16/10/2026
A tribute to a true Queen Leonila “Tita Babes” Rizada-Baga
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16GCqrR5rvq/?mibextid=wwXIfr
𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐲𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 🕊️
Last night, former Mutya ng Palawan Director Sander informed me that Tita Babes was fighting for her life. We prayed for her, and I knew she would fight. Palaban talaga si Tita Babes. But today, we are left with a pain that words can hardly explain.
Masakit mawalan ng taong naging bahagi ng pagbabago ng buhay mo, kahit hindi mo siya kadugo. I am one of those whose lives she helped shape.
During my Binibining MIMAROPA journey, Tita Babes supported us in ways we didn't always see. She carried the challenges behind the scenes so we could focus on the competition and shine onstage. Ganoon siya kaalaga at ka-supportive.
But one of the most life-changing things she did for me happened in 2018.
When I shared my plans to join national pageants, she sat me down and told me, “Mag-aral ka muna. Tapusin mo ang pag-aaral mo. Mas magandang may babalikan ka. Iba kapag nakapagtapos ka.”
While others encouraged me to keep competing, Tita Babes saw beyond the crown. She knew I was joining pageants and modeling partly to help pay for my education. She reminded me to build a future that would remain even after the lights faded and the applause stopped.
She didn't just give advice. She helped me secure a scholarship through the Provincial Government, supported me through college until graduation, and continued to be part of my journey even as I pursued law school.
When I returned to pageantry for Miss Philippines Earth in 2024 after six years away, she kept her promise to support me. She helped connect me with the province for financial assistance as I prepared for the competition.
That journey helped me discover that my heart was leading me toward something beyond the stage, and that is public service. When I eventually decided to run for a seat in the Sangguniang Bayan, Tita Babes was still there, offering advice, encouragement, and even financial help for my campaign.
Sa bawat mahalagang turning point ng buhay ko, somehow, naroon si Tita Babes.
From a young woman trying to find her place in the world, to someone who pursued her education, returned to the pageant stage, and eventually found her calling in public service, she witnessed so many chapters of my life. And in more ways than I can explain, she helped me get there.
Salamat, Tita Babes…
Thank you for believing in me, for seeing beyond my potential as a beauty queen, and for reminding me that there was a bigger world waiting outside the pageant stage.
You were more than a pageant mentor. You helped shape my life and taught me that a crown is only one part of a woman's story.
Isa kang tunay na queen maker, not just because you helped women wear crowns, but because you helped them pursue their dreams, build their futures, and discover their purpose beyond the stage.
Your legacy will live on in every woman you believed in, every dream you nurtured, and every life you touched, including mine.
Mahal na mahal ka namin, Tita Babes. Thank you for everything.
Rest peacefully. Your light will continue to shine through all the lives you helped change. You will be sorely missed…🕊️
