EDITORIAL

THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND BEAUTY PAGEANTS

By Alejandro Bustillos

In the past two national Philippine pageants, the role of social media was asked of certain candidates and surprisingly, one candidate clammed up and the other one cannot seem to explain her thoughts that she keeps on repeating the thesis of her answer. Although the second candidate would have done better if she was emphatic with her answer and that she did not beat around the bush. If we come to think about it, for sure these two candidates were using social media networks to reach out to their “own” virtual communities. Although they are part of the new system of things, they seem not to know their role in the continuum of the system. It has been echoed in other national pageants like in Nepal, Lebanon, Australia and Canada. The relevance of this topic can never be overemphasized then.

April Love Jordan and Analie Forbes, two beautiful faces that graced Philippine pageants whose placements were marred by their answers concerning social media

What is social media? As one website defines it, social media is a countless array of internet based tools and platforms that increase and enhance the sharing of information. This new form of media makes the transfer of text, photos, audio, video and information in general increasingly fluid among internet users. It has attained great relevance not only for regular internet users but business as well. Different platforms like Facebook, Google+ and Myspace have created online communities where people can share as much or as little personal information as they desire with other members. The result is an enormous amount of information that can be easily shared, searched, promoted, disputed and created. 

Picture Credit: Fred Cavazza

With so much information, things can go skewed and people who have such information can use them to benefit them. One good example is that people who held such information can profile people and start targeting them using advertisement for products that would particularly be suited to them. You would wonder why you are receiving advertisements coming from certain companies which you have never subscribed to. This is because, these firms advertise to your internet platform and your internet platform allows such product propaganda to reach you through your emails or accounts.

It is no wonder then that questions about social media are asked of candidates. In our digital age, news about something comes even earlier than what would be seen in televisions. The pageants are watched all over the world through live streaming while those that do not have fast internet connections can read the live blogs of writers and this would make you as someone that seems to be in the pageant hall like any other fans are. With the advent of the digital age, we reached out to other people all around the globe and asked them their choices of who they think will win in the pageants. We tried that here in Queentessence and we got a 100% prediction rate of who are the people who will enter the Top 15 of the Binibining Pilipinas Beauty Pageant. You can also feel on what pageants are being followed by fans. They register the most visits to the sites during their particular season. You can also feel when they are most emphatic of their choices as these reflect in their posts in beauty pageant forums.

Photo Credit: Op111 Productions

The social media is also like a pulse meter. It had been used to determine the popularity of the pageant as well as the popularity of the candidates. Many pageant fans say that the Miss Photogenic title should not be bestowed to the candidate with the most votes in the internet. It should be renamed Miss Internet Popularity and the Miss Photogenic title should be given back to the photographers as they have all the right to choose the candidate that comes out best in pictures. It has also been used to choose the candidate that will join the choices of the judges and/or the organizers in the semifinalist selection, i.e. if the candidate is not within the choices of the panel of selectors. They say that social media had greatly democratized the selection of the semifinalists by letting the pageant followers to inject their choices to the highly elitist preferences of the judges. Why do we say the choices are highly elitist? It is so because the judges’ are looking for the organization’s role model for everything. They are looking for a role model to pursue their humanitarian endeavors and even role model for certain products that sponsor their affairs and so and so forth.

Photo Credit: http://larrison.blogspot.com/2011/05/tips-for-nurturing-brand-community.html

Social media has created communities of people in the cyberspace or in virtual world. It has practically united people of different persuasions and culture. It has given people a venue to interact and communicate to one another. It has given people the chance to study and learn from one another. It has given the opportunity to unify in an undertaking. Take an example, the recent production number of the Miss World Philippines 2012. It was done in Ati-Atihan fashion. And just after watching it on television, someone uploaded it to the internet and people around the world have already watched the number. And what is Ati-Atihan to other nationalities? They may not know but would give them the idea that it is a fiesta celebration in honor of the Child Jesus. In an instant, all of these are grasped in the social media. And people around the world that have watched it would learn about our culture and people with the same or similar culture hold on to it. It becomes a venue for people to look back and reminisce what is in her culture and thus appreciate their identity further. 

