Miss John Paul II College of Davao City 2013

3 Pinays in Miss Supranational; 3 Pinays in Miss Universe

 Yes, this is indeed a year for the Filipinas in the world stage of pageantry.

We have 3 Filipinas in Miss Supranational 2013

as well as in Miss Universe 2013.

In Miss Supranational, we have

Miss Philippines Mutya Johanna Datul

Miss Canada Suzette Hernandez

and

Miss Norway Marie Peters.

In Miss Universe 2013, we have

Miss Philippines Ariella Arida

Miss Canada Riza Santos

and

Miss Gabon Jennifer Ondo.

Miriam Quiambao on Her Miss Universe Experience

My Miss Universe Experience

By: Miriam Quiambao

I remember it very clearly.

I was at the Unilever office accepting my prizes as Binibining Pilipinas-World when I received a call to say that Janelle Bautista, the reigning Binibining Pilipinas-Universe was going to be disqualified because of her passport. They told me I was going to represent the country at the Miss Universe contest. I was in denial. I was saying, “This cannot be…this cannot be.” Aside from the added pressure, I had to rush my training, then I still had to study for my [physical therapy] board exams while in Guam!

The Training

Biglaan ang training ko because the announcement was so sudden. Bobby Bastillo talked to me about world issues and current events. I also had about four sessions with Doods Policarpio, a private tutor from Dale Carnegie, teaching me public speaking, and a couple of sessions with Abbygale Arenas on visual poise and make-up. I called up my history professor from UST, and he brushed me up on Philippine history and culture. We [Bb. Pilipinas-International Lalaine Edson and I] also had a session with Anthony Pangilinan on how to get that “winning spirit”.On April 26, my training in Manila ended a week early because I had to leave for Venezuela for more training. There’s a beauty school in Venezuela and they have trained competitors before. This was about a month before the contest.

On My Own

On April 27, I left for Los Angeles for the first leg of my trip. I had seven pieces of luggage, and I was alone. I arrived April 28 wearing the Philippine sash. It was very fortunate for me, there was a bunch of seamen there, who helped me with my luggage. They called the porter, they did everything. I was treated like a princess! In L.A., I changed flights to Miami, and stayed overnight at Miami International Airport Hotel where I met Arturo Marquez, the brother of Stella [Marquez-Araneta, the chairperson of Binibining Pilipinas]. Arturo is like the international national representative of Binibini. In Miami, he gave me the Halston evening gown, the light blue competition gown. Along with him came a couple of beaders who were people of Alfredo Barraza (left photo), a fashion designer from Columbia and a good friend of Stella’s. They were the ones who put the beads on the gown.I wasn’t feeling like a beauty queen yet. I was half-scared, half-excited. Scared because it was my first time to travel alone, and I was with people I’d never met before. It was pretty exciting though, and I felt really responsible because I needed to watch my own back and handle myself in a very vulnerable situation.

Training Part 2, In Venezuela

The next day, April 30, I left Miami for Caracas, Venezuela. I was billeted in a suite, kaya feeling-wow! The next day, May 1, I met up with Osmel Sosa, the president of La Quinta Miss Venezuela, as well as his other colleagues: there was Gerardo who trained me in speech, Maria who helped me with walking, Miguel for hair and make-up, and Gabriel, assistant of the president. Everything was personalized. I was training the whole day, two to three hours per teacher. It was just me and Miss Venezuela, so we became really close. We were together for a week before all the other contestants.The make-up sessions were really funny, because Miguel couldn’t speak English and I had only six hours of Spanish tutorial, so he painstakingly taught me how to make myself up without a single word of English! For passarella (walking), I was in one big room with a J-shaped stage and mirrors all around. Maria would teach me how to walk, pose like this and like that, and turn. I did that in a bathing suit and heels, for about 100 times a day. The training went on for one week. I was beginning to feel depressed, and homesick. My parents weren’t calling me, and later I learned they were taking care of my auntie who died while I was away. They didn’t feel like letting me know, so they didn’t call na lang.

Before The Show

Saturday, May 8 I left Caracas for Port of Spain. I arrived one day late. I was billeted in a room with Miss Korea who also didn’t speak English. So ang ginawa ko, nangangapit-bahay ako sa kabilang kuwarto, kina Miss Thailand at Miss British Virgin Islands. Madalas nga kami mag-noodle party kasi di ba sa Thailand marami silang cup noodles?The first few days you could feel the sense of competition. There would be some girls who would change five times a day just to show off their clothes. I had the support of the Filipinos there, which was really helpful. The other delegates, especially those who didn’t have at least one or two supporters there were really homesick, as in they wanted to go home. I became close to a lot of contestants. We got used to calling each other by country because there were so many of us - “Hey Philippines! Hey, India!”

