IN the 50-year history of
Binibining Pilipinas, Pampanga has had its fair share of gorgeous titleholders,
including Myrna Panlilio-Borromeo (1964 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe), Melanie
Marquez-Lawyer (1979 Miss International), Violeta Nalus (1986 Bb.
Pilipinas-Universe), Ma. Lourdes Enriquez (1987 Bb. Pilipinas-International),
Marilen Espino (1992 Bb. Pilipinas-World), Abbygale Arenas (1997 Bb.
Pilipinas-Universe), and Carla Balingit (2003 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe).
This year, Emma Mary Francisco Tiglao, 19, of Mabalacat City, Pampanga aspires
to win the coveted crown at the 51st Bb. Pilipinas Pageant, hoping to add her
name to the elite roster of “forever Binibinis.”
The youngest of four girls of Antonio Tiglao, an overseas Filipino worker in
Saudi Arabia, and the former Isabelita Tiglao, Emma is a 4th year BS Tourism
student of Holy Angel University in Angeles City.
Emma comes from a closely-knit family, is a homebody who loves to watch TV,
surf the Net and read books.
She has been joining beauty pageants since she was 15, winning a string of
titles, including Miss Mabalacat 2010 1st runner-up, Mutya ng Sinukwan Festival
2011 winner, Miss Philippines Model 2011 winner, and Mutya ng Pilipinas 2012
1st runner-up. Statuesque at 5’ 8 ½” and measuring a svelte 33-23-33, Emma has been
honing her catwalk, projection and communication skills under the Kagandahang
Flores (KF) training camp headed by Rodgil Flores, who, incidentally,
celebrated his 47th birthday last Tuesday.
An early favorite, Emma joined Bb. Pilipinas to fulfill her dream to be able to
represent the Philippines at an international beauty pageant. She wants to win
the Bb. Pilipinas-International title, and hopes to use her skills as a Tourism
student to promote the Philippines. She has obtained basic training as a flight
attendant, and has taken up lessons in Spanish and Nihonggo. Emma has also
modeled for Renee Salud’s fashion show as part of the Philippines’ tourism
campaign in Beijing, China last November.
“I admire Bea Santiago (reigning Miss International) for her determination to
fulfill her dreams,” Emma confessed. “She is my inspiration and I hope to
follow in her footsteps and give the Philippines a back-to-back victory in Miss
International!”
Emma proudly claims she is 100% ready. Come coronation night at the Big Dome on
March 30, she hopes “to be 1000% ready!”
If given the chance to live in another country, Emma says she will choose
Singapore. “I have been there and although it is a small country, it has
endless attractions and the people are so warm and welcoming, like us.
Singapore is also very clean; you will not see a speck of rubbish anywhere. I
can compare it to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan where the people are so
law-abiding; they exercise the power of citizen’s arrest whenever they see
someone not throwing waste properly.”
Five years from now, Emma hopes to run the fields of fashion and design with
her own line of women’s apparel, shoes, bags and accessories. Big, attainable
dreams for a beautiful young lady named Emma Mary Tiglao!
SOURCE: ARTICLE WRITTEN BY JODE D. PATAO
JR. FOR MALAYA.COM