Our local pageants are basically a microcosm of Philippine culture but it is noteworthy that pageant nowadays, present the highly technological world changes and those new values in morality, gender and place are changing and these are what the outside world sees. There are times pageants are criticized to be so outdated and there are times that it is so futuristic but conceptually, they should be representatives of the local culture. Such approaches to presentation are caught in social media and we see a cacophony of ideas of how culture should be presented in beauty pageants or if we look at the other way round, how beauty pageants have become part of our culture.

Photocredit : socialmediamarketingmadeeasy.co.nz

Social media as seen among beauty pageant candidates is as confusing as ever because they most of them think that it is apart from what they are doing in their lives. They do not realize that they have become parts of the social media and that by being part of it, it has become part of their way of living and thus become part of their culture. And this is the point, since it has become part of our culture, it is difficult to express in the way others would want us to explain or theorize with. Social media has become a barometer for greater societal changes. In this day and time, social media have made the world accessible with just the flick of the finger. In the future, it will probably make life communicate with other life forms in this vast expanse of the universe. 

MISS SUPRANATIONAL IN FOCUS

by Raphael Porciuncula

The franchise for the Miss Supranational Philippines has been in the news since last April. It has been a buzz in the grapevines that the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. got the franchise for Miss Supranational and the winner for the Philippines will be crowned as one of the title holders on April 15, 2012, all eyes and interest are focused with the Pageant. But alas, no such thing happened. And it seems the news was archived and it died a natural death.

Miss Supranational is a relatively new pageant and is on its 4^th year of existence. Three previous winners were crowned. It was only last year that the Philippines sent a representative courtesy of a Cebu-based organization in the person of Lourenz Grace Remetillo. The Philippine representative was not successful though amidst the euphoria of pageant fans in the performances of other Philippine representatives in other pageants. The idea of a beauty pageant organization in the Philippines sending a representative to this new pageant excites a lot of fans and thus putting our focus in this article.

Oksana Moira of Ukraine, the First Miss Supranational 2009

Very few pageant fans know the meaning of supra. Supra means above. So when taken in to the word Supranational, it means literally above national. So when we take it into context, it means international. If Miss Universe is of American Origin, Miss World is to the British, Miss International is to the Japanese, Miss Tourism is to the Chinese, Miss Earth is to the Philippines, Queen of the World is to the Germans, then Poland has its own pageant version, the Miss Supranational.

Karina Pinilla Corro of Panama, Miss Supranational 2010

The Miss Supranational is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the World Beauty Association and was founded in 2009 in Plock, Poland. During the inception year, 36 candidates participated in the contest. The following year saw 66 countries participating and last year 70 delegates competed and Monica Lewchuzk of the host country won. The organization has a slogan of “Unite our World with Beauty.” Previous winners were Oksana Moria of Ukraine (2009) and Karina Pinilla Corro of Panama (2010).

Monika Lewchuzk of Poland- Miss Supranational 2011

This year, an organization, Beyond Filipinas Inc. (http://beyond-beauty.org/) holds the franchise of Miss Supranational Philippines. And based on their website on September they will be staging a beauty pageant that will not only search for the winner of Miss Supranational but also Miss Globe, Miss Globe International, Miss Global International and Miss Intercontinental. Thus, five titles will be awarded in a night conceptualized through a fashion-inspired theme extravaganza. The pageant will be televised by GMA7. It would worth watching how this organization will create and titillate the interest of the pageant fans who are more biased in their interest towards the selection of the Philippine representative to the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Will they be able to sustain an interest? 

MISS WORLD PHILIPPINES 2012 : A CRITICAL REVIEW

By Jetset Alejandro

The Miss World Philippines 2012 Winners
Picture Credit: Yahoo Asia New Bureau

I did not expect to make a review of Miss World Philippines 2012 as it was aired in TV5. There is no international telecast of the pageant and thus I would have to content myself watching from the downloaded youtube videos. I have to laboriously download those clips and then compose the whole to make a complete pageant viewing.

