SEARCHING for the Cagayan de Oro City’s muse over the years has evolved especially when the city crafted its organic character in its Higalaay Festival that has kept improving since its inception in 2013 – the first year of Mayor Oscar Moreno’s administration.
The search for Miss Cagayan de Oro has always been one of the biggest and most talked event of the Higalaay Festival.
This year, Sherlyn Legaspi Doloriel of Barangay Lapasan has been crowned the 2016 Miss Cagayan de Oro to represent and promote the city's people, culture, and tourism.
But little is still known of the lady whose beauty and grace emerged on the pageant's grand coronation night last August 13. In an interview, the new queen who is mostly known as "Lalang" to the ones closest to her, revealed more about who she is and her plans as the reigning Miss Cagayan de Oro.
"Family of beauty queens"
Sherlyn comes from a family of beauty queens with both her mother and her sister crowned as beauty queens in their own times. Her father who is working abroad is her greatest inspiration why she joined the pageant.
"I was greatly moved by my father who is currently a hard working OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker). I wanted to make my man proud. He is the inspiration that keeps me going. He is the first person who treats me like a princess and I think I wouldn't be a deserving queen if I were not raised by a king of a father," says Sherlyn.
She is now a graduating student of Xavier University, Ateneo de Cagayan taking up BS Business Administration Major in Marketing. She is also working as a Purchasing Manager for the resto "Cube Deli" located within the Xavier University grounds. Being born and raised in Cagayan de Oro, she is a product of the city's very own Corrales Elementary school and Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS).
Defining moment
Winning the crown is Miss Cagayan de Oro’s defining moment in her life as it taught her so many things and gave her opportunities to meet so many people. But of course, the sisters she met and the memories she had with them along the path to becoming the Miss Cagayan de Oro are the things she considers her treasure.
"The moment I was crowned. I honestly, cross my heart hope to die, did not expect that. I think my pictures of that winning announcement can vouch for the surprise on my face and the consequent tears that rolled down expressing a mixture of shock, elation and pride. So no, that was not forgettable at all. But if I were to cherish unforgettable experiences, it would be with my co-candidates. Those behind the camera and off-stage laughter, groupie and bullying sessions made the long enduring practices and treading sponsor visits worth the while. Honestly? I am happy, I am Miss CdeO. Who wouldn't be? But I'm happier I have 11 more lovely jewels in the forms of the friends I have made who were first competition but ended up as sisters that I cannot wear on as my crown but I will definitely carry in my heart," she added.
Fitness and wellness
Sherlyn is a great advocate of fitness and wellness as a personal endeavor to improve herself. She believes that being physically fit enables her to perform better and fulfil her tasks better.
"I decided to join Miss Cagayan de Oro to maximize the magnitude of my influence to promote fitness and wellness not only to close family and friends but to everyone willing to start a healthier lifestyle. I just believe that us, Kagayanons, are intended to do more and be more. I love to practice magis, a latin word for more, which is a principle imprinted in me by my college. But this, no one can do without the means to become more and the strongest medium to do exactly that is our body. Thus, my insistence on an advocacy focusing on fitness and wellness for a healthier Cagayan and better Kagayanons for which improvement is achievable in the foreseeable future," she says.
Moreover, she plans to do her part in the promotion of the city as Miss Cagayan de Oro.
"My plans, now that I'm who I still cannot believe I am, is promote my advocacy and at the same time, help the City Tourism to promote Cagayan de Oro City not only in Philippines, but all over the world. I would like to involve myself in activities that involve giving justice to Cagayan de Oro having coined as the City of Golden friendship and Rafting Capital of the Philippines. Though I have set foot in many different places in and outside the Philippines and witnessed beauty, culture, nature and experiences incomparable to the basics of my city but like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, regardless of where our feet will take us, one thing is for sure and true to my word, there is no place like home. Cagayan de Oro will always be my home and it is my duty to promote it as best as I can," Sherlyn adds.
The new Miss Cagayan de Oro, our very own Sherlyn, wants to thank all her supporters and to the people who love her.
Believe, Pray, Live
"Whilst I was the ugly duckling of the family before, now they commend I have turned into a beautiful swan. But what really changed is just an additional title. I may have won the crown but I am still Sherlyn, just more. And while I still don't understand the extent of my sovereignty. But I will try to learn the ropes, if I am to serve the beautiful people of CDO and serve you all, I gladly will. As queen, I would like to share just three things – my secret to winning royalty: 1. Believe. In people. In love. In patience. In truth. In trust. In friendship. In magic. In strength. In success. In yourself. 2. Pray. In the moments when it is hardest to. In the moments when you are happiest. In every moment. 3. Live. In the now. Don't just survive. Don't just exist. Be alive and live your short beautiful lives as though there is no past and as though it is your last."