BB. PILIPINAS 2003: DIAMOND
WHITE, RUBY RED, AND A BLUE SURPRISE by Joseph Vitug A reporter at the Manila Standard has said that apparently the judges chose brains over beauty. Maybe that’s partly true, but there were great lookers in this bunch, and as a whole this group is extremely articulate. Maybe the interview round carried a bigger weight during the pre-judging, but apparently the weight was reduced for the semis. It also helped that the questions lobbed by the judges were easy and not-so-original—only Spanish ambassador Ignacio Salas asked questions that were even remotely challenging, and Miriam Quiambao asked a nicely-simple-but-tricky question. Only a girl with the intelligence of a Jeanie Andersen (remember her? “Quiet, please…”) won’t be able to answer these easy, puffball questions. In this batch of extremely superb contenders, there was no one in the Top 12 who was unworthy of belonging in this hallowed group. Let me start my review of the semifinalists starting with: CANDIDATE NO. 16 – SANYA SMITH. Many were surprised at her inclusion, but I think she was a worthwhile component in this mix. Having made it in this extremely competitive bunch is something worth celebrating for this lady. Besides, she made the most of what she had, and later in the game there were several flattering photos of her. I have mentioned that she provides a hip edge to this pageant with her Pinoy Rock pedigree, and she did mention onstage that she wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps, as music “keeps (her) sane”. British impresario Nigel Peters asked her the question: “If you have P1mn, what would be the first thing you would buy?” Sanya’s reply was sincere and strong, but relatively underwhelming compared to the great answers by the other semifinalists—she wanted to fly in her friends and relatives around the world to see her. Sanya was touted to be among the strongest communicators—I think she didn’t have the luck with the “right” question that night. The small size of her head compared to the rest of her body was another factor why she didn’t advance further into the finals. Anyway, I’ll be looking forward to find out how her recording career would go, and what type of music she’ll play (I could easily imagine her as a Goth chick). CANDIDATE NO. 17 – ARIANE GARCIA. Unlike what was featured in photos, she seemed to have a sleek figure when she walked onstage, and she was sensational during the gown competition as she glided in her gown with train. Onemig Bondoc asked her this question: “Besides being a beauty queen, what are your goals in life.” Ariane gave a well-composed answer about becoming a “perfect mom to (her) children”, and explained that “motherhood entails a lot of responsibilities” like preparing the next generation to “develop the world”. She has one of the plainer faces in this bunch, and that maybe was the reason she didn’t make the Top 5. Still, her performance that night was a very pleasant surprise. CANDIDATE NO. 24 – DIANA SADIE. Her three busloads of passionate fans could not be denied. They generated a loud roar every time she appeared, and chanted her number every commercial break. There were even T-shirts bearing her name. Of course, she’s an intelligent, ambitious overachiever, and she emphasized that quality to the hilt. For instance, when TJ asked her about her course (AB Consular Diplomatic Affairs at the College of St. Benilde), she just had to effortlessly explain about “international relations” and how the “international community works”, and that she dreamed about working with the United Nations. US Consul-General David T. Donahue asked her the main question: “If you were to star in a movie, what role would you play?” Diana chose her namesake, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, as she “embodies (what)…every woman should be” as she possessed “beauty inside and out” and the “charisma to conquer the role” she had to play and be an “ideal (role) model in the international arena”. She spoke with a cadence that made some people recall Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Perhaps her use of Princess Diana as an example turned off some of the judges, because she doesn’t look even remotely like that stunningly beautiful princess, but you have to admire her chutzpah to compare herself with her namesake. Let’s indulge Miss Sadie, because Princess Diana is a worthwhile example to aspire for (those negative traits like bulimia and bouts of nervousness aside). CANDIDATE NO. 1 – MA. DEL CARMEN “MENCHU” ANTIGUA. As expected, this lady parlayed her highly-regarded intelligence and communication skills to vault herself into the hallowed group of semifinalists. She could even conceivably pull off a big upset and become a finalist, as she was brilliant during her casual chat with TJ Manotoc. When asked how she was feeling, she replied “Nervous, but (I’m) okay, because God is watching over me.” TJ then asked her about her line of work, and why she’s in it, and she eloquently answered that she loves “interacting with people” and wants to be “around a lot of people” as “it makes (her) feel alive.” But when Ara Mina lobbed off the question about “Who is the person you remember most in your childhood?” Menchu started off very well, as she cited her great grandmother, as she “remember(ed) her beautiful spirit… (and) she touched (her) life in so many ways…” It was eloquently well-put, but there was something missing: her reasons could describe just about anyone, and was too generic. If she said something even remotely specific about her great grandmother, she could’ve pulled off an upset. But well, many beauty-oriented pageant fans whooped with glee that she didn’t ace the question that decisively so the prettier and more striking candidates could edge her out for the Top 5. CANDIDATE NO. 15 – ANNA MARIE FALCON. No one can deny that this lady is a catwalk specialist, as she glides across the stage superbly and navigates down and up