Si Xena Ramos ang nag-iisang artista na kandidata sa beauty pageant na Miss Manila 2024: Woman Of Worth.
“My name is Xena Ramos, I am a registered and licensed architect and I am proudly representing Sta. Ana,” ang mala-beauty queen na pagpapakilala ni Xena sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
Bukod sa pagiging arkitekto, napapanood si Xena sa TV5 series na Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa na pinagbibidahan ni Kiko Estrada.
Kuwento ni Xena tungkol sa papel niya sa naturang serye, “Ako si Attorney Bridge, one of the associates of Judge Balmores, played by kuya Gardo Versoza po.”
Parang bata pa si Xena para gumanap bilang isang abogado.
“I understand,” sambit ni Xena.
“Pero I think maybe they saw the branding that I took, which is the beauty queen branding.
"And I believe that it takes a mature role or mature presence, maybe that’s why they thought that I could fit with the role.
“But being an actress would allow you to portray any age of roles naman, so yeah.”
Hindi raw ito ang pinakaunang acting stint ni Xena.
“I already did Section St. Valentine with iFlix and WeTV during the pandemic, so that was a lock-in taping. Pero ito [Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa] yung live ongoing, first ko po.”
Read: Rufa Mae Quinto puts Makati condo up for sale at PHP45.5M
XENA'S PAGEANT JOURNEY
Ang iba, mapapa-babae man o mapa-lalaki ay nagpa-pageant para maging artista. Si Xena naman ay artista na, so bakit pa siya sumali sa isang beauty pageant?
Lahad ni Xena, “I thought na when I was young, I really wanted to be an artista and the thought of being a beauty queen just only passes my thought.
“Now I was carving this unusual path of being an architect and an artista and a beauty queen. Di ba wala namang gumagawa ng ganun?
“So I just have this dream and this direction. And I do not have any mentors with me, so I just work with my network, with the people around me, and having known that from you as well, I could use being an artista as my advantage din naman.”
Tulad ni Xena, ang 2011 Miss Universe 3rd runner-up na si Shamcey Supsup ay isa ring architect. Kaya isa si Shamcey sa mga paborito at iniidolo ni Xena na beauty queen.
Pag-amin niya, “She is one of my favorite beauty queens.”
Read: Shamcey Supsup, who graduated magna cum laude, believes "grades are not everything"
Pero marami ang nagsasabing si Xena ay may hawig kay Pia Wurtzbach, na tinuturing niyang "ultimate favorite beauty queen."
Ano ang reaksiyon niya sa mga nagsasabihing kamukha niya si Pia?
“Siyempre sobrang flattered! Hindi ko lang sure kay Ate P kung… medyo lugi siya dun,” at tumawa si Xena.
Na-meet na ba niya ang Miss Universe 2015 winner?
“Hindi pa po, I would love to meet her,” lahad niya.
Read: Pia Wurtzbach dazzles in couture gowns at Cannes 2024
XENA CHERISHES PREVIOUS PAGEANT EXPERIENCES
Ang Miss Manila 2024 ay hindi unang beses na sumali si Xena sa beauty pageant.
“When I was in school, I joined Binibining Kalikasan, Generation East. And then I joined Binibing Pilipinas. I guess this would be my fourth.”
Nitong nakarang taon naman ay kandidata si Xena sa Binibining Pilipinas 2023 kung saan nagwagi si Angelica Lopez bilang Binibining Pilipinas-International at si Anna Lakrini bilang Binibining Pilipinas-Globe.
Hindi pa sumusubok si Xena sa Miss Universe-Philippines.
“Maybe soon,” ang nakangiting pakli niya.
Next year?
“Let’s see kung the stars would align for me to join Miss Universe [Philippines], bakit hindi? Pero ngayong gustung-gusto kong maging Miss Manila.”
XENA RAMOS ON SHOWBIZ DREAMS
Hindi pa nakagawa si Xena ng proyekto sa GMA at sa ABS-CBN, pero hindi naman daw siya exclusive sa TV5.
Kaya kapag natapos na siya sa Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa ay malaya siyang tumanggap ng trabaho mula sa Kapuso at Kapamilya networks.
Kung sakaling sabay siyang o-offer-an ng Kapuso at Kapamilya networks, saan siya pipirma?
