Leslie Dulfo
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- The Corruption of time - October 9, 2025
Besides the coconut being like a giant nut according to a song, the coconut in common parlance is used by Filipinos to mean an empty and hallow brain. No matter what language or gay lingo you know of, this proves true, “Women are made of beauty and brains more than yes – coconuts!”
Take for example, the upcoming Miss Baguio, I’m sure it will not only be a battle of beauty but of wits! Come to think of it, many of them are advocating for mental health and wellness, persons with disabilities inclusivity and empowering the deaf community.
A candidate named Yvonne Jill S. Llobrera is the first ever representative of the deaf community for a Ms. Baguio pageant. She comes from humble beginnings with unshakable faith and true resilience. Besides not being able to respond to sounds at the early age of two, she was diagnosed as deaf. Note the proper term of disability as Deaf not deaf-mute.
Yet, this circumstance does not hinder her from pouring herself out in what she does. She continues to amaze as a Culinary student who makes dishes while gracing the pageantry or maybe someday – a runway!
As a representative of Barangay Pucsusan and the Persons with Disabilities community, she is ready to face the challenge and become a voice for the advocacy. I wonder how the terms would someday accommodate not the term persons with disabilities but persons who are differently-abled.
I also wonder how many mental health advocates in the said Ms. Baguio event went through once or more in their lives, circumstances of depression and other mental health concerns. You know, it takes experience sometimes to know how it feels to be sad for more than 2-3 weeks. Why? Persons with lived experiences of mental illnesses are more open with mental health more than just the hype. Unlike some influencers, who are just in for the hype of their lives.
Everyone, let’s continue to empower each other – promote self-sufficient livelihood and entrepreneurship with our talents, skills and strengths more than dole-outs. To be really there for each other not because it’s a hype but to inspire and give hope.
It doesn’t matter if you are a mental health or differently-abled advocate, reality is that disabilities happen without anyone wanting it. It doesn’t matter if you will touch a multitude, it just has to start with you – that one person called I. Let’s empower each other, don’t we?
Why not, coconut?