The Decade
of Adjustment – 1991-2000
By Rolando Rafael
From the faltering
decade, we can see that the candidate the Miss Universe is looking for is a
complete package – beauty, poise, fitness and wit. In that period we saw some
pearls but they were not that polished and hence, they did make an etched into
the pageant fans’ consciousness but in general there is the feeling of
emptiness for a performance that could have been much better and worth it.
I cannot even find a
term to describe this decade as there are so many things happening during this
time. But I placed it as a period of adjustment. It is a long adjustment
because the organization did not seem to learn from its lessons. The decade was
highlighted with the following:
First:
In 1991, they crowned a petite lady oozing with sex appeal. She is a bomb. She
is radiates the X-factor but later she was dethroned because of questionable
papers. This episode was to be repeated 7 years after with Tisha Silang. And
the year thereafter, it was followed by another similar occurrence. They say
history repeats itself but such event occurring three times in a decade means
something. It does not bid well for an organization because the mistakes are
repeated all over and over again. I do not have anything against foreign-bred
Filipinas joining the national competition. In this open and competitive world
let them compete and eat the pie if they are qualified but to undermine the
screening process, that is the question. The screening committee should have
placed their foot forward at once so as to give way for more preparations for
the candidates chosen. Given for example those replacements for the title
holders, they had the least preparation for their pageants. The one most
important thing is being psychologically prepared for the pageant – but some
are just lost when they are there.
Secondly:
There seem to be no hard and fast rule to
who should be the replacement if someone is dethroned. In the case of Anjanette
Abayari, she was replaced by Miss Alou Gonzales who seemed ill-prepared to take
on the role as the new competitor for Miss Universe. During that time, the
representative to the Miss International was Patty Betita, a seasoned fashion
model who was practically ready to take on the role. But an unheralded Alou
Gonzales who was remarked by one Filipina who judged during that time that she
gauged the unpreparedness of our candidate that time. Alou ranked miserably in
the preliminaries. On the other hand, during the time of Tisha Silang, the
first runner-up Jewel Lobaton replaced her and went on to compete in the Miss
Universe with disastrous results. The year after, Miriam Quiambao who was
Binibining Pilipinas-World replaced Janelle Bautista with remarkable results.
It is understandable that the organization reserves the right to send the
appropriate candidate to the international pageant but pageant observers say
that there should be a guiding rule so that it may not appear that such was
just a result of whims and caprices.
Thirdly:
Note that in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000, our candidates registered
very low scores in the evening gown segment. In 1994, pageant followers even
said that Charlene was overly scored in the evening gown segment as she was
much better in other gowns that befit her physique. Liza Berroya’s scores are
in average. But I am not going to discuss here her interview scores. Her
evening gown score is just average and she used a gown that is not really
fashion forward. Same goes with Dindi Gallardo in 1993. In 1997, Abbygale
Arenas would have been in the Top 10 had she used a much better and appropriate
gown for herself. The moment that they saw Abbygale in her gown during the preliminary
competitions, many already thought that it would be her downfall. That gown was
described as hideous to say the least. The composite scores tell us that she
did well in the swimsuit and the interview. In 1998, Jewel Lobaton defied
conventions. The organization was said to be as irate with her as she did not
use the prescribed gown. She used the gown of her designer friend, a simple
white corset gown that did not do her justice in the midst of formidable
competition which Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago won during that
year. Her so-so performance was again the source of the battle cry of pageant
fans they said there were more girls that were much deserving than her to be
sent to the Hawaiian edition of the Miss Universe. It was also because of what
Jewel did that the organization started having all the girls sign a contract
which stipulates that all the outfits that they will use will be provided for
by them and any deviation to what is dictated in the contract will be dealt
with legally. In 1999, they provided a Halston signature gown for Miriam
Quiambao with almost a victorious result. But in 2000, they sent a strong girl
but clothe her freakishly and the result is also freakish.
Fourthly:
One must understand that intelligence or wit alone does not make a Miss
Universe. You must have the gift of the gab. Take for example, Liza Berroya, a
publicized MENSA member. Her interview scores were not that astounding as
compared to the other candidates. She did just fairly well in the evening gown
and in the swimsuit which is her lowest score. Note that Santos even had a
higher interview portion than Liza Berroya. In the case of Santos and Damiles
who were within the striking distance of the Top 10, they could have benefitted
with a Venezuelan training and personality development that would improve their
overall chance to gain a slot in the semifinals. Damiles was said to have a low
score in the interview portion. During the 90’s you have to get to have the ability
to talk and communicate so that everyone will listen. It would have been the
case for Charlene Bonnin also, if she could have understood the question so
well, she would not have made that answer as inane as that. And that debacle
where Miriam choked in the end, she would have been the 3rd Miss
Universe of the country had she prepared for the question. The issue on the
question had been lingering during the contest because one candidate was sent
home because she was pregnant. Candidates usually prepare for an eventual question,
but it seems Mirriam was caught offguard of when the question was asked. On the
other, the last candidate of the decade for whom everyone will finally clip the
crown on her head did not make it. Although she had all the qualities to make
it, good body, beautiful face and an intelligence that can match Lara Dutta,
she failed to make it to the Top 10. Some say she is ranked number 12. Insiders
say Nina Ricci was side stepped by the organizers because she has an attitude
and it turned them off.
On the fifth note,
during this decade, Venezuela is on the rise, assaulting the sensibilities of
the times in terms of beauty standard. The Philippines was neither here nor
there in this decade. Our candidates are always missing the mark. The 1999
experiment was a success and we were expecting that the next candidate after
Miriam will have the same great support like her. However, the debacle after
Nina Ricci made the Binibining Pilipinas organization probably think on another
level and we will see how things went kaput in the next decade.
