Legal Studies student wins FACC's Bb Pilipinas Carolinas pageant

Eileen de Guzman wants to promote Fil-American community presence

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Charlotte, North Carolina--A 26-year-old student taking up Legal Studies got crowned as the winner of the Bb. Pilipinas Carolinas pageant held by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) held at the TinTin Restaurant in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina last Saturday, July 7.

Eileen de Guzman of Mooresville, North Carolina wore a “banig (straw mat)” style dress made of dried palm leaves as she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas Carolinas by Dhi Donato, first vice president of FACC.

De Guzman bested other candidates in becoming the first Filipino-American beauty  to hold the title sponsored by FACC. Aside from the crown, she received a US $500 and a featured story  in the FACC Gala Souvenir Program.

De Guzman chose the dress made by her sister artist Edelweiss de Guzman since she is an environment advocate. The material was supposed to be disposed by a friend and instead was used to make a dress which drew the attention of the Fil-American community. 

Unknown to the crowd of more than 250 at TinTin restaurant at downtown Charlotte, de Guzman was teary-eyed when asked what was the most important thing taught by her mother during the question and answer portion. 

She said her mother taught her to care for others since “caring is hardest thing to do.”  She said it is human nature to care for yourself before caring for others.

“If I did not have that trait I do not think I will be who I am today. I have cared for so many people in my life that I have put them first before me,” de Guzman said.

Eileen's gown is inspired by the Filipino straw mat called banig

As pageant winner de Guzman is excited in her new role. “I want to encourage the Filipino-American Student Union (FASU) to get involved with FACC and the community,” she said.

In addition, she wants the Eskuwelahang Munti (Little School) Charlotte to be publicized so anyone who wants to learn Tagalog can do so along with the culture of the Philippines.

“I want our Filipino-American children not to forget their roots of their motherland. I want to promote Filipino culture, language and history in social media and raise awareness of what is happening in the Philippines, so we can help our kababayans (fellow Filipinos) in need,” de Guzman said.

As  ambassador of the FACC, de Guzman said she would like to ensure that FACC's legacy will be passed down to next year's winner so she can look back and see her successor work even harder to promote awareness of the Filipinos in the Carolinas. She said she was also impressed with the other candidates.

“I was impressed even though we belong to different age groups but we managed to work with one another and remain humble. When I arrived, I was taken aback by how nice and helpful the co-candidates were with preparing with make-up, and they were encouraging one another when the talent portion is up,” de Guzman said.

She admitted she is not good in doing make up but fellow-candidate Connie Marilou Rodis Vitug helped her out. A little background info: Eileen de Guzman was born in the Philippines on September 21,1992 and her family moved to the US when she was eight. 

After high school she went to Mars Hill in her first year of college then she transferred to UNC-Charlotte where she graduated with a Sociology degree with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. 

She will graduate with a Masters degree in Legal Studies (MLS) at Washington University School of Laws. This is her first time to compete in a beauty pageant and she is happy and excited about it.

“During the pageant I realized everything is not just physical beauty but how you represent your beauty from within as well. Beauty comes from within and it will shine when it is your moment. I want to leave a legacy and to make sure the next Bb. Pilipinas Carolina will take this seriously so that we can empower the Filipinos that we are here for one another and that they are not alone,” de Guzman said.

Other winners in the pageant were Bb.Pilipinas  Earth Ashley Faye Perez who also won the Best in gown and Elvie Bramich who won Ms. Talent. 

Rounding out the top 5 were Cecelia Tolbert who won Ms. Congeniality and  Lindsay Carter. 

Other candidates who participated were Diannah Rose Sumile Capunay (Forest City), Karen Dalton, Marilou Connie Vitug, Nikki Shindler and Mellow Shindler. 

The judges in the FACC led pageant were Dwayne Asay, Mae Nonato Armstead and Muffy Therrien. Tonette Asay produced and choreographed the event. 

Asay is a trained member of the Philippine Theater Association and is a scriptwriter on theater. The entertainment was provided by Amie Ervay and Rob Gorlach while Joy Moore emceed the event.