Estrella Decena is 2014 Pinoy Super Mom

With grace, beauty, poise, personality, and stage presence, Estrella Roja Decena from Dandan was crowned the 2014 Pinoy Super Mom, topping 17 other candidates over the weekend at the Saipan World Resort’s Royal Taga Ballroom.

“I am very, very happy and glad. I did not expect it. There was a lot of the audience who loved a lot of the other candidates and they also did very well,” Decena later told Saipan Tribune.

Decena also won the Island Touch Choice Award, personally chosen by one of the United Filipino Organizations’ sponsors, Philip Canuto.

Decena works at the Gold’s Gym as a Body Pump and Pilates instructor. She is also a front desk clerk and is a mother of five children. She is married to Jonathan Decena.

As part of her prizes, Decena won $800, a crown, sash, and bouquet. She also received a cash prize for her special award.

Saturday night’s first runner-up was Sheryll Q. Sabino, who won $500, a crown, sash and bouquet.

The second runner-up, Antonieta B. Magbanua, won $300, a crown, sash, and bouquet. Magbanua also topped everybody else in the special awards. She was named Miss Photogenic, Darling of the Crowd, Star of the Night, and Best in Evening Gown.

Third runner-up Josephine Tengco won $100, a sash, and bouquet. Fourth runner-up was Catherine Regalado, who also won $100, sash, and bouquet.

Other candidates were given special awards. Rebecca Urbano was presented with the Miss Congeniality Award, Melba Camacho received Best Spirit Award, Virginia Cruz received both Miss Flawless and Best in Talent, while Teresita Pangelinan and Nora Ayuyu both received the Early Bird award.

Judges for Saturday night’s pageant were Allen Michael Perez, Marissa Mafnas from St. Jude Renal Care Facility, Divana Dela Cruz of DFS Galleria, Olivia Tenorio of the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, Ana Glushko of Glushko’s Academy of Performing Arts, and Mona Mercado, chairperson for the event.

According to UFO president Annamae Adaza, the candidates had to go through a production number, talent show, evening gown competition, and a question-and-answer section.

Adaza said the pageant’s advocacy—women of power—aims to empower women to break free from the chains of limiting patterns and societal conditioning that have kept women suppressed and unable to use their true beauty and power to create opportunities that would allow them to develop their talents and use them to transform society.

Adaza hopes the event will inspire young girls and women to use that power to aid in the overall wellbeing of a woman today and for generation to come.

Pageant director Ernie Molina told Saipan Tribune that Decena deserved the award.

“She is really smart, talented, and a very good person. Everybody tried their best,” Molina said.

Molina noted that the candidates went through a one-month training and preparation for the event.

“Last practice was a very emotional time. The mothers told me that I did a good job because their self-esteem rose, and it is a really big transformation. …They are all winners to me,” Molina said.

Molina noted that this year’s success has motivated them to hold another Pinoy Super Mom pageant next year.