QUEENTESSENCE' BB. PILIPINAS 2013 LEADERBOARD

BEFORE THE PARADE OF BEAUTIES AND FASHION SHOW

By Arnulfo Distor

The responses to our emails from our friends are quite enormous. It has tilted our previous rankings. Our third leader board showed the emergence of some unheralded candidates. Pauline Quintas the girl that mesmerized everyone because of her being a deadringer of Guadalupe Sanchez as well as Aurora Pijuan seemed to have slipped from a high likability status to out of the Top 20. The reason probably is her inconsistent look and projection. If she is dead serious in entering the Top 20, she should in a short span of time be able to overhaul those deficits.

Mutya Datul charms her way to the Top. Will this be translated into judges’ votes? Mutya’s story of poverty and her slow ascent to pageant fans’ consciousness is very laudable. With her humble origins and sweet demeanor, Mutya may make it and be one of the crowned queens.

Mercegrace Raquel shot to prominence after the Press Presentation and National Costume Competition. She sashayed in the runway with the gracefulness of a gazelle. With her academic background, Mercegrace is one big force to contend with during this pageant.

Charmaine Elima just like Mutya maintained her Top 5 status although in the last two outings she was number in the leaderboard. Charmaine should learn to come out in different looks and styles. With her cum laude finish, everyone is putting high hopes on her.

Mariel De Leon shot up to prominence being the alleged favorite. But one must accept the fact that despite her pedigree, Mariel possesses the goods of a winner. She is a very good opera singer something that is not ordinary. She possesses the height, intelligence and the ability to communicate her thoughts. With training and perseverance, those limitations that she has right now will surely vanish into oblivion and the doubting Thomases would follow her instead.

Ria Rabajante is always there in Top 5 amongst our respondents. With a good feedback about her communication skills, I believe she will be catapulted back into the Top 3 choices. Will she be able to maintain such goodwill come pageant night?

The rest of the girls in the Top 20 are as follows:

Imelda Sweighart maintains her number 6 position while Pia Wurtzbach who was number 3 previously went down to Number 7 probably due to lingering rumors that her butt is science aided. Bea Santiago comes unto the heels of Pia who is also smarting from rumors that she has this diva attitude. Cindy Miranda shot up to more prominence at rank number 9 from a previously 19^th position. Hannah Sison also smarting from rumors of a divanesque attitude like Bea slid to 10^th position. Carin and Zandra again went up in their rankings. Some pageant fans are looking at Carin as an underdog. She might just be the candidate that would snatch the Bb. Pilipinas-International crown from the front-runners. With the see-saw rankings that our correspondents are giving us, I believe it is still anybody’s ballgame granting that the news in the rumor mills is not true.  

POST-PRESS PRESENTATION RANKINGS QUEENTESSENCE SURVEY

By Arnulfo Distor

The press presentation highlighted two candidates of different qualities but stood out in front of the adoring and inquisitive eyes of the spectators. The candidates were presented to the press in their swimsuits. Mutya Datul and Charmaine Elima showed sparkle and vigor in their presentation. Their well-outlined bodies mesmerized the audience and truly the pageant scrimmages have started and are reaching pitch high. By a hairline, Elima edged out Datul among my paparazzi friends who attended the Press Presentation.

Pia Wurtzbach chose to approach her presentation in the mold of the old. She looked prim but all poised throughout. She however, sometimes manages to relax onstage and this stance allows people to compare her with the two in the leader board. And the difference is obvious.

Ria Rabajante after being chastised by the fans for showing herself in a very unglamorous look in a Binibini function was reborn to shine onstage during the press presentation. Truly this lady is a child of the stage. Being a fashion model, she knows how to burn the runway and her countenance of looking like a cross between former beauty queens like Miriam Quiambao and Evangeline Pascual is not easy to forget.

Anna Fernandina Buquid, the tall and lanky candidate appeared to have stunned a lot of pageant enthusiasts as she was riveting and adorable in her presentation stance. She has already stepped up her deportment and competitive demeanor. Although many people thought she was made up heavily, I think what was wrong with her is the use of the red lipstick on her. She looked kind of older but more vampy in character.