In the press releases why MWP changed home, TV5 is said to promise the MWP organization to make it a pageant with pizzazz and interest but after watching the clips, I would say that the pageant remains to be a boring spectacle. However, the MWP still showed segments of swimsuit, evening gown and the final question and answer portion. This was good because if they patterned it to the MW pageant done in 2011, there would have been no excitement at all.

Picture Credit: Miss World and TV5

Let me painstakingly make a run down of what the pageant was all about:

THE VENUE AND THE STAGE:

The Stage as seen from afar during the presentation of the first special set of awards
Picture Credit: Yahoo Asia News Bureau

The venue is at the Tent of the Manila Hotel. I was surprised that the Manila Hotel had this place for entertainment. The stage seems to be just enough for the 25 candidates. There was not much elaborate stage design. It was kept to a minimum. Someone remarked that there is no grandeur that emanates from the stage. Knowing that the preparations is only for two weeks, I was not really expecting that much but the real problem is that it was in the news that they would top all other pageant presentations. Hence, this greater expectation.

THE PRODUCTION NUMBER:

We were introduced to the girls in an impressive Ati-Atihan number and comparing to last year’s presentation this one is simply much better. There is enough excitement and energy to be felt and thus created a more enjoyable viewing fare. I have also taken note of the lighting. The lighting showed was adequate and therefore the girls can be viewed with much clarity. However, the camera panning and focusing were still oft just like what ABS-CBN does. The girls are shown sometimes in bad angles and thus they do not give justice to the pretty faces performing out there.

THE HOSTS:

The Hosts of MWP 2012 - Edu Manzano and Ruffa Gutierrez
Picture Credit: Noel Orsal of pep.ph

Edu Manzano and Ruffa Gutierrez handled the show very well. Being in the business for quite so long had honed them well in pageants like this. But since the proceedings at the boob tube was quite long and drags even their hosting cannot enliven the show that much. Mr. Fu and Patricia Fernandez served as backstage commentators and social media connectors. Patricia showed zest and verve and she was remarkable. The pageant annotators/anchors were two male models John James Uy and Victor Basa they also came out so inadequate as compared with their seasoned counterparts. There was such an obvious inexperience in doing the job. 

Photo Credits: Rhoy Cobilla and Ver Paulino

THE JUDGES:

The distinguished panel of judges is composed of the following:

Raymund Isaac – a Master Lensman

James Younghusband – Azkals Team player

Hon. Sonny Angara – Aurora Representative

Melinda Reyes – President and CEO of Zenea

Roberto Barreiro – Chief Operating Officer of TV5

Hon. Ramon “Bong” Revilla – Senator

Emmanuel Ramon Lorenzana – Head of Smart Communications’ Wireless Consumer Division

Clint Navales – External Relations Country Leader of Procter and Gamble Philippines  

Baby Cruz –President and owner of Frank Provost

Becky Garcia – founder and President of Dancesport Council of the Philippines

Amelia R. Ablaza – Honorary Consul of Guatemala

Lorna Tolentino – Multi-awarded Actress

Maria Fe Agudo – Hyundai President

ER Ejercito – Laguna Governor

THE SWIMSUIT ROUND

All the candidates paraded in their swimsuits. They were divided into two groups. First group was Candidates 1 to 12 and the second group was from Candidates 13 to 25.  It is very apparent that Candidate Number 22 was ahead of the pack during the swimsuit round. It was not surprising when her name was called as the Best in Swimsuit. Candidate Number 19 Marie Loraine De Guzman was also a sight to behold.

MWP 2012 Candidates in Swimsuit. Photo Credits : Noel Orsal for PEP

THE EVENING GOWN SEGMENT

The girls again paraded in their evening gowns. The girls were given the leeway to choose what gowns they should wear. The gowns were adequately beautiful but some are really hideous and do not give justice to the girls. One of Queentessence’ favorite Maham Ahmed sashayed in a gown that looks too big for her. She has a very good body and yet the gown did not flatter her instead stupefied her. Eventual First Princess Candidate Number 13, Mary Anne Ross Misa was in a serpentina gown and the hemline was outrageous. Although she carried it with aplomb, she looks despicable. Other pageant fans say the same. Candidate Number 17 who had the most fans carried herself breathtakingly and she romped with the best in long gown award.

