Jasmine Omay starts campaign to be the next Universal Woman

August 6 ------ The svelte speaker and stunner Jasmine Omay is representing the country and raising the Philippine flag — as a pageant parlance goes — in the ongoing Universal Woman 2025 in Jaipur, India. The 10-day beauty competition culminates on Aug. 10, and whose reigning queen is the Pinay Maria Gigante as Universal Woman 2024.

In its third edition, Jasmine is expected to continue the good showing of the Philippines and secure a back-to-back win. “Yes, I do think that is possible,” said the Universal Woman Philippines 2025 in a recent send-off event and press conference, held a day before she left for India. “There is much pressure there, but I do believe that this pressure is good.”

To play the part, she had a four-month training on her walking and displaying elegance and confidence during evening gown and interview segments. For the talent competition, Jasmine and the ALV Pageant Circle team decided to showcase her knack for playing the violin.

From her responses, one could gather that the Philippine bet appears to know the importance of not being complacent and keeping her eye on the prize or the goal, although fate is also a game changer. “I know that I could do better, improve along the way and that’s something I look forward to, and I do believe that a back-to-back is possible because of the team behind me and the organization behind me,” added she, sharing her expectations as she navigates the international tilt.

She knew that it’s going to be challenging, but “nonetheless very exciting and (it’s) a moment to cherish for the rest of my life because that 10 days would define all of my hard work here and it will bring me a lot of lessons that I will carry on forever. So, I am very much looking forward to being with the organization as well as in India as it is my first time (to visit) India and (to meet) the candidates as well.”

During the media call, she also gave her two cents on traits of a Universal Woman. “One quality that I think is essential to (becoming) a Universal Woman is (the ability in) understanding everyone… when you’re put in an international setting, what you need is to understand individuals, who are persons and who want to share something else, and if you’re more understanding towards people, then you become accepting of what they can share with the world, and that circles back and it goes beyond,” said she, further describing a Universal Woman as “someone who has the heart to serve other people, who has the heart to empathize with other people, and a story that inspires.” These, she believed, will help the woman create a remarkable impact on girls and young women and how they view themselves.

With regard to her pageant journey, encompassing winning and not winning a title, and any lessons learned, Jasmine had this to say, recalling and reflecting, “I was thinking about when I was driving back home late at night. I think two nights ago. I would say maybe the reason I didn’t win that crown was because I wasn’t really prepared enough. I was prepared for the national stage, but the whole question was, ‘Was I prepared internationally?’” “I guess,” continued she, “one lesson I’ve learned (is) maybe I (was) not prepared (at that time) and maybe this time, I’m prepared, and I feel prepared. So, I’m very excited.”

In the end, what also makes a beauty queen resilient and successful is her faith in what she can do and offer. “You just have to believe in what you are capable of, if you learn to believe in yourself, and it starts with that confidence from within,” said she, concluding that if one truly wants something, the universe will help make it possible and “go towards you.”

Source: philstar.com