MISS Scuba Philippines 2017 Sherlyn Legaspi Doloriel will be promoting Misamis Oriental's tourist spots and marine conservation as she competes in the Miss Scuba International 2017 on November 18 in Kota, Kinabulu, Malaysia.
"Sherlyn can be an asset to the province. I know that she will be able to do a lot, especially if she will be able to promote our tourist spot and bring foreign divers to Misamis Oriental," Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano said.
Emano said scuba diving can become a cash cow in the local tourism industry.
"Those who dive, when they come to the province or when they dive, they bring money because they drink, they eat and stay in very good resorts. If that money, even if small share of the tourism industry in the country were able to get in the province, that is then can already create a lot of economic activities," Emano said.
But, the governor said, he would like for Doloriel to focus first on next month's international pageant.
Doloriel said aside from local tourism, she will also push the advocacy of Miss Scuba Philippines - marine conservation.
National Director of Miss Scuba Philippines Cindy Madduma, who was also the crowned Miss Scuba International in 2015, said the pageant is focused on marine conservation, adding that they did a lot of activities during the pageant.
"We're really focused about marine conservation which is our advocacy, and we've done a lot of activities during the pageant, we have mangrove planting, we have coastal cleanup, we have underwater clean up, we also have coral rescue and several marine conservation workshops together with different marine conservation groups in our country. And even after the pageant, we are still continuing to do our advocacy," Madduma said.
Miss Scuba Philippines, Madduma said, is a pageant that celebrates the inner beauty and courage of today's modern Filipino women, and simultaneously advocates nationwide marine conservation, safe diving practices and sustainable marine tourism.
"We're also asking for your continue support in her [Doloriel] entire journey in the Scuba International," Madduma said.
When asked what advice she could give to people aspiring to become a beauty queen, Doloriel said having a crown in your head is "not about changing you personally but it changes your life."
"Just be yourself, be humble. Put your feet on the ground always," Doloriel said.
The beauty queen said through the pageant, she wanted to change people's perception of Misamis Oriental and Mindanao, saying whenever people hear about Misamis Oriental, especially as a part of Mindanao, they feel scared.
"I want to change their minds about Mindanao. And I want them to come here in Mindanao, especially in Misamis Oriental," Doloriel said.
Doloriel, a 2017 Business Administration graduate of Xavier University, will be flying to Malaysia on November 6.