IN just two years, Mitzie Go Gil and her MMG Queen of Hearts Foundation Inc. has assisted countless underprivileged Filipinos. As CEO and president of the nonprofit organization, she implements programs and services that help our less fortunate kababayans become more “productive, responsible and accountable individuals in their communities and in the nation as a whole.”
The foundation gives special focus to children and women. It conducts monthly feeding programs, and medical and dental missions to far-flung areas, especially after natural calamities. It has built a shelter for abandoned, abused and homeless children. A core advocacy is women empowerment through the staging of beauty pageants with a strong charitable component.
In January, the Queen of Hearts Queens and candidates went to Barangay Calawis, Antipolo City, crossing a river and climbing a mountain to reach the village of the Dumagat indigenous people, for the group’s first charity mission of the year. This Love Month of February, the King and Queen of Hearts will celebrate Valentine and Chinese New Year with outreach missions. Also in the offing is the launch of the Queen of Hearts skin-care line.
Mitzie, who grew up in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, was an established businessman in Davao City before she was thrust into the world of pageantry.
A BS Accountancy graduate at the University of Mindanao, she owned a beauty salon, a spa and the Eagles Fly Travel & Tours before she got married to Ret. Gen.Virtus Gil and blessed with a daughter, Precious Marie.
“During the National Independent Travel Agency Operators Christmas party in December 2017, I was handpicked by Annie Refrea, the national director of the Mrs. Asia Pacific beauty pageant, to represent the Philippines in the March 2018 international finals in Singapore,” Mitzie recalls.
Mitzie emerged as Mrs. Asia Pacific Tourism and also won five subsidiary awards. After the pageant, she was in for more surprises. Justina Quek, the international director, offered Mitzie to be the national director of the Mrs. Asia Pacific pageants in the Philippines replacing Mrs. Refrea, who agreed to the arrangement. She accepted the offer and was given 10 titles to handle, seven for married women and three for single ladies.
Among the tiles that Mitzie oversees are Mrs. Asia Pacific Philippines, Mrs. Global Universe Philippines, Mrs. Worldwide Philippines, Miss Lumiere International World Philippines, Miss Global Universe Philippines, Miss Tourism Worldwide Philippines, Mrs. & Miss Queen of Hearts Philippines, and Lumiere International Pageantry.
The 2020 reigning title holders are Annette Mendoza-Mrs. Worldwide Philippines 2020 (Pampanga), Louise Suzanne Alba Lopez-Mrs. Asia Pacific Global 2020 (Quezon City), Darling Topacio Edralin-Mrs. Asia Pacific All Nations 2020 (Misamis Oriental), Joana Krisanta La Madrid-Mrs. Asia Pacific Tourism 2020 (Ilagan City), Ma. Glovel Tasico-Mrs. Asia Pacific Intercontinental Philippines ( Batangas), Sarima Piglas-Mrs. Asia Pacific Cosmopolitan Philippines 2020 (Maguindanao), Catherine Jordan Flores-Mrs. Queen of Hearts 2020 (Ilocos Norte), and Ivy Dianna Manzon Bo-Mrs. Queen of Hearts Tourism 2020 (Cavite).
“Even before I joined pageants, I had two advocacies in life: women empowerment and the welfare of underprivileged families, especially the children. I thought that being involved in pageantry would help me realize my advocacies so I accepted the position of national director,” Mitzie, 41, shared.
Beauty pageants, which thrive on the energy of a live audience, also suffered during the pandemic. But Mitzie remains optimistic and always looks at the more beautiful side of things.
“Aside from realizing my pro-poor personal commitments, there is a sense of fulfillment in helping women find their personality, their own strengths and weaknesses, to gain confidence, to raise their self-esteem and to prove to people that it is not impossible to have beauty and brains,” Mitzie said. “That feeling of fulfillment is on top of other benefits like confidence, friendship, networking and opportunities that I have gained in heading or participating in a beauty pageant.”
Photographed by Jun Muga
Clothes by John Guarnes and Apartment Clothing
Makeup by Marielle Panganiban
Hairstyle by Meg Zaragosa
Crown and accessories by Queen of Hearts Foundation Philippines
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