Looking Beyond the Heart of A Filipina
Posted on September 18, 2007
Filed Under Pinoy Moms Network, Promoting Filipino Image | Viewed 4949 times
This billboard caught my attention—it has intrigued me to bits, such that I did a little research about it. I am yet to find out where it is physically located, though I have seen the billboard of the winner (girl in center) somewhere in Guadalupe, EDSA. The change is astonishing, it is a total make-over to the max, putting together most of the products and services that a Belo or Calayan would promote: liposuction, body sculpting, breast augmentation, skin whitening, nose lift, face lift, eye bag removal, eyelash implantation, laser hair removal, even perhaps ortohodontist and salon works.
The reality show Ms. Ugly (No More), conducted about 6 months ago, transformed these 3 Filipina women who considered themselves “ugly ducklings” into 3 gorgeous swans—into 3 sexy Filipinas. It was a beauty pageant–in–reverse, in which the willing “ugly” candidates competed in an audition, enhancing in themselves the criteria of what was “ugly” by the organizers’ standards, physical defects and all. It was a promise to change their lives—looking beyond the physical, by first working on their physical deficiencies and defects, through a total makeover package worth P1 million. What next? I would like to find out how these Filipinas fared in their lives after the physical make over.
This was one contest which proved the public opinion that indeed beauty, and in this instance, “ugliness” is in the eyes of the beholder. The contestants were made to write an essay declaring their reasons for joining, the favorite of which was life-changing transformation. An example: some women may be intelligent, but because of the way they look or because of their physical defects, they feel discriminated or handicapped. What was really in the minds of these Filipina contestants when they joined—their psychological frames of mind? or the physical pains that the 3 winners had to endure and the medical risks they had to overcome? And what about the thousand other Flipina wannabes who went home empty-handed?
It is much more than that—individuals have their own self-perception. We are born differently from one another, some may be luckier physically, some really really unlucky. Looking into oneself is often subjective. Blame it on commercialism—where beauty has been defined by narrow stereotypes, where now Filipinas think that white is beautiful, or thin (rather skinny) is in, or straight shiny hair is a gift from heaven, or tall is all.
Don’t you think it is time for a change? For Filipinas to believe that all these can be transformed from a state of mind to sheer reality that goes beyond the physical? For Filipinas to look deeper into themselves, where the definition of beauty encompasses one’s self worth? Where self-esteem is built through creative self-expression? Where beauty counts regardless of color, size, shape and age?
It will take time, but it can be possible, if we start NOW. We can start by looking deep and beyond our own hearts—and see the beauty that is innate in each of us. Accept one’s own self. Convert this into positive energies, into worthwhile activities, and reach out to others, to the less fortunate. Pass on the confidence and goodness of heart to our children, especially to our daughters, the future Filipina homemakers, the future global Filipinas, who will make a lot of difference to our country and to the world.
Note: This is my entry to Digital Filipino.com’s “Filipina Writing Project”, sponsored by Barangay.ph, Kababayan.ph, MyUSMailbox.com, RegaloService.com and Acclaim Butterflies, and in collaboration with The Filipina Images.
Masterlist of entries is found here.
- Filipina: Isa ring Ina
- Filipina Writing Contest and My Favorite Filipina Blogger
- Filipina is a Filipino Woman
- Filipina Pride
- Ang mga Filipina ng Buhay Ko
- The Filipina in the Eyes of the World
- 3 Things You Possibly Do Not Know about the Filipina
- A Topless Filipina in Europe
- What is a Filipina?
- Ako si Pina.. At ito ang aking kuwento…
- Filipina – Boholana, Part 1
- Dalawang Anyo ng Pinay
- Never Underestimate the Heart of a Champion Filipina
- Nang Itaas Niya Ang Kanyang Kamay
- Hindi lang Filipina Dating, Dating Filipina, Wow Filipina talaga!
