Why the Philippines Loves Beauty Pageants...? Philippines will host the Miss Universe & Miss World...?: Binibining Pilipinas 2014 - ONE WINNER TO WEAR FOUR CROWNS...oh ! When the 2014 Bb. Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) beauty pageant concludes on March 30 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, only one candidate will be declared the winner and will be wearing four crowns. Bb. Pilipinas Charities, franchise holder of the four-in-one pageant, announced a major change in choosing the Philippines’ representative to international pageants. Traditionally, the contest ends in four beauties being crowned Miss Universe Philippines, Bb. Pilipinas International, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational and Bb. Pilipinas Tourism Queen, respectively. This year, however, only one candidate will be crowned for all four titles. Pageant organizers said this new regulation will increase the Philippines’ chances of winning the much-coveted international beauty crowns. Sending the same candidate to the four international pageants will increase the Filipina candidate’s exposure in world media while boosting her experience and confidence on the pageant stage every single time. What happens if Miss Philippines wins the crown in the first scheduled international competition? Then the first runner-up in the Miss Philippines pageant will take over and represent the country in the next three international pageants. If she wins the crown in the second pageant, then the second runner-up takes over, and so on. “What a brilliant idea,” a beauty pageant fanatic commented, “after all there can truly be only one queen, not four.” ============================ Pilipino beauty pageant winners dominated 2013. The year closed with a total of four winning titles for the country: Miss World, Tourism International, Miss Supranational, Miss International, and also a top 5 placement in Miss Universe. As the only country to hold titles in the top 5 international beauty competitions, it is safe to say the Philippines excels at the sport of pageantry. The country dotes on its queens and ties pride for the Philippines to each crown. Online we witness explosions of excitement when Ms. Philippines wins, and outbursts of rage when Ms. Philippines leaves empty handed. I’m no anomaly to the Philippines’ beauty pageant phenomenon. I have acted as host, producer, and stagehand for pageants and even competed in two myself. You get sucked in by the glamour of it all: buying gowns and strutting the runway, showcasing talents and eloquence, hearing cheers for your name and being asked for your photograph. There is nothing quite like the audience of a beauty pageant, however. The crowd emulates insane sports fandom with big signs, competitive spirit, and loud roaring cheers. From international stages to local functions abroad, why are Pilipinos drawn to beauty pageants? Let’s take a look at some contributing factors, including nationalism, willing ignorance, and the desire to prove something of the Philippines. And we’ll show the world What a country girl can change And we’ll show the whole wide world That we have a pretty face Pretty face, pretty face, pretty face have we Above are lyrics from “Pretty Face” sung by the Imelda Marcos character in the musical Here Lies Love. The former first lady immediately comes to mind when considering pageants, as she won beauty queen titles herself and earned nicknames like the “Rose of Tacloban” and “Muse of Manila.” The song champions Imelda’s infamous beautification program and vain pursuits. The 1976 Miss Universe competition, hosted by the Philippines, functioned as an opportunity to show off a developing nation deserving respect. Families in slums consequently faced eviction from their homes to hide poverty from the national image. Even after the Marcos regime during the Philippines-hosted 1994 Miss Universe, police rounded up 270 street children to improve Manila’s appearance. In Sarah Benet-Weiser’s The Most Beautiful Girl in the World: Beauty Pageants and National Identity, Edgardo Angara, the Senate President at the time, voiced resistance: “The Miss Universe contest is a misuse and abuse of our women that panders to the most ignoble instincts of our people.” “During these collective experiences, all of us are ‘Filipinos,’ regardless of our political leanings or social standing. We root for our kababayan candidates, athletes or favorite lead character in the teleseryes. We laugh, cry and cheer together. The unchanged 7.6 percent unemployment rate, rising gas prices, or another impending government shutdown do not seem to matter at all during that brief period.” Pageants are a way to pacify the people. The elaborate productions and beautiful women bearing the Philippines’ name are welcome distractions to ongoing national crises. Santos-Relos also touches on one of three factors fueling pageant obsession: sosyalan. Rick Bonus in Locating Filipino Americans writes that socializing and celebrating pride during pageants are a way to bring communities together (especially abroad). The two other factors he notes are damay, or commiseration, and bayanihan, or communal unity. Damay refers to the charity agenda most Fil-Am pageants have, since they tend to be fundraisers for an organization or cause with native roots. Damay is the motivating factor for purchasing tickets that reel in attendees. Bayanihan refers to the act of producing the pageant. It is usually a side project for community organizers that provides a way to collaborate with other Pilipinos. Bonus takes a step further with pageants’ allure by claiming they uplift Filipino American community. Often, pageants will include cultural segments wherein contestants sing tagalog songs or dance traditional dances in native dress. Participants, often second generation Filipino Americans, use pageants as an effort to relate to their roots. As a member of