BEAUTY IN ANGELES CITY. Miss Tourism World Intercontinental 2019 Francesca Taruc receives a certificate of distinction from the Angeles City government led by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan (third from right) and other city officials on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Angeles City Information Office)
ANGELES CITY -- Miss Tourism World Intercontinental 2019 Francesca Taruc was warmly welcomed by Angeleños as she returned home on Monday, a week after winning the beauty title.
Taruc, who paid a courtesy call on Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Vice Mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno, was greeted and congratulated by city government officials, employees, friends, and fans who supported her throughout her 23-day pageant journey in Nanjing, China.
A certificate of distinction was awarded by the city government to Taruc “for giving pride to the city and its people.”
The recognition was also bestowed to her as “a manifestation of the local government’s appreciation of her achievements that placed Angeleña beauty, confidence and wit to the international pageant arena”.
In an interview with the 20-year-old lass, she said that joining beauty pageants has been her holy grail since she was young.
As she pursues her dreams of becoming a beauty queen, Taruc has earned local and national titles such as the Mutya ning Angeles-Youth Ambassador in 2017 and Miss Freedom of the World-Philippines in 2018.
“Honestly, it still hasn’t sunk in yet. I still remember attending the flag ceremony here to ask for your support and now, you are all congratulating me,” she said.
Talking about her plans after winning the first international crown for the Philippines for 2019, Taruc said she will soon return to China to fulfill her duties as an international ambassadress.
Taruc said that she also plans to pursue a career in show business and join Binibining Pilipinas, with the hopes of bringing home another international crown for the country.
“I will also be active in charities and other meaningful causes,” she said.
Pamintuan, for his part, said that “Angeles City is indeed privileged to have a beauty queen whose backstory is more than the usual plot of failure and conquest. You are destined to triumph and give pride to the city just like the legacy of your ancestors.”
Francesca, or Fran as she is fondly called by her family and friends, was born in San Luis town and was raised in this city.
She holds a degree in Communication Arts from Holy Angel University. (PNA)
