Harder, better, faster, stronger!
Work it harder, make it better,
do it faster, makes us stronger,
more than ever, hour after,
Our work is never over.
Kanye West’s Stronger could quite possibly be the battlecry of Binibining Pilipinas 2014 frontrunner Ladylyn Riva.
One of the semifinalists of Bb. Pilipinas in 2011, Lyn, as her friends call her is out to prove to herself and everyone else that she is deserving to win a title and wear one of the crowns.
“I think, a better, more determined, and more focused Ladylyn, is joining the Bb. Pilipinas,” she told this this website at a recent dinner.
She said joining other pageants in the past couple of years, such as Ms. Casino Filipino and the Century Tuna Superbods has given her more confidence and taught her a lot more about pageants.
Riva says pageants may be about beauty and glamour but it entails a lot of hardwork and preparation, and sacrifice. “The long hours of practice, pre-pageant shows and public appearances can be very tiring, but for me I am just taking it all in and enjoying the experience.”
The stunning Aklan native, says even the number she got this year is an added challenge, “I’m candidate number 39 so I have to make myself really stand out to get the attention of the cameras, since they almost always focus on the middle group.”
Probinsyana at heart
Gifted with the best European-Filipina features its easy to mistake Ladylyn as one of those modern and sophisticated women of the city, but she confesses to be a probinsyana girl at heart.
“I was a typical shy probinsyana girl who was raised by her grandparents so I’m really very simple and conservative so joining a beauty pageant was the farthest thing from my mind. The closest thing I could get to a beauty pageant, the Bb. Pilipinas was watching the yearly coronation nights on television,” she shared.
It was her grandmother who encouraged her to join pageants, “She knew right from the start that it was only a matter of time before I would go up the stage and compete with other pageant contestants my age. My lola was my number 1 fan.”
With her towering height, svelte figure and charming personality, Ladylyn easily won the votes of judges landing her a semifinalists slot in the Bb. Pilipinas. She would later use the experience to pursue a career in modeling, doing some print commercials as well as starring in one of Christian Bautista’s music videos.
“I put so much time with my modelling career, and my relationship even had to take a back seat to see this pageant through. It has been a tough phase in my career, but I am thankful for my grandmother who did not think twice introducing me to Bb. Pilipinas.”
Ladylyn joins the 2014 Bb. Pilipinas Beauty Pageant in honor of her departed grandmother. “She always believed in me and I want to win the crown for her.”
So far, Ladylyn has been among the early favorites and is a consistent choice by pageant experts in their top 10.
“It’s very flattering to be among the favorites but I try not to read too much, and instead focus preparing myself for the grand coronation night. I am very thankful to all those who have supported me, especially my family and provincemates in Aklan, she said.