Imelda Sweighart maintained her number 6 rank and she made her presence felt. What she lacked in height she compensated it with her great personality. She was vivacious and full of energy. She was well-liked and appreciated.

Bea Santiago is one personality that is sweet and prim and as you look at her longer, you get to like her much more. Bea is very much like that during the press presentation. She was stunning in her bikini. She was styled appropriately and thus she was shining through.

Pauline Quintas dropped in our likeability ratings. Well this is probably due to the fact that her previous outings show her in unsightly pictures. Pauline was styled differently during the press presentation and she looked different. But her long legs and her shapely stature are still her gems that made her still in our Top 10 choices.

Mariel De Leon despite her imperfections put up a good front. She was lively, bubbly and effervescent during the press presentation. Will she go the way of Janine Tugonon who was chastised by fans during pageants days last year? After her great performance in the Miss Universe 2012, the fans went into a 360 degree turn and started loving her. Will she exert that effort and come out a well-sculpted candidate ready for an international outing?

Hannah Sison was majestically beautiful. She was an epitome of grace and royalty.

Parul Shah has this haughty demeanor but because of this she becomes an enigma. She therefore commands the interest of the pageant fans because of this character. She exudes the exotic charisma of a mixed race Filipina.

Vania Valiry Vispo went up in our ratings for being consistent. She is tall, beautiful and graceful. Her appeal does not seem to be encompassing though. Some like her. Some do not.

Merry Joyce Respicio is her usual self. She showed calmness, swift but calculated movements and awe-inspiring presence.

Zandra Flores seemed overpowered by the great presence of others. I was really wondering about this since in previous outings, Zandra has stood her ground against the others. Will she be able to recoup her luster and enter the winning circle come pageant night?

Aiyana Mikiwiecz looks poised and self-assured. But one of her problems is how she can get her presence felt among the other taller beauties that are being molded and aspiring for the Bb. Pilipinas-International title. Aiyana reminds me of another Northern Luzon beauty Miss Eumee Reiter. She joined the Bb. Pilipinas but was not lucky enough. She later joined the Mutya ng Pilipinas and she won the title Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism.

Maria Sofia Gloria Mustonen plummeted in her ranks. Many pageant fans are ambivalent about her beauty. Maria is beautiful enough but some pageant fans may not be very comfortable of seeing someone who is quite muscular. Her being a sportswoman made this so. But I praise Maria for showing another aspect of woman in this case.

Carin Adrianne Ramos was cobbled by praises to the more popular candidates during the press presentation but I believe to the discerning eye, Carin will make a mark in this very competitive edition of the Bb. Pilipinas.

Cindy Miranda despite her being facially beautiful does not create too much buzz among pageant fans. I really do not understand it. Some says she’s boring. It may just be the reason.

Cassandra Naidas is neither here nor there. She’s tall and pretty but like Carin and Cindy, they do not get the attention of rabid pageant fans.

Merce Grace Raquel entered our Top 20 list for the first time. She is evolving to be a likeable candidate.

There were other candidates of note but did not get the interest of our pageant paparazzi. Of note are Ara Arida, Katherine Ann Enriquez, Christine Paula Bernasor, Theresa Marie Fenger and Krisma Pascual.

QUEENTESSENCE’ TAKE ON THE BINIBINING PILIPINAS CANDIDATES (SERIES 1 OF 5)

By Arden Bautista

The 50^th edition of Binibining Pilipinas had 50 candidates to commemorate its golden anniversary. I have no quarrel with 50 candidates but I believe getting a good number of this proportion would need a preliminary competition to choose the semifinalists that will eventually slug it out for the crowns. Having 50 candidates do their ramps on the final night will be very tedious and time consuming and would practically satiate the beauty appetite of the judges. This is just wishful thinking but I would hope they would do something similar like the Miss Universe set-up.

