Miss World Philippines 2016 has listed a Macau-born Filipina as one of the 25 finalists in its beauty pageant.
Sandra Lemonon, who is also half French, decided to compete in the national Miss World pageant in Manila after residing in the Philippines for a year, and has since trained for five months in a beauty camp, “Aces and Queens.”
Although there were several cultural adjustments to make after first arriving in the Philippines, as Lemonon grew up surrounded by the local and Portuguese culture in Macau, she told the Times through a Skype interview she is “more of a Filipina.”
Sandra, who is fluent in six languages, said she had not always planned on joining the pageant, however the advocacy component of Miss World encouraged her to take part.
“I feel like our generation right now [is] very into themselves, we just forget to enjoy life and the simple things of life,” she said.
The 22-year-old finalist currently volunteers with an orphanage in Pasig city as an English and art teacher. She believes that the local youth could contribute to non-profit organizations or foundations abroad through financial or material donations.
She also hopes she can raise funds with the orphanage in order to improve the living environment for the children who live there.
“When I was living in Macau, [we] had a good salary,” she recalled. “But here people work really hard for what they [earn], and they will do whatever job to get them in a good place.”
“I really hope that people from Macau can ‘experience’ life out of the city. In Macau things are easier. We have almost everything, it’s a good thing [yet] it’s also bad because we become a little bit dehumanized,” she added.
According to Lemonon, she currently has no future plans of returning to Macau, adding that she hopes for the city to showcase further talents in the pageant industry.
“We just have to find the right people. We have everything in Macau,” she said.
Miss World Philippines will hold its coronation night September 25, and Lemonon hopes to take home the crown, but if not, she’s confident that she will continue to participate in various causes.
Who is Sandra?
Sandra Lemonon (no. 8 in the picture above) was born and raised in Macau to a Philippine mother and a French father.
After graduating with a degree in Fine Arts from Escola Portuguesa de Macau (EPM) at the age of 18, she continued to pursue her studies in France.
All the while, Sandra traveled to different parts of the world to learn about new cultures.
This is where her love for languages grew. She is fluent in English, Portuguese, French, Cantonese, Spanish and Tagalog.
Sandra is “an adrenaline junkie by nature,” anything from rock climbing, jet skiing and cliff diving – you can count her in.
She wishes to make meaningful contributions to society and let people know about Miss World 2016 project “Beauty with a Purpose”. The project aims to help give a better life for youngsters in Tahanan Ng Pagmamahal, where abandoned children await adoption, so they can live happily with a family.
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