The MWP 2012 Candidates in the Long Gown Presentation. Photo Credits: Yahoo Asian News Bureau

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TOP 12:

After the rounds of the special awards, the Top 12 was announced and they are as follows:

1.    Candidate Number 14 – Mariver Ocampo

2.    Candidate Number 22 – Queenierich Rehman

3.    Candidate Number 18 – Rufaida Babudin

4.    Candidate Number 5 – Carla Jenina Lizardo

5.    Candidate Number 19 – Marie Loraine de Guzman

6.    Candidate Number 1 – Kay Wigand

7.    Candidate Number 13 – Mary Anne Ross Misa

8.    Candidate Number 17 – April Love Jordan

9.    Candidate Number 11 – Vania Valiry Vispo

10.Candidate Number 16 – Brenna Cassandra Gamboa

11.Candidate Number 12 – Paulina Eliseeff

12.Candidate Number 2 – Vanessa Claudine Ammann

Upon the announcement of the Top 12 candidates, there was a big hush among pageant fans as some early favorites did not get in to the Top 12. To name a few, they are Mary Grace Lacap, Maham Ahmed, Fer Mary Baliquig and Rizzini Gomez. These candidates got what it takes to be also crowned as the Queen of the Night. The buzz became stronger when it was learned from pageant handlers that there was no Pre-judging that was done. If the judges evaluated the candidates that night right there and then, then the Top 12 were chosen on the basis of the Beauty of Face, Swimsuit scores and Evening gown scores. There is no input from the cerebral department that would separate the beauty with brains.

Photo Credits: Yahoo Asian News Bureau

After the announcement of the Top 12, the candidates came out in the Filipina Terno and they were serenaded by male artists Kean Cipriano, Ebe Dancel and McCoi Fundales.  It is such a sight to behold because the candidates were very much taller than the performers serenading them. It was also something to behold because these artists serenading them are rock stars and yet they were belting out songs by the APO Hiking Society. Quite a novelty!

Photo Credit: Noel Orsal for Pep.ph

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TOP 5:

I was expecting that a round of questions is given to the candidates before the selection of the Top 5. But there was none. The Top 5 candidates were then announced. Am I made to believe that the Top 5 were chosen based on their appearance in the Terno segment? Beats me! And the Top 5 were as follows:

1.    Candidate Number 22 – Queenierich Rehman

2.    Candidate Number 13 – Mary Anne Ross Misa

3.    Candidate Number 17 – April Love Jordan

4.    Candidate Number 16 – Brenna Cassandra Gamboa

5.    Candidate Number 2 – Vanessa Claudine Amman

The Top 5 was quite expected. Although as one article in Queentessence wrote that Vanessa Amman was the unheralded candidate in the Top 5, she was expected to get in because of the numerous special awards she was receiving. Although it should have been nicer that we hear them say something before the Top 5 is chosen.

THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTION

For this portion, the question came from the followers of the pageant fielded through the social media. It was something expected since I heard these questions from other pageants as well. But let us see how the candidates fared in this portion:

1.    Candidate Number 2 : Vanessa Claudine Amman

Questions: If you were given the chance to travel back in time, what lesson of today would you tell the Filipinos in the past and why?

Answer: If I had the opportunity to tell the people of the past about the future today, I would tell them how proud I am that they kept their virtues and their respect for their families and that even in this time that is something that we treasure. And that’s why I wouldn’t change a thing because I appreciate the heritage where I come from and I’m very proud of the Filipinos of today.

2.    Candidate Number 13: Mary Anne Ross Misa

Question: Have you ever been bullied? What can you advice people who are often bullied?

Answer: Yes I have been bullied back in my childhood days. And it just motivated me to prove those people wrong because I think if you have the dignity in yourself and the strong will that you can do things and people don’t think that you can, I think that’s what’s going to make you successful in life.

3.    Candidate Number 16 – Brenna Cassandra Gamboa

Question: If you could choose one value that Filipinos should be proud of, what is it and why?

Answer: One valuable lesson…..When I first came to the Philippines is that Filipinos are very proud of they are. That is one thing that I am proud of. I am a Filipino. I am proud. Our family is always together. Thank you.

