Mas payat si Shamcey sa personal, at ang kanyang ba-lingkinitang beywang at mahahabang legs ay nagpa-tingkad ng kanyang hapit na hapit na pink dress. Maganda sa mga pictures, mas maganda sa personal ang beauty queen kaya nga kahit sandali ay nalimutan ng lahat ang pinsalang
idinulot ng bagyong Pedring.
Sa dami ng kanyang mga appearances makaraang itanghal na third runner-up sa Miss Universe pageant, mayroon pang nadagdag na titulo sa kanyang pangalan—ang pina-kabagong Avon celebrity spokesperson.
Tutulong ang 25-year-old beauty queen sa pagpo-promote ng fragrance line ng company. Ilalabas ngayong taon o early next year ang pabango na inspired sa kanya. “I was really honored when I found out about the endorsement, because I grew up with Avon,” ani Shamcey.
Avon lady umano ang kanyang tita na nagbebenta ng mga makeup sa kanilang baryo sa General Santos City kung saan tumira nang ilang taon si Shamcey. Dahil sa kita ng tiya niya mula sa Avon ay napag-aral nito ang kanyang dalawang anak.
“Every time she drops by the house, she would give us brochures and ask if we wanted to order anything,” sabi Shamcey. “I remember Avon’s Sweet Honesty perfumes and powders because my tita used them.”
Ni minsan ay hindi inisip ni Shamcey na magiging endorser siya ng isang beauty brand o maging representative ng bansa isang beauty pageant.
“She was an old-fashioned girl, like a manang when she dressed up,” sey ng kanyang mommy Marcelina.
Ani Marcelina, na nahilig sa sweet corn at tubo nung ipinagbubuntis ang kanyang anak, ay nakuha niya ang pangalang Shamcey sa pagbabasa ng mga Mills and Boon romances.
Isang anak ng magsasaka, alam ni Shamcey ang halaga ng pera. “Inaamag na nga pera niya,” kuwento ng kanyang ina ukol sa pagiging matipid ng anak. “If she sees something expensive, she returns it. And even if her shoes are old, she’d rather have them fixed than buy a new pair.”
Kaya nga raw mahirap kapag nagsa-shopping sila ng damit ang anak. “Walang ka-taste-taste. Ako pa ‘yung namimili. And she always wore flats and walked with a stoop because she was conscious of her height,” dagdag ng ina.
Natutuwa nga siya at nabigyan ng kaila-ngang-kailangan style at poise ang kanyang anak dahil sa pagsali nito sa mga beauty contest.
Wala mang nakapagsabi na ganoon kalayo ang mararating ni Shamcey, wala namang aangal kung gagawin lahat ng magna cum laude graduate mula UP at top notcher ng 2010 licensure exams upang manguna. “It was difficult for her, may resistance siya,” ani Marcelina sa inisyal pagtanggi ni Shamcey na sumali sa Bb. Pilipinas. “Pero ayaw din niya magpatalo. Gusto niya laging number one.”
Sa totoo lang, masaya na raw si Shamcey kung mapapasama sa Miss Universe Top 16. “That was my ultimate goal,” hirit niya.
“This was not for me,” aniya hinggil sa korona ng Miss U. Sinabi niya na noong una ay okay lang sa kanya kung hindi siya mananalo, pero dahil sa suporta ng mga kababayan niya ay napilitan na rin siyang magsumikap.
“I would read the fan pages and people would tell me they wouldn’t sleep because they had been voting for me,” aniya. “Thinking about how everyone spent their time and effort supporting me, I thought, I can’t let them down. So I did my best during the preliminary round, interviews and pageant night, but the rest of the time, I just had fun getting to know the other girls.”
Totoo ang sorpresa na nakita ng tao sa kanyang mukha nang tawagin siya sa Top 16, tapos sa Top 10. “Especially the Top 10!” ani Shamcey, na hindi raw sanay mag-swimsuit at kinailangang magdagdag ng 10 lbs. para sa Miss Universe. Nang manalo siya ng Bb. Pilipinas, 105 lbs. ang timbang ng 5’8 stunner. “A lot of those girls really worked hard for their body.”
“Honestly,” paliwanag niya, “from 89 women, Top 5 was a great achievement in itself. So when they said I was third, I went to the front, claimed my title, then went to the side and said, ‘Yes!’ Miss New Zealand, who is a good friend of mine, joked, ‘You’re really happy you didn’t win, huh?’ A lot of the girls knew I wasn’t as competitive as the others. They were surprised and happy at the same time for me.”
Akala nga ni Shamcey (at maging ng roommate niyang si Miss Korea) ay mananalo si Miss Venezuela. “She’s really beautiful, nice and calm. Everyday, she was always perfect and flawless. If she won, we said we wouldn’t be surprised. Wala siyang ka-effort-effort. She didn’t try hard but she stood out.”
Unti-unti ay nakapaga-adjust na si Shamcey sa kanyang bagong celebrity status. Sinabi nga ng kanyang ina na nag-improve ang anak sa kanyang pinagdaanan. At naging conscious na ito sa kanyang sarili. Pero magiging lalong masaya ang ina kung mananatiling “probinsyana at heart” ang kanyang nag-iisang anak.
“I don’t think it will ever sink in,” ayon naman kay Shamcey ukol sa kanyang mga naabot. “How people treat me today is the only thing that’s changed. At home, I’m still the Shamcey that my friends and family know.”—Inquirer