Appreciating Herlene Budol 'Hipon Girl' for Being Her True Self
Herlene Budol, a.k.a Hipon Girl, is not your average Bb. Pilipinas contestant. She is not your typical beauty queen who is super poised, classy and glamorous. She is a tomboy, speaks her mind and does not care what other people think of her.
Growing up in Angono, Rizal, Philippines, Herlene joined local beauty pageants to make a living and was given the title of "Binibining Angono in Sining" in 2017.
Fast forward to 2019, Budol gained popularity when she joined “Wowowin” where Willie Revillame made her a regular co-host after being a contestant of the “Willie of Fortune” segment.
The opportunity working with Revillame landed her TV appearances in GMA 7 Network shows.
July 31, 2022, ‘Hipon Girl’ joined Bb. Pilipinas. She is not a recipient of one of the four crowns. However, she still bagged the 1st runner-up title. This feat in itself is remarkable and worth noting.
In an interview with Toni Gonzaga in “Toni Talks” Youtube channel, Budol shared her stresses in the pageant preparation while dealing with family issues, as her grandma passed away amidst the Bb. Pilipinas season.
Budol also shared with Gonzaga that she recently graduated from College of Saint John Paul II Arts and Sciences with a Bachelors Degree in Toursim Management.
Herlene has come a long way in life from growing up in the neighborhood of Rizal to being the 1st runner-up of Bb. Pilipinas 2022 and also a degree holder.
She also shared that she and her family are in the process of moving to their new home in Angono, Rizal.
It only goes to show that with perseverance, nothing is impossible.
Going back to the pageant, Herlene is not your typical conservative, English fluent, “sosyal” contestant. She is relatable, a woman struggling with real-life issues, she is not pretentious in any way, and she is not ashamed for not being loud and proud, a comedienne. This made her stand out among the rest of the contestants. We need more women like Herlene, unafraid and ‘palaban’ (a fighter).
Her ambition and hard work inspire so many Filipinos. More than that, she worked her way up by being herself. Showing her authentic self, be it judged, loved, laughed at, or laughed with.
So what do you think? Is she a good role model? Does she inspire you?
Thank you for reading!