Pressure

One day, I got sick. I didn’t have a fever but I could feel it inside. At the time I was already feeling the pressure after my training in Venezuela. I was following all the tips they gave me, like sticking close to the favorites, like Miss Venezuela and Miss Mexico. I didn’t really feel comfortable using them just to get media mileage, and I think that was one reason I had an “identity crisis”. I didn’t feel like I knew myself at the time. I felt I lost touch with who I was because I was trying to be the person my trainers wanted me to be.I called home. I spoke to Mr. Bastillo, my professor. I told him, “I don’t feel like I’m representing my country well or that I’m doing well in this pageant…” Then he said, “No, it’s okay, just enjoy. Anyway, win or lose, we’re still proud of you. Just feel good, and exude divine love and energy. I know you. You have different aura when you feel confident - you shine. You don’t need to compete. Just enjoy yourself.”That did it. That relieved me of the pressure. Finally, my parents called, and then I spoke to my boyfriend, and I met up with the Filipinos, so I also felt I had the support. So even if I didn’t feel I was up to par with the other delegates, it was okay. That was when I started to enjoy myself.

Dancing Like A Caribbean

One very special day for me was May 16, the Parade of Nations. We were on big floats that went around the Queen Savannah Park. It was one of those days that really boosted my ego. I was just enjoying, and feeling that I wasn’t competing with anyone. I was on a float with Miss Venezuela and Miss Trinidad, and they had so may supporters. The music was pounding, and I felt like dancing. So I danced. And the people down below shouted, “Oh, it’s Miss Philippines - she’s dancing like a Caribbean!” I think that’s the one reason I got recognized, because of my party spirit.May 17, we had a fashion show. Though it was my first fashion show ever, nagwala ako sa stage. I danced. The audience really enjoyed it, and because of that I danced some more. The next three days, we had personality interviews with the judges. It would have been nerve-wracking if I was trying to impress them, but at that point, it wasn’t on my mind anymore.

Bahala Ka Na

On May 21 we had the presentation show. This was where I tripped on my gown. There was a loose thread on the hemline, and my heel got caught in it, so I tripped. I got up because I felt I had to finish my walk. I was shaking and I was in shock, but all I could think about was how funny it was.

Backstage, it hit me - the embarrassment and the shock - and I started to cry. Miss Panama and Miss Northern Marianas were telling me, “You were good!” Our choreographer Scott Grossman was saying, “I’ve never seen a recovery that fast!”At that point, a lot of people were telling me that I had a shot at the crown, but I took it all with a gain of salt. I tried not to let it get to my head. Instead I used it as a morale booster.

The 26th was coronation night. In the morning I didn’t feel nervous. In the afternoon, when we were getting ready, that’s when I felt butterflies in my stomach. The other girls and I were joking, and that relieved some of the pressure.There was a crew from BBC doing backstage interviews, and I was one of the contestants they talked to. That made me feel like I was one of the favorites. Then they started calling out the Top 10, the Top 5 and the Top 3. When I realized I was still in, that was when I started feeling that it was my destiny to place in the contest. Gusto kong humataw pero kinakabahan ako.. When there were just three of us, I took notice of the louder applause of Miss Botswana after she answered the question. I tried to see how I had carried myself thus far, throughout the competition. I thought I was doing well. I said, “Okay Lord, you’ve gotten me this far. Bahala ka na."I half expected to win. But the other half of me already expected Miss Botswana to win.

But I have no regrets about anything. I’d like to think that the experience was not a total waste and that there was a reason for coming back here. I like to believe that now I’m performing a mission to be a living testimony of God’s love.

Gallery 2: Mutya Datul Photos in Miss Supranational 2013

 A big toast to our Philippine representative to

Miss Supranational in Belarus.

She just won Miss Personality

in the preliminary.

Miss Supranational 2013 Heats Up! Mutya Received an Award!

This is getting sooooooo exciting!!!

The Miss Supranational 2013 Special Awardess! 

Miss Elegance – Sweden. 

Miss Personality – Philippines. 

Top Model – Moldova. 

Miss Photogenic – Puerto Rico

Maria Venus Bayonito Raj FB Page: Back to Win for the Philippines in 2013!

MARIA VENUS BAYONITO RAJ FB page shouted it in their status:

“OUR PREDICTION: Back-to-back win for the Philippines in the Miss Universe and Miss World this 2013!”

What do you think?

Agree or disagree?

Team Megan or Team Cacai?

Recently, a photo showing Megan Young holding hands with Mario Maurer 

went viral on the net. 

As we all know, Cacai was the first to be linked to the said actor.

So, with this, we made a poll: whose side are you?

