The hard-hitting question posed to beauty pageant contestants of Mindanao State University goes viral

Whoever said beauty pageants was a superficial exercise is wrong.

On Sunday, Mindanao State University held its annual Ms. MSU beauty pageant and as the practice of beauty pageants everywhere, a Q&A portion ensued.

And the question posed to the five finalists made even the audiences gulp in nervousness, and say thanks that they’re “of average beauty” – at least this is what Engr. Vasma Hassan, a college instructor of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department of the MSU-Gen San campus, said when she posted a photo of the hard-hitting question on her Facebook account.

The major challenge confronting the peace operation in Mindanao is the presence of local authoritarianism despite the overarching national democracy in the Philippines. As a peace university, what should the Mindanao State University do to contribute in creating democratic spaces in light of the new Bangsamoro Organic Law, where the largely powerless conflict-driven  civilians and ethnic minorities can have access to political representation and deliberative democracy?

Phew.

The crown went to Ms. Business Administration and Accountancy, Kimberly Arcenas Porras of the T’boli tribe descent of the South. Her answer?

Ladies and gentlemen, I am an MSUAN and I was molded by MSU to be a good citizen of this country. We were pushed that we should be one of the influencers of peace.

Peace is not merely the absence of war. The true meaning of peace is that, the absence of war and the presence of comfortability in the society. Despite of what our culture is, despite of our diversity, despite of our Muslim brothers and sisters or T’Boli, we should all unite.

As an ambassadress of, I am sending my heartfelt desire that through peace all these problems including bangsamoros will be solved. And what should we do to achieve that? It’s to forget our political differences, set aside our academic and social preferences and let love and peace rise above so that we can march towards the future in the hopes of making a peaceful and progressive country.

According to Vasma, MSU really stands for peace. “We want to promote what MSU stands for. We are a peace university. Even for beauty pageants.” — LA, GMA News