Sections
Recent Articles
NUSTAR Resort Cebu Observes Earth Hour 2025 with Sustainability Initiatives
On March 22, 2025, NUSTAR Resort Cebu participated in Earth Hour, a global movement promoting environmental sustainability. From 8:30 to 9:30 PM, the resort turned off its facade lights and dimmed... read more
But therein lay the beauty of the newly-crowned Miss Cebu, Cheriemel Diane Muego. A Political Science major from the University of the Philippines Cebu College, this lovely bronze-skinned dame had the odds stacked against her but with grace and head-held-high confidence, took on the challenge and came away with the crown and the humbling responsibility of raising Cebu City’s banner up high for the next year.
Sports and Lifestyle Ed Jonas with Miss Cebu 2014 Cheriemel Muego
Consider this, first runner-up Eva Psychee Patalinhug was everybody’s odds-on favorite to win and for very good reasons. During the pre-pageant, the fair maiden from Lapu-Lapu City took home the Best in Fun Wear award. She then took award-winning to a whole new level during the coronation night itself as she won nearly every available special award including Kapamilya Star of the Night, Miss Friendship, Miss Photogenic and the coveted Best in Evening Gown with a stunning ensemble made by Ditas Rodriguez.
But Cheriemel flipped the script and blew away the competition with her night-long brilliance, capped off sharp wit during the final question and answer portion. And in doing so, she etched her name into the annals of Cebu’s beauty pageant lore with a win that was memorable and every bit exciting as it was stunning.
10 hours might not be that long a time but for Cheriemel, it just might have been night and day. She went in as a relative unknown but came away as Cebu’s latest beauty queen, tasked to carry the city’s name with her own brand of southern sweetness. With a brisk breeze blowing past her clearly-fatigued but nevertheless still-immaculate looking face, Cheriemel took the time to talk with iSTORYA.NET in an exclusive interview.
The pageant may have passed but the Ormoc City-native still exuded of steady self-belief, as she sat down across me, crown shimmering on her head, excitement written all over her face with the full realization that her dream of becoming Miss Cebu had finally come true. And with a conviction normally reserved for her various advocacies, Cheriemel admitted to not being able to relate to being an underdog because she was utterly determined to win it all.
“I was confident that I would win the crown but I also had my doubts. Usually when I join pageants, I just hope for the best but I don’t expect a lot to avoid frustrations in the end. I was just hoping for the crown. And after I won it, I was very overwhelmed. I didn’t know what was happening on the stage already. I didn’t know that the crown was already on my head and the sash was placed on me already,” shared Cherimel.
Jonas with Ms Cebu 2014 and her court. Lucky dude..
She continued, “Based on the people’s reactions and the different blogs that I read, I was happy not to get any negative comments for the pre-pageant. And I heard that some people were rooting for me during coronation night so I guess I wasn’t. I wanted to stay positive and be optimistic.”
Indeed, Cheriemel has come a long way from watching the pageant up close and personal back in 2010 down to her being picked to become a finalist late last year. Like a butterfly biding its time, so did the Cheriemel and she couldn’t have picked a better time to spread her wings than on that magical evening.
With that, she reflected on the different challenges that she had to hurdle before that fateful night.
“Aside from graduating, I’ve also been working on my thesis alone and I’m currently on the student council also. It’s been a lot but it’s just a matter of proper time management and prioritizing,” explained Cheriemel.
“I go to school with makeup. I did my own makeup for nearly all the activities. I bring with me all my change of clothes and then I change at school. I go to activities and afterwards, I change again and go back to school to catch up with the classes. I missed a total of two or three classes and with Miss Cebu activities, I only missed two. After school, I go home to prepare for the day ahead or go to Talamban to be trained by Jonas Borces, my mentor or to my agency, Marlon Wafer Models,” narrated Cheriemel about what a normal day would be like for her in the days leading to the pageant.
Asked about things from the pageant that she came to appreciate in spite of the hustle and bustle, Cheriemel quickly remarked about the great times that she shared with her fellow contestants and the commissioners of the Cebu City Tourism Commissioner. However, she singled out an ability that she learned which she will value most in her future endeavors
“Doing my own makeup! Before I joined, I was a frustrated make-up artist but being with the girls who were really good with it, I learned and I can use this in my future endeavors especially now with all the engagements that come with being Miss Cebu.”
With the win opening brand new avenues for her, the future looks bright for this bright-eyed lady and she has chosen to target a noble profession for a career.
“I’m planning on becoming a political science or history professor. Before I wanted to become a lawyer but at the moment, it’s tough because it’s expensive. So right now, I want to become a full-time professor and work part-time with a non-government organization (NGO),” she said.
With the crown also comes the responsibility of being looked up to by young ladies who also wish to one day wear the much-coveted crown. To these ladies, she had these words of advise:
“Always believe in yourself and be yourself. Pageants don’t give me pressure. You just have to be yourself and show what you are. Whether or not the people like you, at least you’ve shown who you really are.”
Jonas Rey N. Panerio
Editor- Lifestyle & Sports
iSTORYAn League of Writers
vBulletin Message