Now talking about wishful thinking, one of my co-writers in Queentessence wished for 5 candidates to grace the 50^th anniversary as contestants. They are Ali Forbes, Georgina Wilson, Isabel Daza, Megan Young and Luzelle Felipe. Unfortunately, not one of was in the final list. It was rumored that Megan Young submitted her application and was flatly rejected because of her provocative poses in a magazine. Well, it practically douses off the heat in the interest of our friend but the 2013 pack of Binibini is full of interesting ladies and we shall discuss our thoughts about them.

Candidate Number 1 is Ria Rabajante. Ria is one of the favorites of pageant fans. Many were astounded with her élan and personality. This 23 year-old lady is a model and a graduate of Assumption College. When I first saw this girl in her swimsuit pictures, her appearance is like that of a Venezuelan candidate. She has a very fit body and poses with grace and flair. She wowed everyone during the callback and on the final screening; she was a knock-out sensation. With her hair in a bun, she looked like Mirriam Quiambao, Janine Tugonon, Tetchie Agbayani and Evangeline Pascual rolled into one. Since then, Ria is a favorite of most pageant fans.

Ma. Bencelle Bianzon is Candidate Number 2. Bencelle is a 23 year old graduate from the University of Sto. Tomas. She also works as a professional model. This dainty looking candidate is a Army reservist. During the final screening, I did not recognize her because she seemed different from her pictures seen in photo shoots. She looked fierce in her pictures but she looks naïve and coy during the screening. If this is a ploy to be unnoticed first then as the pageant goes into high gear, she does that too then I think it is fine but with so many girls angling for attention and space in the media, Bencelle must know how to play her cards well as this is a competitive batch.

Zandra Flores is Candidate Number 3. I have seen Zandra in the Miss Philippines-Earth Competition last year representing the pilgrimage town of Manaoag, Pangasinan. I have already liked this girl during that pageant but she failed to enter the winning column in that contest. When I saw Zandra recently, she has evolved into a more competitive young lady – with great poise and bearing. I hope this dusky lady will be a force to reckon with during the final night.

Candidate Number 4 is Nicole Kim Donesa. Nicole is a balikbayan and took pains to stay here in the country to fulfill her dream of being a beauty queen. She loves to sing Broadway and opera songs. Will she be able to cast away the shadow of the number she had? It has been said that in the history of the Binibini, Number 4 has the least number of winners among the other numbers.

Maria Sofia Gloria Mustonen is Candidate Number 5. This young girl of Fil-Finnish ancestry is trying her luck again in a national pageant. In the recent past, she joined Miss Philippines-Earth with nary a success. She hopes to continue her search for a beauty crown at the Bb. Pilipinas. During her first callback and the final screening, Maria mesmerized the pageant fans with her endearing beauty. Maria hails from Antique and plays football. She also speaks different international languages that would come in handy if she gets to represent the country in an international pageant.

Yvette Chantal Mildenberger is a Bicolana and she is from Legaspi City and she is Candidate Number 6 in this years’ pageant edition. She had joined local pageants in her region and she had been successful in entering the winners’ circle in most of them.

Candidate Number 7 is Maria Ivy Kristel Gonzales. Ivy is a law student at the Ateneo Law School. She is 24 years old and and grew up without her biological mother as she died giving birth to her. Will another law student represent us in the Miss Universe pageant this year?

Candidate Number 8 is Abbygale Monderin. Abby is 20 years old and she is Miss Bikini Philippines 2012. She represented the country in the Miss Bikini International 2012 held in China. With a svelte body, she will surely wow the audience and the judges in the swimsuit presentation. She is also a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Katherine Ann Enriquez is the ninth candidate and she is 22 years old and from San Mateo, Rizal. She is a graduate of the College of Holy Spirit and used to be lector in their church.

Anna Carmela Aquino, Candidate Number 10 is a teacher in mathematics. She graduated from the Philippines Normal University and is also a creative writer.

So what is Queentessence’ verdict of the first 10 candidates? My take is that Candidates 1, 3 and 5 have great chances of entering the Top 15. Candidate number 2 is a dark horse. With proper styling and projection Number 2 will make her presence felt however.