JEDDAH, 24 March 2005 — Reahbeln Alzate does not even speak the Cebuano language but by topping the recently concluded popularity contest of the Cebuano-Speaking Organization of Saudi Arabia, she has become a major campaigner of the group.

The 25-year-old beauty from Bulacan province near Manila was crowned Miss CSOSA 2005 by Consul General Pendosina Lomondot and Sunrise International School principal Ofelia Laguardia in a recent ceremony at Nayong Pilipino Restaurant in Jeddah.

Winning was no walk in the park for Alzate, an executive secretary at the food services department of King Faisal Research and Specialist Hospital in Jeddah.

In an interview, she said she had to personally pen the names of her benefactors on each of the envelopes she had to distribute to give a touch of elegance and a personal touch.

But she said she would not have won without those who supported her. “I would like to thank all those who supported me, especially my parents who were with me all the way despite the heavy schedule and the canvassing that would usually last until the early morning,” she told Arab News.

Alzate led the popularity contest from start to finish.

Now that she won the title, she is most willing to support the future projects of CSOSA.

She said the project closest to her heart is to finance the group’s pledge to donate a classroom in Cebu under the Classroom Galing sa mga Mamamayang Pilipino Abroad (CGMA) program being promoted by the Philippine government among overseas Filipinos.

When it was launched in Jeddah two years ago, the program got 17 pledges but only one community organization has fulfilled its promise so far.

Nelson Baraga, president of CSOSA, said they hope to be the second group to do so, after the Boholano Community Organization which had just handed over a $4,000 check for one classroom in Bohol Island in the central Philippines.

Alzate said she knows the importance of having a classroom and education. She has put premium on her education herself, taking up postgraduate studies in business administration after she finished her bachelor’s degree in financial accounting.

Baraga said that for winning the Miss CSOSA title, Alzate received a roundtrip ticket from Qatar Airways.

The other winners, Jennifer Alerta and Pamela Dolar, first and second runners-up respectively, also received unspecified prizes from other sponsors and organizers.

Aside from Qatar Airways, Danone Al-Safi, Bison and Western Union supported the contest. Baraga extended his appreciation to those who supported CSOSA’s project and hopes that the sponsor will continue to support them especially for the upcoming projects the “Little Miss CSOSA” and “Miss Teen CSOSA.”