Up Close. Mrs. Philippines USA 2024 Rachel May Ayonayon-Paredes tackles advocacy, community-based rehab in Rizal

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Up Close. Mrs. Philippines USA 2024 Rachel May Ayonayon-Paredes tackles advocacy, community-based rehab in Rizal  For more news, visit:  ►https://www.ptvnews.ph/  Subscribe to our DailyMotion Channel: ►http://www.dailymotion.com/peoples-television-incorporated  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ►http://www.youtube.com/ptvphilippines  Like our Facebook pages: ►PTV: http://facebook.com/PTVph  ►Rise and Shine Pilipinas: https://www.facebook.com/riseandshinepilipinas  Follow us on Twitter:  ►http://twitter.com/PTVph  Follow us on Instagram: ►https://www.instagram.com/ptvph  Watch our livestream on:  ►http://ptvnews.ph/livestream/ ►https://www.dailymotion.com/PTVPhilippines  Watch our News Programs, every Mondays to Fridays  Rise and Shine Pilipinas - 6:00 - 8:00 am Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon - 12:00 - 1:00 pm Sentro Balita - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Ulat Bayan - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm PTV News Tonight -  9:30 pm - 10:30 pm  Saturday & Sunday: ►Ulat Bayan Weekend - 6:15 pm - 7:00 pm

Transcript

00:00Pageantry is a dynamic mosaic where beauty and purpose intertwine, transforming contestants

00:06into passionate advocates for change.

00:09Each participant steps onto the stage not just to dazzle, but to shine a spotlight on

00:14vital social issues, be it education, health, or environmental sustainability.

00:20With every twirl and every word, they weave stories that inspire action and ignite conversations,

00:26proving that a crown can be more than just a symbol, it can be a powerful tool for advocacy.

00:32In this realm, grace becomes a catalyst for change, showing that true beauty lies in the

00:37courage to uplift and empower others.

00:44And to tell us more about the pageant-y world and what it offers, we have with us tonight

00:48the reigning Mrs. Philippines USA 2024, Rachel Mae Ayonayo-Paredes.

00:54Good evening, Rachel.

00:55Thank you so much for coming here.

00:57Pleasure is mine.

00:58So glad to have you stop by the studio from the States.

01:02Before we get started on finding out about Mrs. Philippines USA as a pageant in itself,

01:09tell us about how you began your journey in pageantry to begin with.

01:12I know that there was a great story behind this.

01:15I know.

01:16Like, my mom pushed me to join different pageants, started with Little Miss Shanna, to joining

01:22a pageant in USD, to, like, even this Mrs. Philippines USA.

01:28At first, I was not really into it, but when my mom told me this is, like, a benefit and

01:33will, if I win, I will be given an opportunity to share the proceeds to my chosen charity,

01:39I was like, this is it, I should do it.

01:42Okay, so Mrs. Philippines USA, so that is the pageant title in itself.

01:48You don't have to go off to another competition, correct?

01:52Yes, correct.

01:53Okay, so that is the main title.

01:54We're very, very honored to have you here with us.

01:57But what makes Mrs. Philippines USA as a pageant different from all the other pageants out

02:02there?

02:03The main purpose of the pageant is to be able to help.

02:08So once you win, the proceeds will go to your chosen charity.

02:12So part of that, if you're the winner, you will get a cash prize, you will get a round

02:16trip ticket to Philippines.

02:18At the same time, you will be able to raise awareness to your advocacy, which is, for

02:22me, is to help community-based rehabilitation in Binangonan Rizal.

02:27Okay, so you mentioned earlier, as we were chatting, that you have an upcoming event

02:32at CBR, or Community-Based Binangonan Rizal, which is a rehab center for anyone that might

02:41need it.

02:42What specific outcomes do you hope to achieve at the upcoming event a few days from now?

02:48Yes, well, there are two main objectives on this trip of mine.

02:53One is to raise awareness regarding the need of the children with special needs.

02:57And the second is to also raise awareness about my profession.

03:01I'm a doctor of physical therapy in the United States.

03:04And I want to raise awareness to Filipinos because most of the time, there's a misconception

03:08between massage therapists and physical therapists.

03:11And I want to bring awareness that physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech

03:15language pathologists, and sports scientists help work hand-in-hand to help these children

03:22to get a little bit of normalcy in their lives.