4.    Candidate Number 17 – April Love Jordan

Question:  Do you think social media has made our society worse or better?

Answer: I believe that the social media has made our society better. It made us united easily. I believe that social media is a good influence to everyone and it is easier. It made us united and I believe that now, having social media is one of the tools for us to be successful and for our country to be successful because we have news easily and we can all be united. Thank you.

5.    Candidate Number 22 – Queenierich Rehman

Question: As an ambassador of the Philippines, what are the best features of your country that you can project to the world?

Answer: Good evening everyone. I believe that wherever you will go here in the Philippines, it’s not the islands that make us special but of the Filipinos who have warm hospitality, who are having smiles on their faces and of course who will treat all foreigners the love and respect, and hospitality that they can give to them. I believe that the Philippines is a country that we can be proud of.

As a rejoinder, I don’t usually make comments about the answers of the candidates because I believe there is no right or wrong answer to a question supposed to be asked. But since there is a Beauty and Brains award that was given after the Q and A portion, I might as well give my thoughts.

1.    First, the Beauty and Brains award. This is very high school or town pageant in concept. Awards like this should not be given in national pageants. It is very open to bickering and debates. Although the intention is great and to justify the reason why that particular candidate won in the contest. Now let us look at Queenie’s question. It is very similar to the question given to Angelee de los Reyes at the recent Binibining Pilipinas and the answer is very much the same in content only that Angelee delivered it in a bombastic manner. There is a great thought in the answer of Queenie but got cluttered in the end and I don’t think that was the best answer for the night.

2.    I was surprised the award was given to Queenie. I believe it should be given to Vanessa who was direct to the point and emphasized that the family at present is still the core of the Filipino society. For me it was a very simple answer but deeply and experientially sourced out and she gets my appreciation for her answer.

3.    People were so impressed with Mary Anne Ross Misa’s answer probably because of her deliver. Mary Anne from her Binibini days impressed me. She answers with conviction and sincerity. Despite of the flawed or cluttered thoughts, since her delivery is very impressive, everybody thinks it is already a very good answer.

4.    I think the question about social media confuses every pageant winner wannabee. This similar question was asked to a candidate in another pageant and it was a topic that has gone viral for so many days in pageant forums. It was made simpler for the MWP pageant and it got an almost the same rattled answer. Too bad, this girl should have been the title holder if not for her answer.

5.    Lastly, PRIDE is never a trait or value of Filipinos. It is humility. However, I cannot blame Brenna for her answer as she was grew up in the East Coast and thus, being proud of one’s identity has been greatly inculcated in her. Her answer might have taken a big chunk from her score and thus relegating her to 4^th princess status.

THE FAREWELL WALK

Outgoing First Princess Gwendoline Ruais made her last walk as Miss World Philippines 2011. The last year’s winners were also acknowledged and it was fitting tribute to the outgoing Queen.

Photo Credit: Gian Quiballo

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS:

The winners were predictable. The coronation as usual took a long time. It was much better in this edition though. Proclaimed 4^th Princess is Brenna Gamboa, a semi-finalist of the Miss Philippines-Earth 2010, Miss University 2011 and First Runner-Up in the World Supermodel 2011. The 3^rd Princess is April Love Jordan, a former semi-finalist at the Binibining Pilipinas 2009, Grand Prize Winner in the International Beauty and Model Competition 2009  and Mutya ng Pilipinas runner-up.         The second princess is Vanessa Amman, a Fil-German whose unconventional beauty caught every fans off-guard for they are on the look-out for classic beauties. She is a Miss Cebu runner-up and a runner-up in the Metro Model search. The First Princess is Mary Anne Ross Misa, a 5’10” all model and is a Binibini 2010 alumna. Crowned Miss World Philippines 2012 is Queenierich Rehman, a 24 year old Model of Fil-Morrocan ancestry. (Some reports say she has Pakistani ancestry. Other reports say she is of Palestinian descent.) She competed also in the 2011 edition of the Binibining Pilipinas.