- A Different Filipina
- Filipina: prostitution and exploitation
- Ang Pinay sa Buhay ni Pinoy Ambisyoso
- They are Filipinas Too
- Filipina 2007
- The Portrait of a Japayuki as a Filipina
- Filipino DH (Die Hard Filipina)
- Maria “Ria” A. Jose is a Filipina
- The Ideal Filipina In The Heart And Mind of A Filipina (Not A Mere Dating Or Sex Object)
- Filipina
- Different Faces of a Filipina
- Are you just a Filipina?
- Ako po si Elay, Nagbibigay Pugay
- Filipina Since Birth
- Filipinas are Natural Entrepreneurs
- Spotlight: Filipina Bloggers
If you haven’t submitted an entry yet, head on to the writing project page on how to join.
Related
- A Portal is Born (The Filipina Images: Reshaping the Filipina Image Online)
- Let’s Fiercely Campaign to Reclaim the Dignity of the Filipina Woman and Reshape the Clean Image of the Sexy Filipina
- WikiPilipinas:Filipina Writing Contest
- A Closure, A New Beginning–Reshaping the Online and Sexy Filipina Image
- International Women’s Month Celebrations
- Previous post: UAAP Season 70: ADMU vs DLSU (DLSU Wins by 1)
- Next post: A HAIRY DILEMMA
- More articles at the archives
- Jobs and Business Opportunities for Probloggers @ The J Spot
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Dine Racoma is Sexy Mom, a Filipina doing what she likes best—writing, her passion. She writes freelance, does research, advises on new media, and manages a virtual assistance office for home-based jobs. A mother of 7 (what joy!) foremost, a wife, MIL, grandma to 2 pretty girls and an angel in heaven, sister, daughter, friend. Was in the corporate world for 27 years, the first 5 as Executive Secretary to an affiliate of the country’s biggest drug chain, and the last 22 as an international civil servant in an international development bank with HQ in Manila. Traveled extensively to many countries bringing about rich experiences and lessons learned to share with dear Readers. All these—in The D Spot
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It’s all the heart that matters albeit looks do play an important role (not everytime) but we should all be thankful with what we have and what He has given us.
[:
Looking deeper into our hearts is better than looking through external beauty which won’t last long as we all grow whether we like it or not. It’s the process in life.
SexyMom: true Kyels, you hit the right words.
Dine,
More details of the Ugly No More contest and the pageant itself can be found here:
http://asirac.livejournal.com/129647.html
SexyMom: Thanks Jon, kinda amazing transformation. Sad thing I read is that “none of them underwent psychological counseling prior to or during this period, and all they had were personality enhancement lessons or something.”
I’ve seen this billboard and I was intrigued by the complete transformation. However, it’s sad when people equate happiness and success with outer beauty. I agree that it’s important to probe deeper into oneself to discover a deeper sense of beauty.
some people might have poly dysmorphic disorders that are underlying causes of anorexia, bulimia and cosmetic surgery addiction. http://www.minddisorders.com/A-Br/Body-dysmorphic-disorder.html
i’m happy for the girls because they feel empowered by how they look, it’s not a bad thing. i understand how they feel because my family always mentions i’m fat every time i see them, hence, i don’t want to go home to the philippines. and one reason why i hate make up because it’s very deceiving… i saw myself with and without make up, and it just covers up who i really am… i don’t care if people don’t accept me because of how i look, that includes my family. beauty is not the source of my empowerment.
i guess they got their idea from the reality show dito sa US called “the swan”. (http://www.realitytvworld.com/theswan/). they did the same thing and literally physically overhauled a group of women. after the transformation, they would hold a beauty pageant to determine who’s the ultimate swan.
i guess low-self esteem based on physicality is largely a universal issue and not just something that’s limited to filipinas. but i absolutely agree that self-acceptance begins inside each one of us – that we can be beautiful despite a flabby tummy, if we have a sincerely good heart.
Whatever happened to Dove’s campaign for real beauty?
I’ve seen the show The Swan, may pinoy version na pala sya.
seen them on TV before. They guested on NUts Entertainment in Balakubak :).
