MANILA -- She just returned to the country after her victory in Belarus over the weekend but beauty queen Mutya Johanna Datul is already preparing to leave again to fulfill her duties as the new Miss Supranational. In an interview on "Mornings@ANC" on Wednesday, Datul said she will start begin her responsibilities as the Miss Supranational next month. Part of her duties is to go on tour to promote women empowerment, as well as nature conservation. "Next month babalik ako doon para makasama ko ang past winners. Magto-tour kami to different countries," she said. "Ang Supranational, sila 'yung nage-empower ng women at ipapakita kung paano pangangalagaan ang natural resources kasi more of tourism sila." But as early as now, Datul also promised to help the next Filipino who will represent the country in next year's Miss Supranational pageant. "Kung sino man ang next na magre-represent sa Supranational, ako sa sarili ko tuturuan ko siya in action. Lahat ng tinuro sa akin ng mentors ko na mga beauty queens. ituturo ko sa kanya katulad ng itinuro nila sa akin. Pinakamahalaga kapag nag-compete ka internationally, kailangang fresh ang isip mo. Dapat nae-enjoy mo siya," Datul said. Datul, who returned to the country last Monday with the Miss Supranational crown, said she still can't believe she won the pageant. "Sobrang masaya at 'yung feeling na proud na proud ka sa sarili mo dahil may karangalan kang naiuwi sa bansa mo," she said. "Actually paggising ko parang natatakot akong tignan 'yung damit ko kasi baka panaginip lang. Tapos dahan dahan kong tinignan ko ang damit kasi nakatulog ako na nakamake-up pa din kasi nag-rehearsal pa kami. So totoo talaga na ako ang kauna-unang Filipina na mag-uuwi ng crown ng Supranational," Datul recalled. For Datul, winning the international pageant was not among her childhood dreams since she originally wanted to join show business. "Noong bata ako hindi nag-sink in sa utak ko na makakasali ako sa pageant. Kasi noong bata ako ay sobrang mahilig akong manood ng mga artista na naga-acting," she said. She recalled that she was 16 years old when someone convinced her to join a beauty pageant. "Nakita nila sa akin na may potential. Tapos 'yung first pageant ko nanalo ako, so sunod-sunod na 'yon," she said. "Kusa siyang dumating sa akin. Noong na-realize ko na ito ang pangarap ko, kailangan mong pag-aralang mabuti like sa walking, especially sa communication. Sobrang thankful ako noong nanalo ako ng Bb. Pilipinas kasi maraming nag-open na doors, maraming nag-sponsor ng Bb. Pilipinas para pumunta ako ng school at ma-develop ang sa communication ko at pagkilos," she explained.
