Bea Santiago's Most Unforgettable Pageant Moment (minisode)

(upbeat music) - You know, when we are preparing for this episode, there are so many things that I wanted to talk about because I feel like you've lived such a full and eventful life to save the leaves, to colorful, a colorful life. But let's start from the very beginning. I wanna know you before the crown in 2013, before competing in pageants. What was it like growing up? Did you always want to be a beauty queen? - No, I always wanted to be a super model. Wow. (laughs) Something close, so beautiful. - Because I was raised in a province in a small town in Masbate. It's called Katangan Masbate. And was faced with my grandparents. I didn't really have a lot of chance to play around as a kid. They always, I was always busy in the garden or a church, always doing service. And then I became a model when I moved to Toronto when I was 16, and I stayed there until I went back home to try and do what my mom always wanted to be. (speaks in foreign language) And then I said, "You know what? It Venus can do it. I can do it too, because I was modeling long, but I was okay settling for it, 'cause I was making money enough for me to send to school." So it was cool. It was nice that among the school, (speaks in foreign language) - Cool, cool. But then I joined Mutya, and it was intense. The girls in the Philippines are crazy. I was in, like Meron Camp Camp. I didn't know about it. - Was that? - Ah, that's the way they train you, yeah. I said like they mold you, they train you, they help you make money. They make you mold you into like a beauty queen. And there's a little-- - Was that your first Filipino competition? - Yeah, well, when I did Mutya, I was just like shipped representing Toronto or Canada. That's time. I didn't really had the chance to really see it from the other side, which was the gravity of pageantry. My training for a year, my makeup training. - So you didn't do any of that? - I didn't. I was just delusional. I'm a bit shocked about that. - And they promised me if you make, if you win this, you get all the money. I'm like, "Yes, let's do it." - That's a good deal. I need to pay for my tuition for a university. And so, Sachto, what are your tuition? What's your money? So it's $6,000. And then I paid half a seminar and like, you know, like semester and then semester two was cool. So, and then don't go to discovery. No, wow, there's this weird vibe now. (speaks in foreign language) Whatever power or magnetic power you have on stage. And then the people from the other girls, they just want that. I want to get that. I want to be that great. So that's where it started. What were some of the, okay, chica first. What were some of the wildest or funniest experiences that you had in training as a beauty queen? How old were you when you were doing what you had? - I was only 21 to the two. - Okay. I know you're relatively older now. 'Cause she's a Philippines. - Yeah. - There's a lot of kids. - Yeah, 14. - 14. - They started training now. - Yeah, training and competing. So, what were the initial shocks that you had? I mean, of course, you moved from us back there to Toronto. That's kind of similar, I would say, in the sense that it's a very quiet life, right? When you're in the province and then when you go usually. - No, I was like freaked out. 'Cause I've never seen white people, black people, Indians, and then I moved to Scarborough right away. I was like, wow, the whole new world. (laughs) As in, I felt like Alice in Wonderland, and it's so creative, it's so colorful. It was just amazing for me. And I was like, "What's your question?" I was like, "Oh, no, no, it's okay." So, what are the shocking experiences, or funniest experiences with a pageantry? And then the most inspirational, because you were talking about how you saw that magnetic presence of beauty queens on stage, and you wanted to have that also. - Yes. I guess that the way they portray us is very catty or like bitchy or like, (speaks in foreign language) I've seen that, but not to like, a maximum of not putting mean girls. There's some chances in life where you cannot hold it anymore. (speaks in foreign language) (speaks in foreign language) It's normal, and I've seen that happen, but the most shocking probably is that, they're more friendlier than me say that. - Ah. - Yeah, my experience as a beauty queen was, I bonded, I made more best friends, than when I joined the showbiz. So I think, yeah, you need to surprise a kindness, and it's a girl, girls that I compete with each other. - Yeah. - Because we know how hard it is. So, that was the surprising part. - It's so funny, because Pia works back and Sila Carla were also on the show, and they said the exact same thing. Like, you'd be surprised because the girls that you really connect with, you connect with forever. - Yeah. - And they really become your best friends. - 'Cause you know, the culture, and you've been like that, and then the beauty queens, especially in the Philippines, because of how rigorous the whole system is. - Yes, I know Pia probably was shocked, now when she entered from other side of my showbiz to pageantry, 'cause it was the training artist for the beauty queen. - Yeah, it's so interesting, because I always see that with the beauty queens. Like, I mean, it's hard not to notice, 'cause that's why I'm so happy about that. And then, when I joined the showbiz, oh my goodness, what a sight to see for everybody, and I think that is a stereotype that I find that could be applicable for any field, because most people think that women like to fight with each other. - Of course, there are women who are very catty and competitive, but in general, when it comes to fields, where there's high pressure on women to look good, and act a certain way. Usually, the ladies are nicer, because they know that the pressure that comes with it, will really require you to connect with people, the best. - And for Mika said, they've competed since they were younger, most of them. So, you're new militant, and empathy is deeper than most people that I've met. So, most of the girls that I met, that's also why I became a beauty queen, that magnetized to me. Not only that, but the voice, they look so elegant. - Yeah. - But then, you know what? There's a combination of the recipe. If you want me to try it, you can do it. So, we'll do the floss, Mika, Mika, I guess sure of herself, but insecure. As in, like, you don't understand the recipe. - Yeah, I get what you're saying. - I think it's more of, when you think about beauty queens, it's a lot like the royal family, for example. - Right. - It's a very reserved, it's very filter. They look elegant and everything. But, it's better to go on Instagram accounts. It's because they want to show that kind of human side of the royal family. And that's what makes it very relatable for a lot of people, because when we see supermodel, beautiful women, it's hard to relate, but when you incorporate that with what you're saying, you know, chika, chika, funny, funny, must relate to what people are able to connect with you guys better. You want the crown of Mis-International 2013. - Yes. - How old were you? What was that feeling like? - I was 23, two young, but I thought I was already, you know, mature. It was so beautiful. I found me, that was my Cinderella moment. The chance to represent your country, and on top of that, you get to play into this field where it's just so, barang, all eyes on you. And during that time, it was after Yulanda. And I get to experience showing up in one of the cities that was Dornapart. And instead of getting hurt, 'cause I felt bad, I went there with my heels and my shirt and my fake lashes and my curled hair. And I said, and then I saw them. And I felt bad. I felt so shy and embarrassed. That I'm a Filipino in heels in makeup, saying hi to them. - Hi to them. - Meanwhile, we were just waiting, guys. Hi, this is from Miss Philippines. Like, say hi to them, because they were so, so overworking for us, for the Philippines. And for the club, and to save as many people as they can. And then I felt so sad. Like a week old, that time visiting them. I changed my whole speech. We have a speech in Miss International. And I scrapped that. And I made a new one. And I wanted it to be about thinking the people that helped us during that time. And for me, that was momentum. Because for me, I wanted to put the mission, which is to spread, you know, thankfulness, gratefulness to those who helped us. And it worked, 'cause I believed it and everyone believed it. And that was for me important, 'cause I, you know, priority code on winning. And because of the performance and the training I did, and you believe, could necessarily, like, and the speech really made me win. So that was my recipe.