Carl Lencer Rebadomia and Carmela Rustia, after breaking up in March 2017, find their way back to each other’s arms again. Albeit temporarily.
They will represent Visayas State University (VSU) in this year’s Search for Regional Mister & Miss State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) at Eastern Samar State University in Borongan, Samar.
Let’s get to know them.
Mister VSU-SCUAA
Carl Lencer Tac-al Rebadomia, 19 and a local of Ormoc City, Leyte, is a senior BS in Development Communication student majoring in Educational Communication Technology (ECT). Not new to pageants, he was New Ormoc City National High School’s (NOCNHS) Mister Intramurals 1st runner-up and Mister Linao in 2014, Mulberry Face of the Year in 2015, and Regional PASUC 1st runner-up in 2017.
He is an environmentalist and an advocate for gender sensitivity. Rebadomia believes that joining pageants is not about representing a gender but an advocacy.
“Willingness to join [pageants] doesn’t really relate to gender, it relates to passion. It is about how you use this specific platform, pageant competitions, to raise your own advocacy. If you want your advocacy to be known and influence other people to help you with your advocacy, then join pageants.” Rebadomia said.
He also shared that the support of his school, family, and friends are the reasons why he is motivated to join such competitions. With all his preparations and his advocacy, he believes that he has what it takes to be the 2018 Mister SCUAA-8.
Miss VSU-SCUAA
The beauty that will represent VSU is Miss Carmela Apas Rustia, 20. She is a 5th year BS in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering student who resides in Guadalupe, Baybay City, Leyte. She was Vaults Campus Couple 1st runner-up during her high school years, Miss Glamour in 2015, VSU Miss Intramurals in 2016, Miss AElympics 2nd runner-up in 2017 (National & International Levels), and Miss PASUC 1st runner-up in 2017. She is also currently working as a freelance model.
She is an advocate of promoting renewable energy resources and making desalination designs.
“I want to help other people and promote renewable energy resources. I also want to make desalination designs or any design that can help the community by using what I have learned from my degree program,” Rustia said.
Her family, especially her grandmother, motivated her to join pageant competitions. She prepares for competitions by watching videos of different beauty pageants.
In an exclusive interview with Amaranth, she gave inspiring advice to budding and aspiring beauty queens.
“You should never compare yourself to other people because if you do, you will start feeling insecure and you should never feel that way because everyone shines in their own way. We all have that beauty to be a beauty queen,” she said.
Ex-factor
Asked about how they feel working with each other considering their breakup last year, both said that they value professionalism a lot.
“Carl is taken and I am taken by myself. So, it is really about professionalism,” Rustia jokingly said.
“It feels very comfortable [working with her]. I don’t need to get to know her because I already do. We’ve been working together for months and being comfortable helps us become ideal partners for the pageant. It is setting aside bitterness for professionalism,” Rebadomia answered.
True enough, they have shown a unique chemistry since day one of SCUAA preparations. With their advocacies, vigor, and determination, will they win the much-coveted crown for VSU?
The pageant will be held on December 11, Tuesday, at the Canuctan Hall, ESSU Main Campus.