BAUTISTA—She said “yes” right away when 22-year old Arhjessa Espiritu from Barangay Baluyot here got a call from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office inviting her to join a contest where she would advocate the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Espiritu, blind since she was 18, thought it would be a quiz bee and did not think she was agreeing to participate in a beauty contest.

It was already on the road to Agoo, La Union — where the regional contest for the Miss Philippines 2013 on Wheels, Signs and Visions would be held — when she realized that the song number she was asked to prepare would not be for the intermission of the quiz bee but for the talent portion of the pageant.

“So there’s no turning back. It was a go, go,” she said.

She won and went on to represent Region 1 in the national competition joined by 27 candidates held on November 9 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theatre in Ateneo de Manila University.

And again, she came home with the crown as Ms. Philippines-Visions plus a special award for Best in Evening Gown.

OTHER PANGASINENSES

Two other Pangasinenses represented the region: Julie Austria, 27, from San Carlos City, who won as 2nd runner-up Ms. Philippines-Wheels; and Divina Quinsay, 17, for the Ms. Philippines-Signs.

Austria, afflicted with polio when she was one year old, is a cosmetologist and beautician.

Espino vowed to the ladies that the provincial administration will continue to provide support programs for PWDs such as the hiring of PWDs in the workforce, study tours and campaigns on PWD rights.

Espiritu said she did not allow her disability to bring down her spirit as she “always sees light in any dark side of life”.

INSPIRATION

The 5’6” graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education at the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF) in San Carlos City currently teaches at the Audio Visual Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Dagupan City.

Espiritu lost her right eye vision due to glaucoma when she was 13 and came to realize this when she was often kicked by her spar mate in taekwondo received tongue-lashings on the road from drivers who almost hit her with their vehicles which she failed to see coming.

Glaucoma totally blinded her five years later, exactly the same situation undergone by her mother Juliet.

During the pageant’s question-and-answer portion, she was asked: “If you were to choose a person to be the country’s leader, who would that be and why?”

She answered: “I would choose my mom because I saw in her not only leadership qualities to lead our family, especially when she was widowed and struggled to raise her four children despite being blind but also because she has the head, heart and hand to lead her sector being the leader of professional licensed massage therapists in Pangasinan, as well as her love for the country. She is willing to give more for her companions and is ever willing to sacrifice.”

Espiritu also considers herself very lucky because she was not born blind and had the opportunity to see “how beautiful this world is”.

“…and even if there comes an opportunity (to restore her eyesight), I won’t grab it. I’m happy being blind as I see things which others cannot see,” she added. —Eva Visperas with report from Johanne R. Macob and PIO

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