2001 – 2010 THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE
by Rolando Rafael
THE CEREBRAL CHOICES: The most common denominator of this
period is that majority of choices are cerebral candidates. This can
be seen in 2001 (Andam), 2002 (Agustin), 2005 (Cabrera), 2006 (Ramos), 2007
(Licaros) and 2009 (Manalo). Among these winners of the Bb. Pilipinas Universe
title, 3 are from UP (Andam, Ramos and Licaros), 1 from University of Asia and
Pacific (Cabrera), 1 from AMA Computer University (Agustin) and 1 from
Assumption College (Manalo). These candidates are known to be the intelligent
types and that their selection was practically based from the experience that
we almost made it in 1999 and that we lost because our candidate bombed out in
the question and answer portion.
THE VENEZUELAN
EXPERIMENT: Also
during this decade, after the debacle in 2000 where our candidate was not sent
to any training program because she was said to be the perfect candidate. We
have to lick our wounds as we realize that we have gone full circle. Our winner
in 2001 was sent to Venezuela but with less encouraging results. So in 2002,
there was a sudden turnaround and another experiment was hatched – the Colombian
experiment.
THE COLOMBIAN EXPERIMENT:
There seem to be a big question when the Philippine franchise holder for
Miss Universe shifted her gears and took her winners for Colombian training
only after 2 tries. First it was Mirriam Quiambao who almost made it and second
was Zorayda Ruth Andam who was only triumphant as a first runner-up in the
National Costume category. After Zorayda, succeeding candidates were sent to
Colombia (Karen, Carla, Maricar, Giona, Lia, Anna Teresa, Jennifer and Pamela)
for training. There were questions asked? Why Colombia? Why not pursue
Venezuela instead? Reasons like, Venezuelan training is very expensive and that
Filipina winners are not ready for the surgical enhancement programs of
Venezuela. Although eventually, Venezuela stopped training foreign girls when
Amelia Vega, Miss Dominican Republic who trained under Osmel Souza won Miss
Universe in 2003. Then why Colombia? Colombia has not produced a winner for so
long and that their golden period was not 1992-1994 did not produce a winner.
While Venezuela was churning out runner-ups and title holders and is competing
with the United States in terms of the number of winners. What was the common
denominator for Karen, Carla, Maricar, Giona, Lia and Anna Teresa as a result
of their Colombian preparation? They were cooked! Karen was cooked just enough.
Carla was neither here nor there. Maricar lost her radiance and zest. Giona
looked like she’s in a daze and had always a bad hair day. Lia was practically “mulattized”
(pardon the term – it was derived from the word mulatto!). This period was labeled
by a blogger (Bragitto) as TRIPLE C – Colombia, Cumbia and Cubao. Colombia
where the training was held and Alfredo Barraza helped in the training and
dressing the girls. It is alleged that he dresses the girls with poorly
designed and made gowns and styles them very badly so that the Colombian
candidates will shine over our candidates. Cumbia refers to those gowns and
dresses worn by the candidates from the dress boutique of the Aranetas where
there is nothing fashionable about it and lastly Cubao refers to BPCI and Madam
Stella Araneta and her staff who are said to be caught in a time warp. Pamela was again sent to Colombia but this
time, there was no “mulattization” done. She was said to have undergone some
slimming sessions and pasarela training. And again, the dreadful 3 C’s were
very apparent and pageant fans were roaring when they saw her in an uninspired
gift wrapper concept gown.
THE RIGHT BUT
CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE:
The year 2010 selected Maria Venus Raj, a Filipino-Indian beauty who was
disqualified after discrepancies in her public pronouncements and what was
written her birth certificate surfaced. It was the very first time the “pageantlandia”
went up in arms and gave her a resounding support and thus, the first time the
organization was nudged from their earlier decision. Venus was not sent to
Colombia. A local team trained her. Venus Raj went on to charm the people in Las
Vegas even getting some comments from Osmel Souza of Venezuela that the
Philippines sent a strong girl this time. The pageant fans went gaga over this
girl most especially when she was chosen to be in the Top 5. After her debacle
however in the question and answer portion, she was again back into the bashing
board but Venus practically closed the decade with hope and more hope and
probably more changes.
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