NINE beautiful and talented young Filipinas from the Visayas and Mindanao were recently chosen as the regions’ representatives to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) ongoing nationwide search for Miss Casino Filipino 2012.

They are Nickylyn Cardoza, Mon Theress Menaling and Maria Cassandra Yu from Cebu; Angelie Joy Golingay, Maria Aika Uy and Chinky Cantere from Bacolod; Leonelyn Trocio, Patria Acosta and Jennylen Bangcot from Davao.

The nine ladies won in the semi-final rounds recently conducted at the Casino Filipino branches in Bacolod, Cebu and Davao. They will be competing during the beauty pageant’s Grand Coronation Night on November 16, 2012 at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Airport Casino Filipino, Paranaque City.

PAGCOR’s Assistant Vice President for Entertainment Bong Quintana said all nine finalists from the Visayas and Mindanao are already winners. “Para sa amin lahat kayo ay panalo na. We thank you for joining our search for the next Miss Casino Filipino, for sharing with us your talent, beauty and grace,” he said.

Quintana said the Miss Casino Filipino 2012 nationwide search is PAGCOR’s way of paying tribute to the Modern Filipina and the Filipina icons whose virtues and ideals are worth emulating. The Grand Winner will take home P500,000 in cash and will have the chance to choose a charitable institution that will receive a P200,000 donation from PAGCOR.

The runners-up will receive P400,000 (1st), P300,000 (2nd), P200,000 (3rd) and P100,000 (4th). Apart from the big cash prizes, deserving winners and contestants will also be given a chance to work in PAGCOR and Casino Filipino.

Cebuana beauty Nickylyn Cardoza said winning in the pageant’s Cebu leg was one of the best birthday presents she got for her 19th birthday. She is currently employed as a call center agent and would have been in third year college now had she not stopped going to school to support her family. “The hard life we have encouraged me to work harder and to be more persistent in achieving my dreams. I want to prove to others that even though I come from a poor family, I can achieve something great,” Cardoza said.

If ever she is crowned Miss Casino Filipino 2012, Cardoza hopes to reach out to the less fortunate through programs that will help enrich their capabilities and expand their livelihood opportunities. Similar to Cardoza, Maria Cassandra Yu’s advocacy is also to help the less privileged while Mon Theress Menaling looks forward to helping the youth through programs that will help them veer away from vices.

Meanwhile, 19 year-old Angelie Joy Golingay who hails from Iloilo said PAGCOR’s pageant is unique because it requires a contestant to have a particular advocacy. A firm believer in promoting the rights of cultural minority groups, Golingay hopes to empower the Aeta community in her hometown through a sustainable livelihood program and quality education if she wins the Miss Casino Filipino crown.

Maria Aika Uy on her part, works as a private nurse in Bacolod. Her advocacy is to give street children a chance to grow like any normal child. “Unlike the fortunate kids who are supported financially and emotionally by their parents, the street children direly need help. Who knows, maybe one of them might become President of the Philippines someday if we help them,” she said.

Eighteen-year-old Chinky Cantere wants to champion education for the underprivileged youth. “A lot of out-of-school youth, mostly those from broken families tend to get addicted to illegal drugs or get involved in crimes. They need to be given a chance to have good education so that they will have a better opportunity to realize their dream for a better future.”

Meantime, Leonelyn Trocio who is a native of Matina, Davao, has been a finalist in other beauty contests like Mutya ng Davao and Ms. Earth-Davao in 2011. Her advocacy is to help educate the youth on the disadvantages of drug abuse. Two other semi-finalists, Patria Acosta and Jennylen Bangcot are focusing their advocacy on solid waste management and anti-bullying among children.

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