REYNA Dabawenya 2023 and Mutya ng Dabaw 2023 winners urged Davao City officials and organizers of pageants in the city to be more inclusive.
Sheila Magpale III, Reyna Dabawenya 2023 said the government had done a great job in promoting inclusivity for giving members LGBTs a platform for their advocacy.
“I think Davao City is ready for that as well, because pageants are looking for someone who will inspire, not just for us LGBTs but girls in Davao City,” Magpale said.
With this, Magpale believes Davao City is ready to be more inclusive other than age and orientation, adding she experienced competing against a member from deaf community during one of her pageants.
Notably, Magpale said during the question-and-answer portion of the coronation night, that she will “work with the Davao local government unit (LGU) to enact implementing rules and regulations of the anti[discrimination]-ordinance” for all Dabawenyos be fully protected regardless of gender and orientation.
Meanwhile, Maria Isabel Pelayo, Mutya ng Dabaw 2023, said she is grateful that organizers and Davao City officials considered single mothers and lifted the age bracket during the pageant, making the recent Mutya more inclusive as promised.
“I’m really happy that they really opened it to all ages, mothers, and I think most people don’t know yet at that time and sure a lot of older women have shown interest,” Pelayo said.
“We, as people, we have different body types, identities, differences... To empower these women, we must first acknowledge their differences,” Pelayo added. (ICE)