Pageantry has become a nationwide trend in the Philippines. It has slowly become a habit of us, Filipinos, to be updated with pageants such as Binibining Pilipinas, Miss Universe or any other prestigious events in our country and around the world. However, many of us focus only on the contestants, little that we know that with every beauty king or queen, behind them is always a great pageant coach.

Many of the people knew them showing up in different pageants and runway competitions as a trainor, and a mentor, but there is more than what meets the eye with what makes a true pageant coach. What are the odds that in one of the busiest cities in Bulacan is where we would find a renowned pageant and runway coach, exposed to so much glamour and limelight and yet is living humbly in a quaint home, and so famed and prominent yet untainted with such pride and arrogance? So, we sat with one of Bulacan’s finest to ask his perception of beauty in the eyes of a beauty maker.

Kenneth Delos Santos, or as his friends call him “Kenny” is 26 years old and has been mentoring aspiring beauty kings and queens for years. We met him in his home; small yet filled with racks of shoes and stilettos, bags filled with gowns and headdresses, towering stacks of magazines and sacks of costumes; all of these which he uses for his models and sometimes, for himself.

Teaching Beauty

As a person who coaches and mentors aspirants on beauty pageants and modeling competitions in Malolos, Bulacan, we can say that he is the right person to ask if beauty can be taught. As to Kenneth, it can be. Yet so many people believe that beauty has to be skin deep, Kenneth adds that in order for beauty to be taught, you (the aspirant) got to have beauty as a potential. “You just have to develop (beauty) and understand that to be ready in competitions; you have to give birth to the beauty within you.” He explains.

Growing up as a child, Kenneth loves to be surrounded by beautiful people, inside and out. Having the passion in beauty pageants and runway, he strives to send his advocacy as a coach that beauty is everywhere, even at the most random of things. On the other hand, People perceive his style and fashion sense as unorthodox and bizarre, yet, with many things have been said about Kenny and his way of presenting himself, he takes the courage to shake it all off and strut his way to success.

Walking the Walk

Being an advocate of beauty, Kenneth admits that he is not the most beautiful coach and pageant mentor in the province. He believes that people are very demanding when it comes to having physical beauty, thinking that having a good physical appearance would give them an advantage on the things they do every day; thus, creating the obsession with beauty from what they see rather than what they are inside.

Kenneth remembered people calling him names growing up until now, comparing his appearance to the oddest things; which might be hurtful to most, but Kenny completely shrugged the pressure of being beautiful to pass a certain societal standard. “Yes, sometimes they call me “frog-faced” or kabayo (Horse-faced), but I don’t mind it at all and I treat it all positively. Beauty is not just about physical appearance alone, thus, beauty from within is what really matters.” Regardless of these name-callings and years of being teased, he pushed himself more to become who he is today; from being some random pageant enthusiast to one of Bulacan’s leading pageant trainors.

Passing on the Crown

Being in the beauty and fashion industry for quite some time, we may say that Kenneth knows the twist and turns when it comes to being a successful mentor. It is evident that with every step and victory of his handled contestants serves as his crowning moments like every coach all over the world. As he strives to achieve more, he never forgot the lessons he learned in the past, which made him strong today and shares it to, not only his trainees but to everyone he knew.

Before we left his home, we asked him on his mission and legacy in beauty. “It’s pretty simple, actually. I just want to make a difference in the society.” Having that said, he challenges everyone to make their move and share what they know to everyone and strive to be yourself, not what the society wants us to be.

It all might sound cliché, but we all believe in the saying that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Sometimes, beauty may seem farfetched or superficial, but no crown or sash will ever be a measurement of beauty; because as to Kenneth, God created us beautiful, and it doesn't matter what they say about how you look or how you dress, you just have to believe that to be beautiful is good, but to be good is something beautiful.

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