A survivor. That's how she sees herself. Others see in her an ageless beauty, her timelessness uncaused by a magician-concocted elixir, but by the natural turn of events – of triumphs and upheavals she faced uncowed and undaunted, even by an extremely conventional public that, at times, sounded hypocritical. How she has retained that whistle-bait figure, while many others younger in years laboriously shaunter in voluptuous massivity, is anybody's guess. How she has maintained that serenity and composure through the years, while others have long discarded any semblance of regality, is a question only she can answer.

For Rosario Bunac Soy (RBS) defies tradition, especially in the looks department. Is there any other Boholana who has been crowned seven times as queen up to her golden years? Or, enact the glamorous role of Emperatriz in the Tagbilaran City Santacruzan year after year? When she won as Mrs. Bohol International, besting many other beauties from all over the world, was it not an acknowledgement that “Rose by any other name would smell as sweet?” Even if Shakespeare belonged to a far-flung generation, he must have written that line, with Rose in mind.

Interviewing a Beauty Queen during the Valentine month may be a dream, but when it comes to a Lady who is a very busy business entrepreneur, making an appointment with her, or conversing with her, could be a nightmare. But it was worth it, when I finally cornered her at her office at Cion-Virge Café and Restaurant and Souvenirs Shop at the Airport. It was a great pleasure exchanging thoughts with a timeless beauty.

LMP: Who is Rose Soy?

RBS: My real name is Rosario Bunac Soy. I was born in October 1. My father, Juanito Soy, was a half-Chinese from Oroquieta City. He was an Engineer and a building contractor. My mother, Elioteria Bunac, was a Midwife from Tagbilaran City.

LMP: How many siblings do you have?

RBS: We are five. Our eldest, Mariano Soy (+), used to be a Foreman in a construction firm in USA. I am the second. Robert is helping me manage our business. Rosita B. Malmis is married to Arthur Malmis, and is now residing in Florida, USA. Our youngest, Lily B. Ouano got married to a Cebuano, and is also living in the States with her family.

LMP: Where did you study?

RBS: I spent my elementary years at Mansasa Elementary School. At the age of 15, my father brought me to the States. I studied at Florida High School for my secondary education. I came back to Bohol, and started my own business. Years later, I studied Hotel and Restaurant Management at Cornell University in New York, USA.

LMP: What was your first business?

RBS: I put up Rose Kitchenette near Bohol School of Arts and Trade (now BISU). I next established the Bayview House at the K of C (Knights of Columbus) area, a banquet hall for weddings, conventions and big parties. In fact, that was selected for the reception of the wedding of Fred Ong and Babs Gonzaga. It was followed by a Bamboo House Restaurant at the wharf area. The fourth one is, the Cion-Virge Restaurant situated at the Tagbilaran Airport. But it was first named Bamboo House because the entire restaurant was made of bamboo. When I got married I changed it to Cion- Virge, the names of my children, Asuncion and Virgencita. In Ermita Manila, I bought “Chuck Wagon Steak House,” formerly owned by Oscar Moreno, the father of Boots Anson-Roa. When I took over, I made it into “Manila Steak House.”

LMP: I learned you also had a restaurant at the Chocolate Hills before?

RBS: Yes, but the operation only lasted for 1 and a half year. It was not fully-constructed at that time, only three cottages were accomplished when it closed. Until one day, two Boholano high-ranking officials of the Marcos administration approached me, and brought out the possibility in making them my partners in the construction of Bohol Resort Hotel in Booy. Since, it was my ultimate dream to build a hotel, I said “Yes” to their proposal.

LMP: The last time we talked, you mentioned about the help given by Enrile?

RBS: Yes, because I made a loan application at PNB (Philippine National Bank), with my twobusiness partners as signatories. I personally met Secretary Jose Aspiras of the Ministry of Tourism at the Malacañang, to ask for his endorsement on my P15 million-peso loan. While we talked, Enrile, the Secretary of National Defense, came to his office. He asked who I was, and why I was at the office of Secretary Aspiras. I told him that I was from Bohol, and I was asking for the endorsement of Secretary Aspiras for my loan application, to finance the on-going construction of Bohol Resort Hotel.

