COVER STORY: Beautiful Muriel  Orais  Soars Brightly

As beauty connoisseur Jim Acosta of Psalmstre, Inc. and CREWorks Asia would put it: “She is living testimony to the statement that despite bad breaks in life, real talent will shine through and not be denied its rightful audience and appreciation.”

She is Muriel Adrienne Isidore Orais, who, on this particular Angelus at a Starbucks branch, comes en punto and engages Women’s Journal in a repartee that is as interesting and revealing of her mind – and, perhaps more importantly, her heart – which is brimming with youthful optimism and wisdom being learned. Here, excerpts from our talk that is more of a recount of her life becoming a bit fast-paced lately and how she’s gracefully coping – and brightly soaring into her newfound limelight.

Women’s Journal (WJ): You are indeed a beauty queen, so what’s the secret behind the beauty?
Muriel Adrienne Orais (MAO): The usual from the experts: Sleep 8 hours a day; Eat fresh fruits and vegetables; Drink a lot of water everyday; for clean, beautiful skin, use Olive-C soap and toner.

WJ: How does it feel being an image model for Olive-C and Miss Earth-Water title winner?
MAO: I am very, very glad. Kasi I’m not used to joining beauty pageants. Now, that’s a big change for me. Being a beauty queen, a lot changed – people get to know me; I get to socialize with other people… My personality developed. I have more confidence now… I have learned a lot from the experience. It is not easy being one, kasi ang daming (naging) challenges, pagsubok na pinagdadaanan namin, kaming lahat.

WJ: Like what?
MAO: Maraming intriga, mga salitang hindi maganda sa iyo, mga hindi totoo. But, okay lang yun lahat – parang part of the pageant. At depende na lang sa iyo how you think about or react to it, sa iyong perception.

WJ: So, inspite and despite all the not-so-good things, ka-career-in mo ba ang pagmo-model at pagiging beauty queen?
MAO: Yes! Gusto ko talaga ang pagmo-model… Now all of it can be part of my life and living. So far, I don’t regret anything that has happened to me ‘coz I became a stronger person, having learned a lot of things from those experiences.

WJ: Where are you coming from as a titled beauty?
MAO: Aside from school-connected beauty pageants, I had a bigger public exposure when I joined and won in the regional Campus Model search in Cebu in 2009 – and won again in the national finals in Manila in 2010… Sir Jim of Psalmstre discovered me at siya at ang CREWorks Asia ang nagha-handle sa akin hanggang ngayon.

WJ: We heard humakot ka ng maraming awards sa pageant?
MAO: Aside from the Miss Earth-Water title (1st Runner-up), I won Best in Amazon Wear, Best in Casual Wear, Miss Photogenic, Best in Long Gown’s 1st runner-up, Miss Ever Bilena, the Gandang Ricky Reyes award, Miss Catanauan Cove, Miss RCBC Top 10, Miss Santacruzan, Miss Globe, and the Rosa Mystica title in the Resorts World Santacruzan parade.

WJ: After Miss Earth, what’s next for you?
MAO: Maybe I will join another contest… But that’s after two years pa; I have to continue my Nursing studies at Velez College where I have just a year to go before graduation…I have to prioritize my duties and responsibilities here in Manila. After a year’s reign, I should be going back to school nga, have more training and after that maybe I could go into bigger competitions – while engaging myself in so many things.

Meanwhile, I have to attend to my many enjoyable duties as Olive-C endorser. I will be a special guest model in the forthcoming Mindanao Fashion Week. It will be held at the Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro on August 6. Psalmstre is sponsoring this grand fashion show that is being produced for the first time by the Oro Fashion Designers Guild led by its Chairman Gil Macaibay.

WJ: What’s your fashion style anyway?
MAO: I’m a practical, casual wear person. Hindi ako mahilig sa branded fashion. In fashion, I think it’s not the label that matters – people don’t look at labels anyway – but the important thing is how you carry yourself. Of course, we should all dress properly for the occasion.

WJ: You’re only 19, so how do see yourself, say, five years from now?
MAO: Maybe… in business. Yes, I want to have a business!

WJ: But why are you into Nursing now?
MAO: Nursing actually is my second fallback. Kasi gusto ko talaga maging flight attendant…Dream ko talaga yun! I want to travel around the world. And if I have enough money, I will. Europe is first in my list to visit, then New York and Manhattan. Puede rin libutin ko muna buong Pilipinas.

WJ: Which place in the country would you like to visit soon?
MAO: El Nido!

WJ: Weren’t you in Palawan for the Miss Earth finals?
MAO: Yes, but we were in Puerto Princesa. Sabi nila, mas maganda ang El Nido – I want to see that “wonder of the world.”

WJ: You have a (romantic) relationship now?
MAO: Wala. I’m very much single pa.

WJ: Until when do you intend to stay single?
MAO: Maybe until I am 23 or 24. 

WJ: What’s your ideal man anyway? Someone like your Dad perhaps?
MAO: I didn’t actually get to know my dad… But ideal guy? Someone who will know (knows) how to deal with my Mom Desiree Grace. Dapat ligawan muna niya ang Mom ko… For me, personality matters. And looks – dapat matangkad.

WJ: How many are you in the family?
MAO: Only child lang po ako. I’m using my Mom’s maiden name…because I don’t have a father; I haven’t even met him.

WJ: Is there anything that scares you?
MAO: Be afraid of? Maybe cockroach lang… But, with my own trials and challenges, maybe I can already overcome anything that is threatening… Kasi marami na nga po akong pinagdaanang “scary.” Like, I had surgery last year.

WJ: Surgery?
MAO: Yes, open heart surgery.

WJ: Like, your heart was not in the right place?
MAO: I had a cyst, nakapatong sa lungs ko. A cystic teratoma, they call it… It was discovered last year when I was joining Pinoy Big Brother. Hindi ako nakapasok dahil sa condition ko and as per doctor’s advice… But I look at it as a blessing in disguise. That it wasn’t for me and that there was (is) another path for me…so,am here – nandito na ako, a beauty queen in my own right.

WJ: Any concrete showbiz plans today?
MAO: Yes. And if there are opportunities, why not? Like, I see it as “some times lang na mabibigyan ka ng chance.” Lalo na kapag marunong na akong mag-Tagalog dahil iba siempre ang fluent in Tagalog. You know we (Visayans/Cebuanos) are really bulol pag Tagalog na ang usapan.


WJ: Don’t you like it that you have the advantage of articulating in Tagalog and English aside from your own Cebuano dialect. And truth to tell, your Tagalog is not bad. With that raspy twang – due to your lung operation, I suppose – I even find it quaintly distinctive.
MAO: Yeah?! Well, thank you!

WJ: Anyway, to continue, any dream starring role in a movie or TV show?
MAO: Wow, hindi ko pa naisip yan hah! 

WJ: Sino ba mga favorite actors mo?
MAO: Angelica Panganiban, Angel Locsin. Gusto ko sila, kasi parang mababait sila… Although I’m not much of TV or movie fan.

WJ: Any other interests or hobbies you have, or plan to go into?
MAO: For now, busy lang po ako talaga sa school., mag-Internet. Pag-uwi ko ng bahay, tulog na kaagad. But I love to read inspirational books – stories of people who make something good out of their lives.

WJ: Do you already have a life’s motto?
MAO: I’ve just realized it: Find meaning and your purpose in life – and make a difference. Especially now as this is my second lease in life… that I have to do some things not only for myself but also to other people. I have to reach out to others.

WJ: Sounds like you’re growing up intellectually. That’s good. But, is there anything that you would want to enhance or change physically?
MAO: Wala! Wala naman po.