“Hay naku, napakagandang tanong naman po niyan,” bulalas ni Xena.
“Mukhang sa ngayon, hindi muna ako mag-iisip for that.
"I want to prioritize Miss Manila first because I want to grab this platform and show them that I can really fulfill the duties and responsibilities of being Miss Manila.
“This is my priority, first and foremost, bago ko po unahin itong showbiz.”
XENA ADMIRES KATHRYN
Sino ang idolo ni Xena na artista?
Mabilis niyang sagot, “Isa po sa mga nagagalingan akong artista siyempre si Kathryn Bernardo, one of our primetime queens, and I also dream of achieving the same goals as her.
“And I really admire her strength and I really like how she embodies female empowerment. Kaya ko rin po siya nagustuhan, besides her acting.”
Sino naman ang pipiliin niyang leading man sakaling magkaroon na siya ng launching project?
“Nakakatuwa naman po yung question niyo,” at tumawa si Xena.
“Siguro po… isa po sa nagagalingan ako na artista sa mga lalaki po si Jericho Rosales, napakahusay po niya.
“Si Dingdong Dantes din po. Isa po sa mga teleserye kung bakit ko nagustuhan maging artista is yung katambal niya si Tanya Garcia, yung Twin Hearts, tsaka yung Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga, ayun po, kaya ko po siya nagustuhan din.”
Saan niya gustong malinyang genre bilang aktres?
“Naku! Favorite ko po rom-com, romantic-comedies, one of my guilty pleasures, and it’s something that I’m really used to watching.
“Kumbaga walang reklamo kahit anong oras ng araw ko, puwede ko siyang panoorin.”
Bakit siya nag-arkitekto, na para sa marami ay panlalaking career?
Paliwanag niya, “It is really a male-dominated world, but when I was younger… it all stems from my dream when I was younger, I really wanted to have a dream house.
“Maliit lang po yung bahay namin noon. And then I was really influenced by all these magazines, lifestyle magazines, and mga flyers ng halimbawa Camella Homes, na may floorplan tapos may perspective.
"Na-i-inspire ako na balang araw magkakaroon din ako ng sarili kong bahay na ganito kaganda, ganun lang po kasimple.”
Ano masasabi ni Xena na para sa iba, may advantage na siya sa ibang kandidata ng Miss Manila dahil artista siya?
Pakli niya, “That’s one advantage for me and hopefully it would become helpful for me as I continue my journey.
“Pero most of all, I’m excited to see the sisterhood that we could build overtime. Maiksi lang po yung Miss Manila and I’m really excited lalo na to meet all the candidates fighting for the same dreams as I have.”
Ang iba pang kandidata ng Miss Manila 2024 ay sina Trina Martinez (Abad Santos), Victoria Isabella Bobier (Arlegui), Mikaela Rachell Orense (Arroceros), Lienel Navidad (Dagupan), Dindi Dianne Gibaga (Don Bosco), Jubilee Therese Acosta (Espana), Jeriza Uy (Gagalangin), Shefally Daime Valencia (Gastambide), Mary Angela Lim (Labores), Sandra Moustafa (Legarda), Sunshine Gabuat (Malate), Leean Jame Santos (Manuguit); Trisha Rosales (Morayta), Imee Soyangco (New Panaderos), Sofia Nina Cornejo (Otis), Charyzah Esparrago (Old Sta. Mesa), Jasmine Paguio (Paco), Estephanie Ladignon (Pandacan), Ednalyn Gunio (Quiapo), Christine Banzon (Sampaloc), Amanda-Kay Rhodes (San Andres), Aliya Rohilla (Sta. Cruz) at Daniella Mazen Moustafa (Tayuman).
Nakapanayam ng PEP.ph si Xena sa ginanap na sashing ceremony ng mga kandidata sa pangunguna ni Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna sa Bulwagang Villegas sa Manila City Hall noong nakaraang May 24, 2024.
Ang Miss Manila ay proyekto ng City of Manila, Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila (headed by Charlie Dungo), in cooperation with KreativDen Entertainment ni Kate Valenzuela.
Gaganapin ang grand coronation ng Miss Manila 2024: Woman Of Worth sa June 22, 2024 sa Metropolitan Theater, na may delayed telecast sa GMA-7 sa June 23.