Exemplar of continuous learning

CONTROVERSIES notwithstanding, Deniece Milinette Cornejo is an accomplished, multifaceted personality.

Cornejo finished Hospitality Management with high honors at La Salle College Antipolo and Asian School of Hospitality and Arts.

A consistent honor student since elementary school, she was a debater, organization director, dancer and was always appointed leader of her class.

She attended the Philippine MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences/Conventions and Exhibitions/Events) Academy at Enderun Colleges as well.

Pursuing her education further, she aced the finals of International Human Rights Law at HarvardX (Justice), an online courses portal that enables learners around the globe to gain access to Harvard University's extensive online courses.

She also earned a Master's in International Business Administration from Royal Cambridge University of the United Kingdom, cum laude.

With all these high-sounding degrees and distinctions, Cornejo chose to enroll and finish Organic Agriculture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) this year, thankful to be among the top five selected to present the tangible action plan in the finals. She expressed relief that months of diligent time management had paid off.

"The promotion of organic agriculture is not only essential for ensuring our food security but also for the utilization of materials derived from natural resources. Filipinos possess a remarkable capacity for creativity and vision. Since my youth, I have always been intrigued by the exploration of how these natural resources can be incorporated into my school projects," she said.

She became a household name due to the cases she filed against Vhong Navarro and the counter-case filed by the dancer-TV host-singer-actor.

"What remains unknown to most [though] is that I was once an ordinary girl with a passion for education and entrepreneurship. At 14, I was entrusted with the role of a caregiver to my younger siblings due to my parents' overseas work assignments. The hardship of separation from my parents instilled in me fundamental values such as selflessness, leadership, nationalism and unwavering principles," the artist-model said, adding that while girls her age were still having boy crushes and playing video games, she already had a thriving retail business, which she soon took online.

Besides academic excellence, she displayed her physical prowess in sports, particularly taekwondo, and was named Athlete of the Year in Rizal province.

Another aspect of her life unknown to many is her lineage — famous Filipinos Marcelo H. del Pilar and Gregorio del Pilar and poet-composer Pedro Gatmaitan Santos from the maternal side. Her paternal grandfather was the Pasay City mayor before Pablo Cuneta.

An advocate of women's and children's rights, her creativity extends to the arts: she paints in the modern impressionistic style, plays the violin, and composes songs in her spare time.

As founder and chairman of the Batang Rizal Ako Movement, Cornejo joined National Historical Commission Chairman Emmanuel Franco Calairo in his digital television program "Kabayani" to talk about Jose Rizal's legacy on the occasion of the national hero's 162nd birthday on June 19, 2023.

First Miss Manila FAME in 40 years

For the first time in the 40-year history of Asia's bi-annual premier trade exhibit, Manila Furnishings and Apparel Manufacturers Exchange (FAME), last month, Cornejo was named Miss Manila FAME.

"Forty-year-old Manila FAME is not merely an ordinary tradeshow, but rather a platform that empowers our young entrepreneurs to foster a sense of national pride and elevate our market presence, positioning our products as epitomes of sophistication," she said.

"It is my earnest desire that the subjects taught in our educational institutions further enhance our creative aptitude and innovative prowess, enabling us to wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of progress," she added.

With the advent of AI and fintech, the multifaceted beauty is expected to delve into these areas very soon, too, being the former vice president of Artificial Intelligence Trade for Southeast Asia.

"Yes [that's true]; for me, learning is a continuous process, especially considering that our nation has many areas for improvement and advancement. We cannot simply remain at a basic level, as the global market is highly competitive, and we must strive to keep up in order to thrive," Cornejo concluded.

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