The Australian Filipina YouTube Channel showcases another inspiring Australian-Filipina – Former Miss World Philippines 2003, Rafaela Yunon-Belasco more known for her nickname, Mafae. In our interview we talked about her current career as motivator, inspirational speaker, pageant trainer, personality development coach, event organizer, mother and former beauty queen.
Mafae, niece to former Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 1984, Desiree Verdadero, launched her pageant career in the Miss Australia-Philippines competition here in Sydney in 1998 where she won the title. She then continued to join the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant in 2003 where she won Bininibing Pilipinas-World and was sent to China for the international competition. Her placement into the top 5 out of 100 candidates was a very significant win for the Philippines who have been eyeing the (then) elusive crown since 1973 when Evangeline Pascual won 1st runner up and 1993 when Sharmaine Ruffa Gutierrez won 2nd Princess. She gave us hope and that now is her message to all her mentees.
Mafae when she won Miss Philippines-Australia 1998
Mafae at the 2003 Miss World
Pageant in China
Now married to famous basketball player and now coach, Nic Belasco, Mafae has 6 kids (2 from Nic’s former relationship). She talks about inspiring her children to be the best of whatever they want to be and enjoining them into working with her in her company Mafae Management. Her PR and talent agency is not only a company where she handles talents but also spearhead talks and classes on self-development, brand knowledge and awareness and more importantly a another inspiring medium where she can bond with her children.
Mafae with husband
Nic Belasco
In the Australian Filipina Interviews, Mafae also talks about how we can find this time of global pandemic to rethink and re-strategize our lives given the amount of time we are given to introspect. Mafae shares her amazing positivity in focusing on the opportunities that the possibilities thru her online pageants on Kumu where she holds the position of Regional Head in Australia.
Currently, she is running a online event called the Well-being Boost Program International Class with Yona Signo a Filipina momprenuer and strategist who we have featured a few weeks ago. She co-founded Kaya Services and was recently awarded Gold in the Multicultural Business Excellence Category of the 2021 AusMumpreneur Awards. Together Kaya and Mafae bring an opportunity to working moms and mompreneurs in taking better care for themselves so that they have more to give to their families and team members.
The interview is on our YouTube channel where you can also find inspiring interviews with Binibining PIlipinas International winner Hannah Arnold and International Fashion Model, Social Media Influencer and Sustainability Advocate Emily Kate Symes. Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button, LIKE and SHARE our content to spread the positive message of the Australian Filipina magazine.
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