AR de la Serna: Believe In Yourself and Never Quit

There is one candidate in MISTERS 2015 The Pageant that is fast catching my attention. His name is AR de la Serna of Tagbilaran City. Boy the man is just so nice ... all his moves exhibits politeness and courtesy. Our conversations were punctuated with countless "po's " and "opo's"and he has a ready "Thank you" whenever something is said good about him or when you do him a favor. And when he fails to submit his responses to the interview on time ...  his words are pregnant with "I'm Sorry ..." niceties, you could feel the sincerity how bothered he was. 

I have resigned to the fact that young men right now are boisterous and rowdy, whose musings and broodings borders on narcissism and egocenticity: on how to develop biceps and triceps in one ... and what brand of soap helps make a fairer complexion in the other. Boy I was wrong. In the hook-up culture we now live its pretty obvious that "being nice" is dead. And then from out of the blue AR de la Serna came out to disprove me.

Here's what he said: Maybe my parents were just too old fashioned. Maybe growing up in a tightly-knit family from  Bohol, resulted a moral code of  chilvalry and etiquette in me. I was always told to be nice, kind and never talk badly about people. It took me awhile to understand what my native Tagbilaran traditions were trying to tell me.  But I do understand it now and live by them today."

Here's AR de la Serna  interview sans po and opo.  He also gave us answers in English, and from the looks of it ... he did his homework well.

Question 1: Introduce yourself. Who made the decision that you will join in this contest: Your manager ... your parents ... or yourself.
Answer: My name is Alberto Rodulfo de la Serna, You can call me AR for short. I am 22 years old from the city of Tagbilaran, Province of Bohol. I am a graduate of Bachelors of Science in Business Administration Major in Financial Management. Joining Misters 2015- The Pageant is my sole decision. I did it to broaden my experience and to meet new friends as well as to further my modelling career.  I am doing it for myself, my family as well as my province - Bohol!

Question 2: What do you like most about yourself?
Answer: .  You have to believe in yourself when no one does. If you believe in yourself and never quit ... you will be a winner. If you believe in yourself the rest will just fall into place. If you have faith in your abilities and then you work hard, there is nothing you can't accomplish. What I like about myself is my positive attitude. It's not only about finishing the race that matters, it's how I finish it.

Question 3: What talent or skills do you have that makes you different from the rest of the candidate?

Answer: The thing that makes me different from the rest of the candidates would be my experience in life (rosy or not) and using it as a guiding light to further my dreams. I will use this skills on how to deal with my day to day blessings and problems.

Question 4: What is success to you?

For me success is obtaining what you want, what you need and all that your heart desires and being contented at some point. Success is finding satisfaction in giving a little more than you take.

Question 5: What sacrifices did you make joining this pageant?
Answer : Joining a pageant gives a candidate a license to dream big - six pack abs, tight butts, lean and vibrant and flawless health. That's the image the pageant industry is selling. I am far from that and I know my body parts needs a complete overhaul. Do you wonder how much it cost to achieve that look? Getting into shape involves a painful, intolerable sacrifice, restriction and deprivation. So yes my sacrifices should include time, money and efforts I exert on it.

Question 6: Who would you want to convince that you deserved a WIN in this pageant: The Board of Judges ... or the audience?

Answer: Technically the judges would have to decide for the winner so I would want to convince them. I also need to convince the audience because they are judges themselves whose opinions and applause matter. Life goes on. If I win it ... fine... if I didn't so be it. I want to sleep peacefully at night.

Question 7: How do you see yourself ten years from now? 
Answer: By then I would be 32. Before getting married and have children I want to travel the world. Joining Misters 2015 I could say to my self that I was living the dream. Not all are given the chance to be a part of it. With the decisions I've made in my life, I'm pretty much sure I chose what would make me happy