Agaw-eksena sa Filipino pageant fans si Miss Universe Singapore 2020 Bernadette Belle Ong dahil marunong siyang mag-Tagalog.
Ito ay dahil si Belle ay isinilang at nanirahan sa Pilipinas hanggang siya ay 11 years old bago tuluyang manirahan si Singapore.
Parehong Chinese ang kanyang mga magulang.
Sa isang recent online interview, naikuwento ng Singaporean beauty queen ang malaking papel ng kulturang Pilipino sa paghubog ng kanyang pagkatao.
GROWING UP IN THE PHILIPPINES
Hindi lang si Belle ang namulat sa kulturang Pinoy, kundi pati ang kanyang mga magulang.
“I was born in the Philippines because both my parents were also born and raised in the Philippines.
“So, we were like a Filipino-Chi [Chinese] community, and I grew up there up until I was 11 years old,” lahad ng kandidata sa online interview sa kanya ni Olivia Quido, isang Filipino businesswoman sa U.S.
Pagsapit daw niya ng 11 anyos, “My parents decided to move to Singapore for job opportunity.
“And since then, I was living in Singapore my entire life.
“So, I would say that a big part of my life… less than half of my life, is in the Philippines. But a big chunk of it is in the Singapore.”
Sa kabila nito, nakamulatan na ni Belle ang Filipino culture, kagaya ng pagiging matatas sa Tagalog at ugaling Pinoy.
Giit pa ni Belle, alam niyang dadalhin niya ang mga kaugaliang ito hanggang sa pagtanda.
“I mean, obviously, when you grow up there, you speak the language. So, there’s a lot of fond memories that comes with it.
“And I think, in terms of being able to stay humble in your roots, your childhood always reflects that, even as you grow older. Even if you’re 30 years old, 40 years old, 50 years old.
“Whenever that happens in your childhood, definitely transpires throughout the years.
“So, I would say that in terms of community, Philippines is the place where I really feel like people there care about you, and that they love you, and that they are very supportive.”
Namulat din daw siya sa samahang Pilipino kahit na kung tutuusin ay isa siyang banyaga.
“And there’s a huge communal experience. I used to go to church a lot, and when I did, everybody was almost familial. Even though we are not necessarily related. Family-oriented.”
THE FILIPINO IN MISS universe SINGAPORE
Kahit nang manirahan sila sa Singapore, hindi pa rin daw nakakalimutan ni Belle ang Filipino culture sa laki ng Filipino community roon.
“You go to Singapore, you don’t feel short of not getting that Filipino experience because you have a huge community of Filipinos in Singapore.
“There’s not a day I go out in Singapore and I meet somebody Filipino, and I can speak the language colloquially, Tagalog.”
Sa laki nga raw ng impluwensiya ng kulturang Pilipino sa kanilang pamilya, maging ang negosyo ng kanyang mga magulang ay Pinoy na Pinoy.
“We love it so much. We love Filipino food so much that my mom actually started a company that imports Filipino food to Singapore—bangus, longganisa.
“Yung longganisa, parang merong meat restrictions in terms of food federation in Singapore.
"So they make their own longganisa from Singapore and then they distribute that in Singapore.
“Pero yung bangus, they actually import it.”
Kahit daw sa pag-uusap nila, ayon kay Belle, “Whenever my mom calls me, Taglish kaagad.”
SUPPORT FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
Bagamat isa siyang Singaporean, ikinatutuwa ni Belle na suportado siya ng pageant fans mula sa ibang bansa, lalung-lalo na ng mga Pinoy.
“Parang I’m so caught by surprise by this experience, because I’m not used to this level of supportiveness.
“Kasi parang… hindi talaga parang may ginawa ako, tapos, ‘Because you did this, we will give you support.’
“It’s more of like people coming forward with who you are, without you doing anything and that is so beautiful kasi there’s nothing to prove with myself.”
Belle(left) with our very own Rabiya Mateo (right) together with Miss Universe Poland
Kabilang daw sa mga nagpapakita ng suporta sa kanya ay mula sa Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India at “a lot of love from the Philippines.”
Mensahe ni Belle sa kanyang Filipino supporters: “Mabuhay, guys. Mabuhay.”
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