Before she announced that she was one of the Top 100 Delegates to join Miss Universe Philippines, TikTok creator and podcaster Ayn Bernos uploaded a video on her Youtube channel answering some possible questions from the Binibining Pilipinas 2021 Pageant.

The vlog was spontaneous and renounced at the beginning of the video that it’s only for fun. Bernos answered the question within 30 seconds, like the rules in the beauty pageants. Here’s how she responded to each question:

Q1. In what ways can a female public servant or politician be more effective than a male politician?

“I think in the onset of this pandemic, we were able to see how female leaders all around the world have risen to really see how their countries can deal with the pandemic even better. We were able to see it by the way they cared for not only the health of their constituents but also for the overall well-being of their citizens. “

Q2. Given the pandemic situation now in the Philippines, should vaccination be a choice or mandate?

“I do believe in the power of medicine and science, and vaccination is definitely something that everyone should get. First of all, it is something that protects not only you but also the people around you. There are a lot of people who are not able to get vaccinations because of their existing conditions, and part of being a responsible citizen is taking that vaccination for them. We must do our part to end this pandemic.”

Q3. What are your thoughts about romantic relationships which began and developed on social media during the pandemic lockdown?

“Thank you so much for that wonderful and timely question. I do believe that, in unique situations, we also need to adapt the best way we can. I am actually coming from experience when I talk about pandemic relationships. Yes, it may not be ideal to form relationships online. I think we do the best we can do. We do what we can to connect, and if we can survive a barrier as big as a pandemic, I think that says a lot about our potential to build fruitful relationships afterward.”

Q4. These days, beauty queens are also considered beauty athletes with all the training we undergo. What is your message of inspiration to all Filipino athletes who are competing in the forthcoming Olympics in Japan given the pandemic situation?

“I believe that athletes are just incredible human beings, not only because of their physical strength but also because of their mental ability and emotional ability to adjust at a time when it’s just not like competing is not normal. Being around people is not normal, yet they are still persevering and they are still showing up. So, what I can say to them is, best of luck to you. And, I know that this will truly be a historical opportunity.

Q5. So much has happened to us in the course of the year. When we emerge from this crisis, what positive change do you foresee happening to humanity in general?

“I believe that humanity moving forward will hopefully have a lot more empathy towards each other because if anything, this pandemic highlighted our struggles, our common struggles, how much we depend on each other, and how much we really value human connection. And hopefully, after all of this is over and we can interact in real life again, we will be able to understand each other better and see how life is coming from each other’s shoes.”

Q6. Name something you learned and did the first time during the pandemic which you consider as the most life-changing of all.

“Thank you for that question. During the course of the pandemic, I decided to rest and take a look at my life plans, zoom out, and see how I could enjoy it more. For the longest time, I’ve had my life planned out year by year and I was pretty stubborn about it. But, because of the pandemic and changes, I realized that I needed to take a step back and see what was truly important, and for me, that was family, creativity, and independence, and that’s exactly what I achieved during this pandemic.”

Q7. Fake news, bashing rants, and the like abound on social media. Why do you think they should not be part of the new beautiful even if they encourage social interactions on this platform?

“As somebody who has her life so openly on social media, I think that social media is both a privilege and a responsibility and we feel like, I feel like we have come to see it as a right that we have, actually what we do on social media affects others just as much as it affects ourselves. And so when we are there, we need to have boundaries, and even rules because that’s just how we are in normal society, and that’s how we should be online.“

Q8. Amidst the hardships and suffering the world is facing now, if you’re given the chance to face God and ask one question, what will that be and why?

“If I had the privilege to face God and ask him one question, I would probably ask him what else we could do to be better because I feel like humanity as individuals, we have different ideas of what good is, we have different ideas of what right is. But, if I could ask God, the all-knowing being, the one thing that we need to focus on, then if he could give us an answer, maybe it would be easier to move forward as a group, as a society, and we would definitely lessen those arguments.”

Q9. Given the reach and power of social media, do you believe that genuine freedom of speech exists in the Philippines nowadays? Why or why not?

“I think social media is a very complicated landscape to be in, because as much as we want to speak the truth, our truth is also constantly ridiculed, and bent depending on who receives it. So I don’t think genuine freedom of speech is possible, what I do think is possible is a genuine connection. If we go out of our way to really see where other people are coming from, and how we can communicate better.”

Q10. Now that compassion is needed more than ever, what is your most recent act of kindness and how did this affect others?

“This is really a difficult question to answer because I think when we talk kindness, we tend to focus more on the kindness that we received as opposed to the kindness that we give, and because of that, I don’t really take note of the kindness that I do for others because it’s just not something that I like to jot down as if it’s risk keeping. However, I do want to put an emphasis on kindness to ourselves because when we care for ourselves, then we can care for each other much better.”

Q11. How important are luxury items like bags, clothes, and jewelry for a woman when the national economy is down and struggling?

“Thank you for that question. I personally am not a big consumer of luxury items. However, I am not in the position to nudge other women as well who choose this as a means to cope with the pandemic. However, if there’s anything that I’d like to put a focus on, it’s that we must find ways to extend our privilege and not let our privilege die with us. If we have more than that, we should take that as a sign to also give more.”

Watch the full video here: