Interview with Jewelry "Jewel" Noche

It is easy to spot her in the bevy of beauties lining up for the newest addition to the archipelago’sbeauty pageants, the Pinay Beauty Queen Academy. She walks like a 7-foot lady making her beautiful presence felt in the ramp. When her photos were posted on facebook and in pageant websites, she received left and right bashing, but this girl seems to be prepared in the battle she is into right now. Her determination captures the netizens’ hearts in an instant. Yes, she is Jewel Noche. I am thankful that she granted me this interview.

NAME: Jewelry Carandang Noche

AGE: 24

HEIGHT: 5'5

BIRTHPLACE: I was born in  Manila but raised in Balayan, Batangas, our family business is there. When I was 16, I moved to Makati with my family (my brothers and sisters were already here because they took their college here as well).

IS THIS YOUR FIRST PAGEANT? Technically this is my first contest. I screened for BB. Pilipinas 2009; that time Mr. Gus De Castro was the one who screened me (who is the producer of the show PBQA) but I did not really push it because Assumption College was really strict when it comes to joining pageants when we are still studying. After a year, (2010) I applied for Miss Philippines Earth, they gave me the chance to undergo training with them but I didn't make it to the finals because I did not achieve the weight they required. That was the time I started gaining weight; then I focused with my career. After 4 years, I saw a post in the internet, a new pageant which is Miss Grand Philippines; I talked to the organizer, I told him about my weight problem as well as my eagerness to join a pageant because for me this is my "last hurrah." I sent my requirements and they gave me the chance to attend the final screening. We had an agreement that they will only put me as an official candidate if I lose some more weight in a given period of time but then, less than a week after my final screening, this opportunity came.

WHO MOTIVATED YOU TO JOIN? This is really my dream, I want to be a beauty queen. I think I should say my inspiration was my mom who passed away almost a year ago.

ARE YOU AWARE YOU HAVE BASHERS? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THEM? Yes I am aware of bashers. It was asked to me during my final screening in PBQA. My answer will still be the same,(and I quote) "As Eleanor Roosevelt said, No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. I do not take it as a negative thing but a point of reflection; the things and stuff they say honed me and made me a better person. Yes it hurts me, I ignore it but there are times that when I think, it is already too much. When my credibility and qualification is being questioned, I have to step up a little by saying something positive about myself, not by being arrogant but showing my confidence to face challenges and tough questions that are thrown to me.

WHAT IS THE MOST PAINFUL BASHING THAT YOU RECEIVED? I think the most painful was, when I felt that society was telling me that I cannot do this, I cannot do that; when they are telling me that I lost already even the battle hasn't started yet and most of all, when my qualification was being questioned.

WHO AMONG THE BEAUTY QUEENS DO YOU ADMIRE? I admire Filipina beauty queens, but the one who inspires me the most is MJ Lastimosa, because she did not give up, she did not stop reaching for her dream.

ARE YOU ASSOCIATED WITH KAGANDAHANG FLORES OR ACES? Supposedly I'll b under KF, but when I underwent my final screening in MGP, Mr. John De La Vega who is the organizer of Miss Grand Philippines introduced me this contest instead.

WHAT CAN PAGEANT FANS EXPECT FROM YOU? As I have always said, I want to be women's inspiration by being proud and confident with what they have, by believing that we are all beautiful. No matter what the society dictates you, if you are holding into your values no one can stop you from reaching your dream; I also want to show them that if you want something, anything is possible when you believe in yourself.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO YOUR FANS? I would like to call them supporters, ang masasabi ko lang po, maraming maraming salamat po sa paniniwala po sa kakayahan ko. I can only promise one thing and that is I'll strive hard and do my very very best.