LMP: After that, what was the support given by Enrile?

RBS: I was so lucky at that time, because I got two hand-written endorsements both from Secretary Aspiras and Enrile. My loan application was approved right away.

LMP: What happened next?

RBS: When the first release of the loan was given to me, my two business partners told me not to continue the project, because they needed the money. They diverted the funds in putting up their own business. I was so devastated, and I almost lost my mind. I even feared for my life because they threatened me, if I would report to Enrile about what happened. Until now, that incident still haunts me, and I regretted the day I met these people.

LMP: How did you explain everything to Enrile?

RBS: He requested me to go to his office, and asked if I was able to get the loan. I said, yes, but I never told him what took place. Instead, I gave him alibis that the construction of the project was on-going. Until he came to know the truth that nothing happened. He asked me why I lied, and that was the time I told him everything.

LMP: That was an episode in your life that you cannot forget. After that, what happened?

RBS: I continued my business and moved on. I said to myself, not to have business partners again.

LMP: Let's talk about your global travels. What were the places you have visited?

RBS: I have been all over Europe, the United States of America, and Asia. Actually, I also established Bohol Travel and Tours Incorporated together with Bohol Resort Hotel.

LMP: What is the name of your husband?

RBS: His name is Luis Shao from China. He is a cousin of Fr. Thomas Chao, a Chinese Priest who was assigned in the Philippines, particularly in Bohol at the Knights of Columbus Lourdes Church. Both of them studied priesthood in China, but Luis did not continue with his vocation. Fr. Chao brought him to Bohol, to be his Altar Boy.

LMP: How many children do you have?

RBS: We have two daughters. Our eldest is Virgencita. She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce. The second one is Asuncion, also a BSC graduate. She is married to Eric Kurtzrock, a Polish from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

LMP: Let's talk about your life as a Beauty Queen. When was the first time you joined a beauty pageant?

RBS: It was during the fund-raising event of the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran. I am the sixth-time crowned Queen of the Rotary. I also became Queen Emperatriz, and TBTK (Tigum Bola-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan) Queen.

LMP: Did you envision that time will come the tourism industry of Bohol would be this big?

RBS: Yes. I knew right from the very beginning that the tourism industry of the Province would flourish in the years to come. That was the reason I made a loan, to develop a big hotel resort in Bohol, and put up a travel and tour agency. All these things were already in my mind, and my prediction became a reality.

LMP: Now, that the tourism business in Bohol is prospering, what is your feeling? Do you feel that you have contributed to this thing?

RBS: There are people who don't believe in me anymore. Even if I still have that dream or ambition to contribute more to the flourishing tourism industry of Bohol, they are in doubt about it.

LMP: But in this case, you are the original, it started from you. It means that you have done something for it.

RBS: But people don't care. For them, my dream was never accomplished. They didn't favorably look at me anymore, for some, I was a disappointment.

LMP: Is that the same feeling you have until now?

RBS: Not anymore. I am an optimist. I need to pull myself up, to continue what I started, and be grateful for this new chapter. There is nobody to help me, and I have to stand on my own. There were some frustrations and setbacks in my life, I mourned and cried for them, but I have to move on. Thank God, I survive.

LMP: What is your dream as of now?

RBS: Until now, I still have that dream to build my own resort hotel in the near future.

Poets love to exult to high heavens roses and their thorns. The thorn before the rose, they say. In the case of Rose, she had experienced the prickest and most venomous thorns in life. They were setbacks to learn lessons from, but they did not obliterate her zest for life. Instead, she has grown stronger, more determined, more formidable, in an optimism not shared by many.

She is really a survivor. And she moves on. Ageless.

Website: www.loypalapos.com ; Email: loy.pal@gmail.com ; Cellphone: 09981701129)