Two of them are already married with kids. They look pretty though i think they need to improve more intellectually…
amaaazing! my God, sali kaya ako?
been reading your blog for weeks now, this is my first time leaving my trace…
The UK has a similar “contest” (taken from the US?) called “Extreme Makeover”. Gross nga lang they even show the actual surgery.
It would definitely be interesting if the Pinas version would present a psychological profile for each of the contestants and how they’d assess them fit to undergo such an ordeal.
Ey goodluck with the contest ha.
We are always a victim of technology and consumption! I don’t know why do they have to be transformed physically by means of liposuction, body sculpting, breast augmentation, skin whitening, nose lift, face lift, eye bag removal, eyelash implantation, laser hair removal etc etc ! Don’t they know how to exercise to be physically fit and wear a smile makes us beautiful din di ba Tita
?!
What is important is the inner beauty ! Pero kung free GO na rin ako ! Kidding aside, I will always go natural and simple
!
wow, what a transformation! the thing though is artificial beauty doesn’t last. it is temporary beauty. when it wears out, and you don’t have the money to maintain, your body ends up distorted, skinny is some areas but fat in other areas. it looks awful! it is important to focus more on the inner beauty than the outer beauty
Real beauty comes from the heart. There are woman who has no beauty outside but people adore and like them because of there beauty inside. Kahit hindi ka maganda pwede kang magayos… nasapagaayos yan at pagaalalga ng sarili. You don’t need to be perfect. Alagaan lang ang sarili yun lang ang kailangan!
Really amazing, ate Dine. But as what Belle said, this is just temporary, especially if they don’t have money to sustain their external beauty. Unless maybe they become part of the entertainment industry. So, this only proves that every beautiful-bodied individual in the TV and movies underwent the same thing – not at all natural.
Hi Sexymon,
I still have to make a post on being a Filipina. I have posted one that is related to external beauty.
Letting True Colors Shine
It’s a very sad reality that we are treated on how we look 90% of the time. This I can tell just by different experiences. In the Philippines, to apply for a job, one has to put a 2×2 picture unlike here in the State that one doesn’t put any. It automatically discriminates people who aren’t blessed enough with good looks. As a child, I was more favored by relatives because I looked like a mestiza. I have fair skin with cute nose and was treated differently than my siblings. I didn’t know that my sister resented it until I was 19 years old when she blew up on me on being chosen a bridesmaid for the nth time. So the next time someone had a wedding and was asking me to be the maid of honor, I intentionally begged off citing work related concerns and told them to have my sister instead.
I believe that for women to change their perception of themselves, the society as a whole should help this change.
I too was intrigued when I first saw this billboard. Society dictated that beauty is external features and thin is sexy.
Hi Dine. Thank you for your entry. This will appear in our week 6 update tonight.
Hi Dine, when we are cruising EDSA my kids would always laugh so hard on the Belo billboard featuring Aiai and the other billboard of Ellen’s. They would ask if they’re desperate to be pretty, I could only sigh…All these make-over or beauty enhancements are just temporary, what’s important is what’s in the heart (and mind)...
this is depressing, showing how media has set our minds to what is beautiful and acceptable. in the philippines, we exercise a lot of physical discrimination everywhere, we could always see the phrase ‘with pleasing personality’ in a lot of job positions.. and who judges if an applicant is pleasing or not?..
i think this concept came from the US, just saw it on TV this evening.. there’s no tv show like that here.. yet. and im sure, there will be a lot of participants here too..
it’s a global maladie.
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
Hello Dine. I also encourage you to create an audio version of your entry and we can include it in our Filipina Writing Project Podcast at http://filipina.podbean.com
Thank you!
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
so sad pero nagiiba na tlga ang concept ng beauty ngaun. we tend to look and base everything on what we see outside.
great entry,by the way.
i’ll see you at the xmas eyeball!
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]
[...] Looking Beyond the Heart of a Filipina [...]