Parent clamors for delayed pageant prize

It has been two years since Remylyn Julene Guerrero won the title of Miss Teen CNMI but the former teen beauty queen has yet to get the prize that was promised her.

Janet Guerrero, mother of the 2003 Miss Teen CNMI, said that when her daughter won the title, part of the prize was scholarship money amounting to $1,000, but the former Miss Teen CNMI Beauty Pageant Organization head, Noby C. Crisostomo, told her that her daughter would get the money after her reign was over and her crown turned over to a successor.

However, Guerrero said that, when reigning Miss Teen CNMI Divana Dela Cruz succeeded her daughter last year, Crisostomo still did not give them the money.

“My daughter wanted to pursue school so I contacted Noby to talk about the scholarship,” she said.

She said Crisostomo told her that, before he gives her the money, he had to see an acceptance letter from the school that her daughter would be attending. At that time, the younger Guerrero was looking at pursuing an associate degree at Northern Marianas College.

The mother said they already presented everything that Crisostomo required of them for the release of the money, but he never gave them the scholarship money that her daughter rightly deserves.

“[I thought], ‘Wait a minute, this is dragging on,’” she said.

Guerrero said Crisostomo left for Hawaii but she still managed to continue communicating with him. After several talks, however, she said it had become “fruitless and I ended up giving up in October last year.”

Guerrero said that Crisotomo had assured her that he would wire the money and he even gave her his account number.

“But I never got it. The last time I heard of him, he said I’d get it pretty soon,” she said.

Guerrero’s daughter has been studying at NMC for a year already. Her daughter, who also bagged the Miss Antilles 2nd Runner Up award in Venezuela, is a graduate of Marianas High School in 2004.

“It’s really sad. I’ve been really very patient. I [made] several attempts to get him to pay. Everything he told me to get I gave to him for nothing. You [Crisostomo] owe my daughter money for scholarship! I just want my daughter to get paid what is due her,” she said.

The Miss Teen CNMI Beauty Pageant Organization folded up last year.

According to a previous member of the defunct group who requested anonymity, Guerrero is actually not the only beauty titleholder who has yet to receive her winnings. The source said at least three young women who had won scholarships from the local beauty pageant are still waiting for Crisostomo to release the funds.

Former Miss Teen CNMI Beauty Pageant Organization national director Crispin Guerrero confirmed that the three titleholders have not been paid their scholarship prizes. He was a member of the organization from 2002 to 2004.

“As far as I know the only one who has the ability to release the money is the president and treasurer,” he said. Crisostomo handled both positions before.

Guerrero also confirmed that Crisostomo is indeed in Hawaii.

The past winners of the title who are still waiting for their scholarship prizes include 2002 Miss Teen 1st Runner Up Merced V. Villagomez, whose scholarship prize of $500 has not been remitted to her. Villagomez is a 2005 graduate of Mount Carmel High School. Reigning 2004 Miss Teen CNMI Divana Francine M. Dela Cruz is also awaiting her $1,000 scholarship award.

According to the source, the association also failed to pay other pageant-related expenses such as the venue for the 2004 pageant at SandCastle Saipan, along with cash prizes for the 2002 and 2004 Miss Teen special prizes awardees.

The Miss Teen CNMI Beauty Pageant Association was not affiliated with the other pageant organizations on the island.

The Saipan Tribune tried to obtain the telephone number of Crisostomo in Hawaii but failed. He is also not listed in the telephone directory.