Team Megan or Team Cacai?

Miss Universe First Runner Up Curse??? A Historical Review

Here is the factual list of the Miss Universe First Runner Up Beauty Queens

and the placement of their successors the following year.

Year	First Runner Up	The following year	Placement of the Successor
1952	Hawaii: Elza Kananionapua Edsman	1953	Aileen Lauwae Stone - unplaced
1953	USA: Myrna Hansen	1954	Miriam Stevenson – Miss Universe  1954
1954	Brazil: Martha Rocha	1955	Emília Barreto Correia Lima – Top 15
1955	El Salvador: Maribel Arrieta Gálvez	1956	Withdrew
1956	Germany: Marina Orschel	1957	Gerti Daub – Fourth Runner Up
1957	Brazil: Teresinha Gonçalves Morango	1958	Adalgisa Colombo – First Runner Up
1958	Brazil: Adalgisa Colombo	1959	Vera Regina Ribeiro – Fourth Runner Up
1959	Norway: Jorunn Kristjansen	1960	Ragnhild Aass – Top 15
1960	Italy: Daniela Bianchi	1961	Vivianne Romano – unplaced
1961	Wales: Rosemarie Frankland	1962	Hazel Williams – unplaced
1962	Iceland: Anna Geirsdóttir	1963	Theodora Thordardottir - unplaced
1963	Denmark: Aino Korva	1964	Yvonne Mortensen - unplaced
1964	England: Brenda Blackler	1965	Jennifer Warren Gurley - unplaced
1965	Finland: Virpi Miettinen	1966	Satu Charlotta Östring – First Runner Up
1966	Finland: Satu Charlotta Östring	1967	Ritva Helena Lehto – Third Runner Up
1967	Venezuela: Mariela Pérez Branger	1968	Peggy Kopp – Third Runner Up
1968	Curacao: Anne Marie Braafheid	1969	Yvonne Wardekker - unplaced
1969	Finland: Harriet Marita Eriksson	1970	Ursula Rainio - unplaced
1970	USA: Deborah Shelton	1971	Michele McDonald – Top 12
1971	Australia: Toni Rayward	1972	Kerry Anne Wells – Miss Universe 1972
1972	Brazil: Rejane Vieira Costa	1973	Sandra Mara Ferreira – Top 12
1973	USA: Amanda Jones	1974	Karen Morrison – Top 12
1974	Wales: Helen Elizabeth Morgan	1975	Georgina Kerler - unplaced
1975	Haiti: Gerthie David	1976	No candidate
1976	Venezuela: Judith Castillo	1977	Cristal Montañez – top 12
1977	Austria: Eva Maria Düringer	1978	Doris Elizabeth Anwander - unplaced
1978	USA: Judi Andersen	1979	Mary Therese Friel – top 12
1979	Bermuda: Gina Swainson	1980	Jill Murphy - unplaced
1980	Scotland: Linda Gallagher	1981	Anne McFarlane - unplaced
1981	Canada: Dominique Dufour	1982	Karen Dianne Baldwin – Miss Universe 1982
1982	Guam: Patty Chong Kerkos	1983	Pamela Booth - unplaced
1983	USA: Julie Hayek	1984	Mai Shanley – top 10
1984	South Africa: Leticia Snyman	1985	No candidate
1985	Spain: Teresa Sánchez López	1986	Concepción  Espinosa - unplaced
1986	USA: Christy Fichtner	1987	Michelle Royer – second runner up
1987	Italy: Roberta Capua	1988	Simona Ventura - unplaced
1988	Korea: Chang Yoonjung	1989	Kim Sung-Ryung - unplaced
1989	Sweden: Louise Drevenstam	1990	Linda Isacsson - unplaced
1990	USA: Carole Gist	1991	Kelli McCarty – top 6
1991	Netherlands: Paulien Huizinga	1992	Vivian Jansen – top 6
1992	Colombia: Paola Turbay	1993	Paula Andrea Betancourt – First Runner Up
1993	Colombia: Paula Andrea Betancourt	1994	Carolina Gómez – First Runner Up
1994	Colombia: Carolina Gómez	1995	Tatiana Castro – Top 10
1995	India: Manpreet Brar	1996	Sandhya Chib – Top 10
1996	Aruba: Taryn Mansell	1997	Karen-Ann Peterson - unplaced
1997	Venezuela: Marena Bencomo	1998	Veruska Ramírez – First Runner Up
1998	Venezuela: Veruska Ramírez	1999	Carolina Indriago – Top 5
1999	Philippines: Miriam Quiambao	2000	Nina Ricci Alagao - unplaced
2000	Venezuela: Claudia Moreno	2001	Eva Ekvall – Third Runner Up
2001	Greece: Evelina Papantoniou	2002	Lena Paparigopoulou - unplaced
2002	Panama: Justine Pasek	2003	Stefanie de Roux – Top 15
2003	Venezuela: Mariángel Ruiz	2004	Ana Karina Áñez - unplaced
2004	USA: Shandi Finnessey	2005	Chelsea Cooley – top 10
2005	Puerto Rico: Cynthia Olavarría	2006	Zuleyka Rivera – Miss Universe 2006
2006	Japan: Kurara Chibana	2007	Riyo Mori – Miss Universe 2007
2007	Brazil: Natalia Guimaraes	2008	Natália Anderle - unplaced
2008	Colombia: Taliana Vargas	2009	Michelle Rouillard - unplaced
2009	Dominican Republic: Ada Aimeé de la Cruz	2010	Eva Arias - unplaced
2010	Jamaica: Yendi Phillips	2011	Shakira Martin - unplaced
2011	Ukraine: Olesya Stefanko	2012	Anastasia Chernova - unplaced
2012	Philippines: Janine Tugonon	2013	Ariella Arida – To be Announced!!!