03:26Okay, of course, we're very interested to know your journey, you know, as you decided

03:33to join Mrs. Philippines USA.

03:36Tell us about what specific challenges, if any, that you faced and that you overcame

03:42when you decided to join this event.

03:45When I joined the event, well, at first, it was really hard because I just gave birth

03:50to a baby at that time.

03:52So when they asked me, are you interested in signing up or joining this competition,

03:58in the back of my head, I'm not physically fit, I don't think I'm ready.

04:02But just like what I told you earlier, I do believe in the verse, which is Philippines

04:06chapter 4, verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

04:12So after absorbing that, I was completely pushing myself that I can do this.

04:21If this is the will of my God, I'll be able to accomplish this.

04:25And I'm truly grateful for that.

04:28Rachel, I'm just wondering, how many months prior did you give birth before you decided

04:33to join?

04:34I'm sure you were actually invited, you mentioned, by your aunt, right?

04:41Who was part of a community of Filipinos that's actually a main founder.

04:46Tell us about that.

04:47Yes, so much.

04:48Actually, I just gave birth like five months prior to that.

04:51I was probably 50 pounds heavier.

04:55And I said, you know what, my heart is to help other people, so I don't care what it

05:00takes, I will do whatever it is.

05:02And yes, my aunt was the one who introduced this Filipinos Social Club of New York.

05:07It's the oldest organization in the United States.

05:11And as a matter of fact, this pageant has been ongoing for years, and I'm so happy to

05:18be the reigning queen of this competition.

05:21Okay, so right now, you are Mrs. Philippines 2024, Mrs. Philippines USA 2024.

05:30What do you think it means being Mrs. Philippines USA 2024 as a Filipina?

05:35You are now based in the United States, you have a successful, thriving practice.

05:42But what do you think it means to hold that kind of title?

05:46The main reason for me and joining this competition is I want to raise the awareness of camaraderie

05:51or kababayong when it comes to like helping our Filipino communities.

05:57So I was born and raised here, my culture, I was already molded in the Philippines.

06:02And being in a different foreign country, and having all these means, I feel I have

06:07the need to give back to our fellow Filipino community.

06:12So I'm truly grateful for that opportunity.

06:14So you mentioned earlier that part of the pageant, the proceeds you mentioned, is going

06:22to go back to your chosen charity of choice, okay.

06:28Tell us about CBR.

06:29Have you been there before?

06:31Why did you pick it?

06:32And why does this resonate with you?

06:34Well, I worked when I was an intern, I did a rotation of missionaries of charity in Manila.

06:42These are not-for-profit organizations.

06:44So I chose Binangon and Rizal CBR because I am from Rizal, I was actually from Antipolo Rizal.

06:52And I want to give back to my community.

06:54That's why I chose this organization.

06:57Okay, physical therapy, that is a very interesting profession.

07:02But of course, there are some connotations, and I would say, misconnotations about it

07:07as well, that it is just strictly for massage therapy.

07:12How important do you think physical therapy is, as a profession, and also in impacting

07:17people's lives?

07:18Yes, so what we mostly, yeah, there's a huge stigma regarding physical therapists and massage

07:26therapists, which is really hard to break in our country.

07:31But we help people who have stroke, people have like cerebral palsy, people who have

07:36different ailments, whether it is neurological, orthopedic, and a lot of like different issues.

07:44And we try to help them as much as we can by giving them like proper therapeutic exercise

07:49or therapeutic activities, just to make sure that they get back to their normal activities

07:54of daily living.

07:55Okay, so you're heading back to the United States after you visit CBR.

08:02People that would like to also give back and volunteer in CBR, how do they get involved?

08:07Do they have a website?

08:08Yes, they do have a website, and they can also communicate directly to the director,

08:13which is Ms. Sheen Senendoza.

08:15If they want to volunteer or even give like financial support, they can communicate through

08:20their website.

08:22Okay, we're very excited to see, you know, what other differences you make throughout

08:27the year.

08:282024 isn't over yet.

08:30And we're also very honored and humbled that you visited the station today before you decided

08:35to leave the motherland.

08:36I know.

08:37Thank you so much.

08:38So we wish you the best of luck in continuing your advocacy, not just here in the Philippines,

08:43but also in the United States.

08:44Thank you very much, Rachel, for dropping by the station.

08:47Such an honor.

08:48Thank you so much.

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