the stairs effortlessly. Of course, there is also no denying that lovely face of hers. How about her communication skills? Well, she acquitted herself very nicely in that department, too. She declared onstage that she’s taking up psychology in order to teach “special children”. The question asked of her by the chairman of the board of judges, Spanish ambassador Ignacio Salas, was related to her stated ambition: “What would you consider to be the most noble profession.” Obviously, Anna Marie had to say “teacher” and explained adequately that it is because a teacher is a “second mother” to the children, and of course shape up and form their lives. So, what hampered her from advancing any further? Well, much has been said about her bottom-heavy figure, and unfortunately that was unflatteringly emphasized in those metallic bikinis. CANDIDATE NO. 18 – ANGELINE CORSTORPHAN. Throughout most of the pageant, she seemed to be the candidate assured of bagging a title—she was that strong. The two special awards she received—Ponds Noticeably Beautiful Skin Award (notice that it’s no longer “Rosy White Skin” anymore?) and the major Best in Swimsuit Award—indicate that she’s on her way to the Top Five (and probably beyond), and that she’s a major favorite. I have to say that those two awards she received were deserving: I have already mentioned in my previous write-ups about her luminous complexion, and for someone as young as her (she’s only 17 going on 18), she has the ripest, fullest figure of the bunch—I had a hard time figuring out who to bestow my annual BB Sweepstakes Award, but I think I found a winner with her. The blue swimsuit helped showcase those lovely hourglass proportions, and that’s probably what the judges saw when they gave her the swimsuit award. So, what gives? How did she turn from the candidate-most-likely-to-win to a mere semifinalist, and become the only “Mabuhay Beauty” in this batch not to land in the Top Five? I don’t know if she was issued a bikini that was maybe two sizes too small for her, because the way she looked onstage almost made the judges want to take back her best in swimsuit award and made the audience wonder why she won this award in the first place—all of a sudden there seemed to be excess flesh and love handles protruding from her bikini, and this is considering that she reportedly severely curtailed her food intake in order to fit into those tight swimsuits. Another problem was the policy of pulling your hair back and putting your hair up—her beauty is best highlighted when she lets her shoulder-length bob down, but unfortunately she had to comply with that policy, to her great disadvantage. Finally, there’s the interview… Okay, she is a very intelligent and articulate lady, and she charmed the audience when she greeted them in Japanese (“Konnichi-wa, O-genki desu ka?”, which means “Hello, how are you all doing?”). However, when asked by Gina de Venecia (House Speaker Jose de Venecia’s better half) about what she would write about if she has to write about an essay about her life, she gave this answer: she would write about her experience in this pageant, because the experience enriched her and helped her become a better person, and that it was a wonderful experience and she has made new friends that she would keep in touch. It was actually a great answer, even if it sounded a little “kiss-ass”, but unfortunately she didn’t sound spontaneous or lively in her delivery. Hope within the next couple of years she gets to try again—she’s so close to a title, and all she needs to do is to learn the lessons of this pageant well and she will probably get her chance to shine next time. CANDIDATE NO. 25 – MA. ELENA ANDAYA. Her weak catwalk and standing skills, plus her relatively short frame, definitely means that she should be happy simply being a semifinalist and shouldn’t expect to advance further into the finals. But, she had some strong redeeming qualities, such as her pretty face and her beautifully straight and shiny long locks (she won the Cream Silk Beautiful Hair Award, and she compensated for her trip during the earlier swimsuit round by flipping those straight locks about). Her superb answer in the semifinals made her a possible spoiler for the Top Five. Miriam Quiambao (who buckled while asking her question) asked her whom she would choose to marry between a man who loves her but she doesn’t love as much or a man she loves but he doesn’t love her as much. Elena’s wise answer? “I cannot pick (either)… Marriage is a union of two hearts… If one heart is not feeling the same as the other one, (it would be useless) to marry.” Her casual chat with TJ Manotoc was likewise memorable as we learned that her feet are aching, and that she designed her own red evening gown. She also explained that she had a shop, and she inherited her skill from her mom (from some reporters, I learned her name is Susan Andaya). Before I proceed to the five finalists, here are a couple of blind items: · One semi-finalist was so disappointed in not landing the Top Five that she left in a huff and wasn’t present during the coronation. Her mother was rumored as saying that she’ll turn her daughter into a bold star after this disappointment—it’s so creepily Mama Rose in “Gypsy” when I heard that tidbit; I hope she’s only joking… · This highly favored semi-finalist sacrificed a lot simply to join this pageant: she had rejected five modeling offers and skipped one year of schooling for this opportunity. This was on top of some physical sacrifices she endured. It’s such a shame it didn’t pay off well this time, but I hope the experience won’t discourage her from trying again, because she’s got what it takes to bring our country to glory. She at least has the luxury of time, because she could conceivably go to college, complete her undergraduate degree, and still be young enough to compete in any of the three major international pageants.
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