Carlos Buendia, Jr., trainer of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, was fascinated with the cheerfulness of the Abreňos when he gave a training workshop for the Mr. and Miss Abra 2019 candidates on February 18, 2019, at the Provincial Capitol. He was invited by the Governor of the Provincial Government of Abra, Maria Jocelyn V. Bernos, to train the candidates.

“Masayahin ang mga tao. Nakita at naramdaman ko na napakahalaga ng kultura at sining sa Abra,” he said.The pageant coincides with the week-long Abrenian Kawayan Festival 2019 celebration features the beauty and rich culture of the province.

Mr. and Ms. Abra 2019 is one of the highlights of the festival. It is a venue for the youth to represent their respective municipalities and their voices heard. Buendia said it is a celebration of human resource as a treasure and it is a pleasure for him to be a part of it.

He said the candidates for Mr. and Miss Abra 2019 were very attentive and they easily absorbed his instructions. Through the workshop, he helped them lift their confidence and urged them to do their best for the pageant.

An artistic director of the University of Sto. Tomas, Buendia, who has a passion for dance and theater is also an architect. He believes that a beauty pageant is not merely a competition but an advocacy for development.