MARLAN Sabbun-Manguba, a personality development coach, interior designer, philanthropist and fashion icon all rolled into one, will be the Philippines’ representative at the 18th Mrs. World Pageant to be held from November 11-19, 2014 in Solomons Island, Maryland, USA.
Marlan met her well-wishers – family, friends and associates, and members of media – during her sendoff press conference held at the Quezon City Sports Club last Tuesday, October 28.
Marlan, who stands 5’6”, will be joined by 50 other delegates worldwide who will vie for the coveted Mrs. World crown currently held by Kaley Sparling of the USA. Initiated in 1985, the Mrs. World Pageant is the longest-running and most prestigious beauty pageant for married women.
Born in Abulug, Cagayan, Marlan is happily married to Alexander Manguba, a Certified Public Accountant, and a proud mother of five. Kate, the eldest and only daughter is currently based in New York after having completed her degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management and has briefly worked in one of the family ventures. Alexander Jr. or Jay is a product of UST-College of Medicine. He ranked 1st in the Medical Technology Board Exam and finished 2nd in the Physicians Licensure Board Exam. ‘Doc Jay’ is now a third year resident physician at UP-PGH. Third child Michael Angelo is a holder of Bachelor Degree in Entrepreneurship from DLSU and now taking up his second degree in Flying to become a commercial pilot. Fourth child Jamiko Allan attends college at De La Salle University, taking up BS Applied Corporate Management. Youngest son Raphael Alexandre is a 2nd year high school student at Claret School - QC. Marlan and Alex have one grandson, Albert Miguel, who is schooling in the US as a 7th grader.
Marlan is the immediate past National President of the Lions Presidents League of the Philippines (LPL), actively involved in their TESDA-affiliated institution giving qualified individuals scholarships on computer repair, automotive mechanic, massage therapy, and welding courses.
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Marlan is also a freelance image coach after having spent some time as a faculty at Wilma Cruz-Tapalla International School of Speech & Personality. Later on, her interest widened to include interior design that she took time to study at the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) and at New South Wales Australia Institute of Interior Design. Interior designing is now part of her career and she takes pride that some of her sample designs while in PSID are now being used at the institution’s classes for discussion purposes.
Marlan’s passion for fashion and style did not escape the discerning eyes of the Best Dressed Women of the Philippines organizers, awarding her consistently since 2010. Among her many achievements in and out the world of fashion are: 2010 Manila’s Best Dressed Awardee; Manila’s Best Dressed Style Ambassadress 2012; and in 2013 as One of the Manila’s Five Famous Best Dressed, Empowered Women of Achievement Inspirational Speaker, and Ulirang Ina Awardee given by the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day foundation of the Philippines.
Committed to her passion in beauty and style, Marlan successfully organized the Miss Lions Club International-Philippines Pageant in 2012 when she was First Lady of (then) Lions Governor Alexander Manguba (Dist. 301-A2). The beauty pageant aimed to discover and nurture candidates with great potential to be strong contenders for three of the major and most prestigious beauty pageants in the country: Binibining Pilipinas, Mutya ng Pilipinas and Miss World Philippines. True enough, Miss Lions Club queens later joined said national pageants and finished remarkably well in ranking.
Marlan’s charity missions and projects are a testament to her big heart, including: the construction of a school building for elementary children in Cavite during her term as President of Magdalo Lions Club; spearheading the fundraising for the construction of a Lions Clubhouse; initiating a relief operation for victims of typhoon Yolands benefiting 6,000 families when she was National President of the Lions Presidents League of the Philippines; conducting relief operations for victims of typhoons Ondoy, Reming and many more; and constantly doing charity works on her personal efforts through various avenues for the elderly, youth and families who are less-fortunate.
Presently, she is one of the Board of Trustees of Philippines Naturopathic Society, Inc.; Board of Trustee of the Philippine Health and Wellness Society, Inc.; President of Alberto Sabbun Foundation, Inc.; and President of Mrs. World Philippines Foundation, Inc.
Marlan is excited about her new assignment as Philippine delegate to Mrs. World, having been egged by last year’s Mrs. World Philippines Rizalina Asa who introduced her to Ovette Ricalde, the national director of Mrs. World. She has been training since April under Kagandahang Flores (KF), the famous pageant camp headed by Rodgil Flores, noted pageant director and beauty queen maker.
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
“This is a totally new experience for me. I savor the long training sessions with KF. It was very inspiring because I have been getting the same training that the other beauty queens (like Bb. Pilipinas titleholders MJ Lastimosa and Kris Janson, Miss Philippines Earth Jamie Herrell and Mutya ng Pilipinas Psychee Patalinjug) were getting,” Marlan enthused. “I have no previous national pageant experience so this is an opportunity for me to carry on and fulfill a dream to be a beauty queen!”
For Marlan, beauty pageants for married women like Mrs. World are still very relevant today. “Beauty pageants like Mrs. World not only awaken a sense of responsibility for married women but also make us realize and acknowledge that women are essential to society,” Marlan opined. “Without women, the world will not be a happy place as it is today. As married women, we are the mothers of our families, the light of our homes,” she added.
“If I win as Mrs. World, it will give me a louder voice to influence and inspire everyone, especially women, to do more for the community, not only on the national level but internationally as well. I will work towards involving the other delegates to do charity work.”
On November 4, Marlan is flying to USA to receive an award for philanthropy from the Gawad Amerika Foundation in Hollywood USA, after which she will proceed to Solomons Island, Maryland for the 18th Mrs. World competition.