Moms and Dads
Steffy Gerona: It’s Not Late to Be a Beauty Queen!
Entrepreneur, nurse, and Miss Universe Philippines Quirino representative Steffy Gerona is one of the moms competing in this year’s pageant.
The pageant scene has become competitive in the last decade since the Philippines placed and won several international titles. This is much seen in the Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) competition, which has 50-plus candidates in the 2024 edition.
Last year, the brand saw changes which included removing height and age limits. Most of all, mothers and married women are now allowed to compete on top of transgender women and women.
One of the candidates in the national competition is Steffy Gerona from Quirino. A mother of three children, Steffy shared her story with Modern Parenting—about the sacrifices of the competition and giving up time briefly to be with her kids.
Chasing a longtime dream
Steffy always wanted to compete and become a beauty queen. But she is the first one to admit it took a lot of thinking to pursue the dream in her situation.
“I prayed for God’s guidance. I asked Him, what had happened Why had I stopped growing? And then blessings came flowing,” Steffy recalled of the moment. “When I had an opportunity to join MUPH as they already allowed mothers to join, I grabbed the opportunity. We never know how something perfect something could turn out to be.”
Being a Miss Universe Philippines candidate means sacrifices and in Steffy’s case, it would mean leaving her three children for a while.
“It has always been a challenge for me to keep them busy while I am away from home,” she admitted. “I remove their ipads so that their creativity will flourish. I always bring them out when I have a free day so that they will always feel my presence.”
She even recalled the time her kids got sick as her schedule with the pageant got busy. “My kids got high fever—nag 39.6 sila. At night, I take care of them and during the morning, my siblings are there to watch over them. I am grateful that my family and manangs (helpers) are always there for me. I treat our manangs as a family too because without them, I can’t do it all.”
And while she may be busy for the time being being a candidate, her husband and kids are her cheerleaders. “They are ecstatic and proud of me when they see me on TV,” she beamed. “It was something new to our family and this is my very first pageant so we are all praying and excited for this.”
Running a business
Aside from the competition and balancing her family, Steffy is also an entrepreneur. As the woman behind Victoria’s Kusina, I S L A Summer Swim, and Isla Fresh Pearls, she already has a lot on her plate. These businesses are close to her heart as they provide livelihood opportunities for many people.
“My business is something that I love. I don’t feel like it’s work for me,” she said. “But of course, I have people behind me that help me manage them and I take care of the business because I support a lot of livelihood like, farmers, fishermen, mothers who supply local products and people at the market.”
“So this is something that gives me joy in my heart a business that not only makes money but also helps.”
When asked to share a tip for parents who want to start their own businesses, Steffy said, “When you do something, do something that you love. Always love the people helping you in return they will help you also by reaching your goals. All of you will rise up together.”
“As a mom, I always wanted to have my own income because I wanted to help my husband financially. We are both working together—pushing each other up,” she added.
She also emphasized the importance of saving. “Always save your money because you never know when an opportunity of business come your way, it’s going to be easy for you to do it because you know how to save and use it to grow it more.”
Being a beauty queen means being open to learning!
Competing with other beautiful women in the Philippines is a tough act. But Steffy has been a sponge—absorbing new information and learning how she can do better. And this is something she wants to impart to moms.
“Always have time for yourself to grow and do the things that make you happy…Never forget yourself because we have to be strong and happy for so many reasons,” she said.
She also encourages parents to make use of the tools now available for learning. “There are so many things we can get free lessons in today’s advanced world. We just have to be mindful of the things we feed our minds to. We are the role models of our children. “
In a country like the Philippines where beauty queens are judged based on beauty standards and societal norms, Steffy is aware that the recent changes in the scene have divided people’s opinions—something she has learned to take in stride.
“Each one of us is entitled to our own opinion. But believe me, don’t let those negativity take your shine,” she pointed out. “The comments from the people that you love should always be the one that matters. And of course, ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF because nobody will believe you unless you believe in yourself. “
Steffy Gerona: A true modern parent
With Miss Universe Philippines set to take place this May, schedules are getting tight for all candidates, including Steffy. And although one candidate can only wear the Philippine sash and represent the country in Mexico this November, Steffy is already proud of what she has done—win or lose.
“I have so much love for our country, and I aligned myself with the things that I love like my business, [and] support our local entrepreneurs too,” she shared. “I am passionate about promoting our country’s tourism, heritage, food, and warm hospitality.”
In fact, as someone who has supported many charities, Steffy said will continue to do her advocacy even after the pageant.
So how would Steffy define herself as a modern parent? She answered: “I practice the words that I advise my kids. How will they believe me if I am not practicing the words that I encourage them.”
“Waking up each day as a work in progress, I never stopped believing in myself, just like my kids and husband, we are all growing together,” she ended.
More stories about beauty queen-turned-moms!
Miss Universe Colombia Winner Camila Avella is a Mom!
Miss Universe Guatemala 2023 Winner is a Mom of Two Children
3 Moms Share Their Journeys in Joining Miss Universe Philippines 2023
