Even without a crown or title, former beauty queen Samantha Panlilio is hard at work to make a positive change in her community.
Panlilio takes pride in founding the Pangarap at Kalinga Foundation, whose first project is building two classrooms for Ternate West High School in her hometown of Ternate, Cavite.
The Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2021 winner launched the Pangarap at Kalinga (PAK) Foundation in her hometown of Ternate, Cavite.
In a statement, PAK is described as a foundation that aims to be a catalyst for youth empowerment not only in Panlilio’s native Cavite but across the Philippines, tackling issues like poverty, access to education, and community development.
Among its first batch of projects are the building of two classroom for Ternate West High School and the granting of full college scholarships for two Caviteños.
Panlilio said her parents had always instilled in her that education is “the one thing that no one can ever take away from you.”
Businesswoman and former beauty queen, Samantha Panlilio CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
But she acknowledged that “quality education is not at its optimum accessibility to everyone in the Philippines,” which led to her decision to focus on this issue for her first project under the new foundation.
“We’re not just building classrooms,” Panlilio explained. “We’re building a future where every young Filipino has the chance to show the world that indeed we’re one of the very best.”
PAK is not Panlilio’s first foray into community work and social advocacy.
During the pandemic, she organized meal drives to provide food for the healthcare workers and volunteers.
Then, when tragedy struck a depressed community in Aklan after a devastating fire in December 2023, she rallied her business network and spearheaded a relief operation for the victims.
These experiences have shaped Panlilio’s vision for Pangarap at Kalinga. The name itself embodies her vision of making dreams (“pangarap”) happen nurtured with care (“kalinga”) to serve the underprivileged youth.
Gearing up for public service
PAK is certainly a significant undertaking for Panlilio, who, beyond the world of pageantry, serves as the Chief Operations Officer of Boulevard Holdings, Inc. (BHI) — the company behind the luxury property brand Friday’s — as well as Puerto Azul Land Inc., developer of the Puerto Azul Golf & Country Club. Nonetheless, she is preparing to take on a larger platform for public service.
On the sidelines PAK’s launch, the Filipina beauty confirmed that she is ready to enter public service as second nominee of the Agimat Partylist.
Agimat Partylist first joined the national elections in 2022 and won one Congressional seat. It defines itself as “a multi-sectoral group, dedicated to representing the interests of various sectors, including the private and public sectors, farmers, fisherfolk, professionals, small to medium-scale industry workers, the elderly, youth, and persons with disabilities.”
Asked what prompted her to join politics, the aspiring public servant — who represented Cavite when competing in Binibining Pilipinas and Miss Universe Philippines — related her experiences in dealing with people.
“Pageantry really opened my eyes into how much you can help the community, however, I think that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Because in line with my family business, which is mainly land development, a community is very important. You want make sure that the area around you is also prospering,” Panlilio told The Manila Times.
“Our employees have been with us for more than 20 years and we consider them family, so when they come to us, needing help for their loved ones and extended family members, that really hit me. I just want to give back to my community, especially Cavite because I’ve championed them from day one. It’s kind of a love letter for me to give back to them as well,” she added.
Panlilio — a double degree holder in Business and Computer Science from University of California, Irvine — said that much like a pageant or any aspect of life, preparation is essential. As such, she has been focusing on finding out what her countrymen needs today.
“I know my intentions are pure and I know what programs I want to get into. But at the same time, I want to go to the ground and talk to people of certain marginalized groups — women, children, LGBTQIA+ — as well as representatives of tourism because I am from that industry.
“I think different facets of my life have really inspired me to actually go for a platform where I can make a significant change,” Panlilio finally said.
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