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TAOYUAN, Taiwan — Face powder, false lashes and last-minute prayers turned an events hall in this industrial city in northern Taiwan into Manila on coronation day as Filipino migrant workers took the stage Sunday for “Ginoo at Binibining Taiwan,” a beauty pageant that crowned both kings and queens.
The contestants — factory hands, English teachers and domestic caretakers during the week — exchanged uniforms for elaborate attire. Organizers say the home-grown contest, in its first year, is one of the first mixed-gender pageants in Taiwan and a lifeline for migrants who spend most of their time far from family and under the radar of local society.
“I have experienced discrimination because of my nationality. But I didn't let it weigh me down. I focus on my goals and I just do my job and prove to them that I am capable even if I am a Filipino,” said 28-year-old contestant Malaya Mercedes Munar, who teaches English by day and walked Sunday’s runway in an ornate ensemble.
Across the dressing room, 35-year-old electronics worker Mckoi de la Rosa prepared his opening costume filled with feathers without the help of a glam squad. “I want to show that even if we are busy with work, we have to learn how to balance our life so that we can further grow and become more productive, not only in work but also in life as a whole,” he said.
The pageant followed the familiar Filipino format: a high-energy opening number followed by themed attire runways, then a question-and-answer round for finalists. But Sunday’s show also doubled as a fundraiser, with ticket sales earmarked for a shelter serving seniors and special-needs children in the Philippines.
“I want us to have unity through this event, to get together and be with each other,” said event founder Jerome Perez Lopez, explaining that gatherings like this help migrants understand one another’s sacrifices and share tips about living in Taiwan.
Support extended well beyond the catwalk. Audience members waved handmade posters and banged metal bowls in lieu of drums as their hometown favorites struck their poses. Community leaders — including Filipino radio personality Marie Yang — served as judges and noted the important cultural aspect of the event.
“Back in the Philippines, people love pageants. They love to showcase their talent, their Filipino cultural heritage through the costumes they’re donning. I think it’s more of like adding confidence,” Yang said.
Neither Munar nor de la Rosa took home a crown, but both said the real prize was visibility and solidarity. The migrants who keep Taiwan’s factories, classrooms and society running rarely make headlines but for one day, they occupied center stage — and cheered one another as loudly as any hometown crowd.
For these contestants, winning isn’t just about the sash or the crown — it’s also about the space they have created to build each other’s confidence and foster a tight-knit community.
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