she got scratches and cuts on her face and legs!
When I went back to the rehearsal
venue, the atmosphere and mood had changed. From frenetic and exciting, it had become gloomy. Everyone was concerned for Joy and the big question that night was:
Will Joy show up for the pageant finals the next day?
Blame it to the rigid rehearsals
and grueling schedules. Joy admitted that she was already half- asleep when
she was navigating the staircase. Her reflexes were already slower than the usual hence that unfortunate incident.
THE JOURNEY MUST
CONTINUE
On pageant night, Joy showed up
at the pageant venue in high spirits. She told everyone who was milling around
her that she cannot disappoint the District of Bool hence the decision to push
through with her participation.
Pickles, her make- up artist, had done a great
job in concealing the cuts and bruises. There was no trace of the bloodied and
bruised Joy that we saw the other night
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| Your Blogger as Pageant Emcee with Joy during the Q & A |
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| Joy during the Swimsuit Competition |
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| Joy performs an Igorot music during the pre- judged Talent Competition |
The City Mayor that time was Hon.
Jose V. Torralba with Hon. Jorge Cabalit as Vice- Mayor
There were 16 girls in the beauty
competition. They came out in stylish summer outfits in the Opening Salvo that
depicted the fiesta celebration of Tagbilaran
After competing in the Swimsuits,
Casual Interviews & Evening Gowns, the field was narrowed down to Six Semi-
Finalists
THE SIX SEMIFINALISTS
The Top Six were the girls from
the districts of Manga, Bool, Cogon, Booy, Poblacion II and Poblacion III. The
six ladies then underwent another Question & Answer portion before the
judges made the final cut.
THE TOP THREE
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| The Top Three |
Advancing to the Final Round where
One Common Question was to be asked were Gina Palen of Booy District, Leslie Berry
Edera of Manga District and Jacklyn Joy Yam of Bool District.
After the Farewell Walk of
reigning Mutya sa Tagbilaran Mutya Amor Zamora, the announcement of winners was
made
FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF
RESULTS
Named 2nd Runner Up
was Leslie Berry Edera. And then there two girls left onstage to hear the final
announcement. Named 1st Runner Up was Gina Palen
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| L- R: 1st RU Gina Palen , Mutya 2001 Jacklyn Joy Yam, 2nd RU Leslie Edera |
The unthinkable had happened.
Jacklyn Joy PilayreYam, a 16 year old who just graduated from high school
barely a month before the pageant and who survived a nasty fall the night
before the pageant finals had defied the odds and found herself being crowned
the 2001 Mutya sa Tagbilaran.
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| The Mutya 2001 winners with City Mayor Joe Torralba & Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado |
Pageant experts and watchers said
that it was her sincere and quick- witted reply to the final question plus her
overall performance that evening that sealed her victory.
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| Mutya 2000 Mutya Zamora & Mutya 2001 Joy Yam |
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| With proud mom Mrs. Lolita Pilayre Yam |
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| with fellow Bool District youth, classmates & friends |
For this blogger, it was her
destiny to be crowned that night for she had a bigger mission: To serve as an
inspiration for those who easily give up on their dreams.
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| Mutya 2001 with her mom & city's top local executives |
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| as Santacruzan 2001 Reyna Elena |
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| with Tagbilaran City Mayor Joe Torralba & First Lady Betty Co- Torralba |
LIFE AFTER MUTYA SA
TAGBILARAN
Today, Joy has found her fulfilment
as wife to Pastor Einstein Acuna and as mother to two adorable young girls.
Both she and her husband are behind Hope Avenue Center, a non- stock, non-
profit organization that helps distressed and traumatized children by creating
a place for rehabilitation and recovery.
Here's the link to: Hope Avenue's Summer Blast 2014
They are also running a Summer
Workshop for Learning Enhancement where I’m one of the facilitators in order to
fund their outreach programs
Joy, may you continue to touch
lives and be an inspiration!