the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) stated in Bonus’s book: “[Pageants] are ways to announce to our community and the world that we are also achievers, even if many think that we are nobodies.” Clearly, to Pilipinos, a beauty pageant doesn’t merely give one woman the title. The moment she gets her sash and crown, an entire nationality basks in the glitter of success–no matter how superficial. ========================== Organizers of Miss World competition want the Philippines to host the beauty pageant’s finals in November of this year to showcase the world’s “coming together to rebuild the country” – one year after super-typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) swept through the Visayas. Steve Douglas, the events director and producer of Miss World Limited, reigning Miss World Megan Young, and Miss World Philippines national director Cory Quirino sought Vice President Jejomar C. Binay’s support for their plan during a visit at the Coconut Palace in Pasay City Thursday. Miss World Philippines is the national franchise of the Miss World pageant in the Philippines and selects the country’s representative to the said pageant. CQ Global Quest, Inc., managed by Quirino, acquired the franchise in 2011. Douglas admitted their proposal is “ambitious” since the competition has already been set to be held in London, UK, this year. But they are making a last-ditch effort to have the finals in the Philippines to contribute to the country’s efforts in rebuilding areas ravaged by Yolanda. “They will expect to see the biggest and most prestigious pageant in the world to be hosted here by the Philippines. We will have a month-long celebration, celebrating the culture, the beauty, the fashion of the Philippines. And Megan will be in the center stage of all of these,” Quirino said, replying to questions what would Filipinos expect if the country’s hosting of the pageant pushed through. She noted it is also “timely” for the country to host the pageant for the first time since it is Young who is the first Filipina to win the Miss World crown. The country’s hosting of the event, she said, has been on their wish list even before Young won the crown. “And I guess it’s a sign from heaven when Megan won. And then right after that, a month later typhoon Yolanda happened to the Philippines,” Quirino said. “So I guess there’s a message for Megan to help rebuild the country by bringing the entire world’s attention to the Philippines. And with global support, and by the Philippines’ hosting the Miss World pageant, we will achieve that goal,” she added. After their meeting with Binay, they were set to talk to officials of the Tourism department Thursday afternoon to present their proposal. They are also on “standby” for a meeting with President Benigno S. Aquino III, Quirino said. As for where in the country will the competition be staged, Quirino said it is still being finalized. Young said they will aim to show to the world the Philippines being a nation of survivors. “We will be able to promote Philippine tourism around the world. Show people that the Philippines is already safe to go to. And we want to rebuild the Philippines, to show them that we are survivors,” Young said. Binay said the proposal is “very convincing” since it would generate a lot of publicity for the Philippines. He also agreed that hosting the event will help the Philippines in soliciting support for the government’s efforts to rehabilitate areas hit by Yolanda. Douglas said Binay could be one of the judges if the country’s hosting of the competition pushes through. =========================== According to Dawn Zulueta sa kanyang interview sa push.ph, Pilipinas ang magiging host country for miss universe 2014 ang pinakamalaking beauty pageant sa mundo. As a matter of fact, I felt very honored that they chose me to host because it’s the 50th year so napakaespesyal ng Binibini this year. Then I just realized nung Sunday na next year pala tayo ang host na country for the Miss Universe. O, ‘di ba? that’s really exciting. Last September 24-27, lumipad patungong New York ang ABS-CBN executives para sa bidding ng magiging host country for Miss Universe 2015. Ngunit ayon kay Dawn, Miss Universe 2014 ang magaganap. Kung sakaling matuloy ito, hindi mapuputol ang 20 years pattern ng Pilipinas. Manila was the first Asian city to hold Miss Universe in 1974. 20 years later, sa Pilipinas ulit ito ginanap in 1994. At 20 year later again, nagbabalik ito for Miss Universe 2014. It was reported din na sa Puerto Princesa ito gaganapin para na rin sa turismong iaangkat nito. Sa ngayon ay wala pang official statement from the ABS-CBN management, Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. at Miss Universe Organization. In other news, Rumors are leaking throughout the social media, that the Ms.Universe 2014 will be held on The Philippines (specifically Palawan). as the beliefs of many Filipinos (and pageant fans) the 20 years cycle of the Philippines to host the said event. (after 1974, in Manila and 1994 in Pasay City) as You can see i’d asked Mr. Donald Trump to confirm this rumor, and he replied “Perhaps–no decision yet” if the Ms.Universe 2014 will be held in The Philippines the 20 years cycle will surely be continue. Another rumour covers the atmosphere of the World wide web interconnections, the Ms.Universe 2014 is officially be take place on the beautiful place of Fortaleza, in the place of Southern American country, Brazil (after its hosting last 2011, in Sao Paulo). Another delegates of women will compete head-to-head for this coveted crown. but the question is, is the “20-years cycle” of the Philippines to host the Ms.Universe will be delayed or will be terminated? or another latina will win the crown after Gabriela Isler of Venezuela won the Ms.Universe 2013 in Crocus, City Hall, Russia.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 19:55:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015