Some observations:

1. Miss Hawaii 1953 Aileen Lauwae Stone started it all. She was not as lucky as the very first Miss Universe First Runner Up Elza Kananionapua Edsman, Miss Hawaii 1954.

2. In the history of Miss Universe totaling 61 editions (1952-2012), it so happened that 26 editions had successors of the First Runner Up were unplaced the following year. These are the following: 1953 (Miss Hawaii Aileen Lauwae Stone), 1961 (Miss Italy Vivianne Romano), 1962 (Miss Wales Hazel Williams),  1963 (Miss Iceland Theodora Thordardottir), 1964 (Miss Denmark Yvonne Mortensen), 1965 (Miss England Jennifer Warren Gurley), 1969 (Miss Curacao Yvonne Wardekker), 1970 (Miss Finland Ursula Rainio), 1975 (Miss Wales Georgina Kerler), 1978 (Miss Austria Doris Elizabeth Anwander), 1980 (Miss Bermuda Jill Murphy), 1981 (Miss Scotland Anne McFarlane), 1983 (Miss Guam Pamela Booth), 1986 (Miss Spain Concepción  Espinosa), 1988 (Miss Italy Simona Ventura), 1989 (Miss Korea Kim Sung-Ryung), 1990 (Miss Sweden Linda Isacsson), 1997 (Miss Aruba Karen-Ann Peterson), 2000 (Miss Philippines Nina Ricci Alagao), 2002 (Miss Greece Lena Paparigopoulou),  2004 (Miss Venezuela Ana Karina Áñez), 2008 (Miss Brazil Natália Anderle), 2009 (Miss Colombia Michelle Rouillard), 2010 (Miss Dominican Republic Eva Arias), 2011 (Miss Jamaica Shakira Martin),  and 2012 (Miss Ukraine Anastasia Chernova)

3. In these 61 editions (1952-2012), it already happened 5 times that the country who won First Runner Up became the winner the following year:

In 1953, USA was First Runner Up. In  1954 Miss USA Miriam Stevenson won.

In 1971, Australia  was First Runner Up. In  1972,  Miss Australia Kerry Anne Wells won.

In 1981, Canada was First Runner Up. In  1982,  Miss Canada Karen Dianne Baldwin won.

In 2005, Puerto Rico was First Runner Up. In  2006 Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera won.

In 2006, was First Runner Up. In  2007, Miss Japan Riyo Mori won.

4. Of the 61 editions, Miss USA had the highest number of First Runner Up = 8 (1953, 1970, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1990 and 2004); Venezuela is second with 6 First Runner Up (1967, 1976, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003).

5. A back to back First Runner Up win was made possible Brazil in 1957 (Teresinha Gonçalves Morango) and 1958 (Adalgisa Colombo); Finland in 1965 (Virpi Miettinen) and 1966 (Satu Charlotta Östring), and; Venezuela in 1997 (Marena Bencomo) and 1998 (Veruska Ramírez)

6. Colombia is the longest reigning First Runner Up. They won consequentively in 1992 (Paola Turbay), 1993 (Paula Andrea Betancourt) and 1994 (Carolina Gómez).

7. It already happened that there was a 5-year drought for those who won First Runner Up and were shut down the following year. It first happened from 1961 to 195. The drought was broken in 1966 when Finland won First Runner Up twice in a row.

8. This drought is also happening from  2008 to 2012. Miss Philippines Ariella Arida will embark on a herculean task to end this drought or to perpetuate it…

VERDICT: THERE IS NO REALLY SUCH THING AS “FIRST RUNNER UP CURSE.”