A Miss World Philippines candidate denied being the source of an ugly rumor about some contestants of the local beauty pageant.
Joy Barcoma, 22, faced members of the press on Thursday, July 28 to clear her name and say that she had been wrongly accused of starting the rumor alleging that candidates of the beauty pageant are taking drugs.
Teary-eyed and feeling despondent, Joy said she first knew something was wrong when the other candidates started treating her like a pariah.
“Mag-isa ako lagi sa kwarto. I was just talking to my friends and telling them na mag-isa lang ako dito, wala ako kausap,” she recalled.
During some group activities, Joy received no encouraging cheers from fellow candidates. Joy admitted to feeling so isolated that it severely affected her mental health. It was only on July 20 that she got to know the reason for the strange behavior the other candidates were exhibiting towards her.
Someone admitted to her that Joy had been singled out as starting a rumor about drugs and some candidates.
“Inamin nya na she was able to hear a rumor daw na I am the source of a chismis that includes her and two more candidates from miss world,” said Joy, “and they felt so bad about it they felt so betrayed dahil kumalat sya and umiyak sya. So the girls were asking bakit umiiyak, so when she told the story, ako ‘yung napasama kasi akala niya ako ‘yung nagpapakalat. And imagine I was only able to talk to her and clear my name to her July 20 na? So from July 16 to July 20 wala akong kausap, mag-isa ako sa kwarto. And as in parang natutulog ka na lang and sana matapos na lahat and sana pag gising mo bukas okay na lahat. But then another day na walang kumakausap sa ‘yo, you eat alone and every practice mag-isa ka sa sulok. So imagine that feeling na nakabubble kayo tapos wala kang makausap.”
She was so despondent, she wanted to quit. But her boss, Congressman Nina Taduran, prevailed on her and told her she should stand up for herself and fight. Knowing in her heart that she did not do anything wrong, Joy and her advisers decided to inform the organization and also the people behind it about the allegations and about what happened.
“I raised the issue to them. Hindi talaga ako dapat mag go public about the issue, kasi kung ako lang talaga, ayoko na ng issue kasi it really took a toll to my mental health, hindi na ako nakakakain, hindi na ako nakakatulog. What I really want to do is to go home na lang. Ayoko na, tapusin na lang natin to, kasi ibang iba ‘yung epekto sakin nung umikot na storya, and also yung environment na parang lahat may galit sayo. So I was urged by my boss na sabi nya, you are in the right, we believe you, so sabi nya, umamin na nga sya na we have to take necessary actions.
It seems three girls were behind the rumor, but there is one who made it appear that Joy was the one who started it. The culprit had admitted it during a face to face, but her name has not been cleared, said Joy. And the demand letter that she handed the culprit was unanswered, so she is mulling pursuing legal actions against her.
“Pinauwi na kami after nung announcement na postponed na, so we can rest. I went back to Red hotel, and I handed the demand letter to the candidate that admitted na sya ‘yung nagkwento, sa kanya galing ‘yung kwento, tapos sabi ko mag public apology sya. I also sent a copy to Miss World Organization para hindi naman sila ma bypass and for them to also decide kasi para ma-contain sana yung issue as much as possible within the walls of the organization. So ininform ko sila, pero until now po, we’re still waiting for the decision.
Kumalat na po. A lot of people are talking about it or messaging me about it. Hindi na ako okay. I don’t want to explain myself anymore, so we decided na po na magpa presscon na po, so once and for all ma clear na talaga ang issue.”
Joy sees this ordeal as not just being her fight. She wants to be an example on how one needs to stand up for oneself, especially when one’s name is being besmirched with falsehoods. In this case, maybe a clear name is the ultimate prize for this Mandaluyong lass. Because crown or no crown, Joy has already shown class and grace under great pressure.