 If you would notice, I intentionally did not put the special awards that went to the different candidates of choice by the sponsors. That has been the point of contention of a lot of pageant reviewers and critics. It eats up so much time making the proceeding so dragging and boring and thus long viewing hours. If they could have done a preliminary competition and the special awards were given during that time, then we could have a brisk and well-presented pageant. It is just my take on such.

THE NEW QUEEN IS A QUEEN

By Raphael Porciuncula

The Miss World Philippines crowned a new queen in the person of Queenrich “Queenie’” Rheman. Considered the favorite of almost all pageant fora, Queenie did not disappoint the fans. She was the queen in all aspects of the pageant – she sashayed in the ramp with so much flair and confidence. She was wowed the audience with her perfect body physique and she mesmerized the viewers with her queenly demeanor in the evening gown competition. When the 5 finalists came out in their Filipininana attire during the coronation portion, no one can deny it, she was the Queen of the Night – the crowned Miss World Philippines 2012.

Queenrich "Queenie Rheman, Candidate Number 13, 23 years old, newly crowned Miss World Philippines 2012 .
Photo Credits: TV-5/MWP

Queenie can be considered a pageant veteran. She participated in the Binibining Pilipinas 2011 Beauty Pageant and was in the semifinalist circle and got the Best in Swimsuit award during that year. Pageant pundits were one in agreement that she should have a crown during that edition of the pageant but truth to tell there were many deserving candidates and because of that she was edged out by other equally worthy candidates.

Miss World Philippines 2012 Queenrich Rehman
Photo Credits: Ferdinand Abejon

Taking her time out, Queenie honed herself in the fashion ramp. She was an epitome of professionalism and that one can see the passion and fervor that one day she would have a crown to eventually solidify a throne for her. And thus, the Queen eventually became a Queen by getting the Miss World Philippines 2012 plum.

Queentessence correctly predicted her winning the crown. Our choices were Queenie for the crown. The First Princess was Candidate Number 8, Maham Ahmed and the Second Princess choice was Candidate Number 13, Mary Rose Misa. Completing our choices for the 4^th and 5^th position were Candidates 17 and 16. Although we favored Maham Ahmed as the First Princess, our choices for the 3^rd slot got the second position, a newbie slugged the 3^rd position in the person of Vanessa Claudine Ammam (Candidate Number 2) and the 4^th and 5^th positions hit right to a T.

Queentessence Top 5 Picks: Queenrich Rehman MWP 2012, Maham Ahmed as First Princess; Mary Anne Ross Misa, Second Princess; April Love Jordan, Third Princess; and Brenna Gamboa, Fourth Princess.
 Photo Credits: MWP

It was a competition of beauty, body and poise. Candidates Number 17 and 22 were practically whacking the judges’ book until the final end. Candidate 17 was eclipsed by three beauties that did well in the final reckoning. Candidate Number 2 was a surprise as she became one of the favorites of the night. Her answer to the final question was even much better than the final winner. Mary Anne Ross Misa (Candidate Number 13) delivered a very good answer on the question if she had been bullied and what is her advice to people who had been bullied. Candidate 22 eventually edged them with her acceptable and adequate answer to the question as well as the total package that she presented during the whole pageant. Quennie cannot be denied to her rightful claim to the crown. This Filipina of Palestinian heritage was simply resplendent and radiated splendidly as she gave her very best performance during the contest. It makes one not to wonder why she clinched the crown as sponsors select her to be a recipient of different special awards. 

The 2012 Winners for Miss World Philippines : Vanessa Amman - 2nd Princess Mary Anne Ross Misa - 1st Princess; QUEENRICH REHMAN , Miss World Philippines 2012 ; Brenna Gamboa - 4th Princess; April Love Jordan - 3rd Princess

Photo Credits: Ferdinand Abejon/MWP

Queenie follows in the footsteps of Miss Gwendoline Ruais who finished as first runner-up in the Miss World 2011 Competition. It would be a tough act to follow but things would probably augur well for Queenie – Miss World being of British origin, follows a tradition of royalty – Queenie as the new queen and as her name suggests befits royalty. 

MWP Queen 2012 and her court
Photo Credit: Missosology

We wish her the best of luck when she competes in Ordos, Inner Mongolia this coming July. Bring home the crown our new Queen.