2012 12 HITS FOR QUEENTESSENCE

by Jestset Alejandro

12. Miss Philippines=Earth 2012 Long Gown review hits the number 12 spot in both in readership and viewership. This article showcased the different gowns worn by the candidates of the different municipalities and provinces in the Philippines. What probably interest the readers about this article is the thought that these are made by Philippine designers and that they would want to see how they compare with other designers of international status.

11.  The topic on pageant prototypes hits number 11 in readership in Queentessence. Many believe that certain pageant organizations follow a certain criteria of choosing a candidate in a certain mold. But results of 2012 pageantry seems not to adhere to this molded criteria as it seemed that these organizations veered away from the usual way of choosing the best candidates for their pageants.  

10. Lavinia Otilla’s article on Timeless swimwears takes 10^th spot. The swimwear competition has basically evolved –from the usual 1 piece swimsuit to the two-piece swimwears. Even the two-piece swimwears evolved into the tankinis and to the present very low waist bikinis. Generation per generation showed us different styles of bathing suits that is a measure of a good physique for a beautiful body.

9.  It seems like Mr. Cezar Curti of Brazil and Mr. International of 2011 gets his dose of fans in Queentessence. He took the number 9 slot based on readership among Queentessence followers. It is such a pity that we have not focused much on male pageant winners because as you know we are called Queen=essence and that beats the icing on the cake. However, we would like to focus on future articles about our Philippine Male representatives who had been successful in their international pageants like Manhunt Winner  Jhun Macasaet and first runner-up in Mr. World, Andrew Wolfe.

8. Nicole Schmitz created great big hopes for pageant fans yearning for a 5^th Miss International Crown. This article landed 8^th in popularity amongst our readers. But alas, she managed only a 15^th semi-finalist position in a very long pageant with results creating a lot awes and sighs.

 7. Our regional feature about La Union was a hit probably because of its unique presentation. The candidates are in their town costumes and are riding electric decorated floats. It was an ingenious way to present the genius of the Ilocanos. The town costumes were awesome and that it underscored the fact that Filipino designers are not only creative but are really best in dressing up their countrymen.

6. If our regional feature underscored the need for Filipino designers to dress Philippine representatives, the article on Diversity and Creativity among Filipino Designers further bolstered this contention. It took the number 6 in reading circulation along with the article who should dress our Philippine Representatives. This is not a problem with other organizations but pageant pundits and fans point our to the Binibining Pilipinas Organization who sends the Philippine representative to Miss Universe. Pageant fans were up in arms when they saw the gown to be used by Miss Janine Tugonon in the contest. They said it was an ugly gown based on other candidates’ gown standards. Thankfully, the Philippine candidate represented herself exceedingly in the gown competition such that her feat was more acknowledged than the ugly gown. This topic causes bitter discussions among fans but it should now be a time that the Binibining Pilipinas should focus on this issue. Or is it a non-issue for them that they seem not to be affected at all.

5.  It was such a surprise; we got very high viewership on our article about Miss La Union 2012, Aiyana Camille “AJ” Mikiewicz . She is such a beauty. With many provincial and regional titles to boot, Miss La Union 2012 is a cinch for a national crown. If she joins the Binibining Pilipinas 2013 which she is aspiring to, she should get a good handler who knows the ins and outs of the pageant. With such a great following, we here in Queentessence wish her good luck.

4.  Janine is probably the most maligned beauty winner in other pageant forums but she is well-loved in this blogspot. Why do I say that? When we came out of an article about her winning the top plum at the Binibining Pilipinas, she chalked up a lot of readers’ viewing and went on to top the reading chart that month. Subsequent articles almost always make her a good read such as the probability of making a repeat of history for her. To Janine who made us proud last December 19, 2012 in Las Vegas, you have ended up as first runner-up in the eyes of everyone but deep inside their hearts you are their Miss Universe.

3. A Decade of Long Gowns in Miss Universe took the 3^rd slot in terms of readership. Whoa!!! Way to go Miss Lavinia. This is your third article in the Top 12 articles at Queentessence. Pageant pundits and fans are not only talking about personalities. They talk also about fashion and dresses. And we are happy Queentessence is trying to fill-in the gap of your reading or even probably research needs.

2. Binibining Pilipinas is still the pageant to watch among other Philippine pageants. It ranks number 2 among our Queentessence readers’ interest. From the time we launched our coverage, the articles have chalked up a very sizeable number of readership. May it, know the candidates, survey of preferences and all other activities; it is something we cannot ignore.

1. The continuing debate on what the Philippine candidate should wear as her national costume takes the center stage as the number one topic that took readers to the Queentessence blogspot. We surmise that they are not just pageant fans but are researchers who are looking for articles that will also support their contention on what our national costume should be. 

There you are folks. We wish everyone a 

HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY 2013! 

THE CONTINUING DEBATE ON THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL COSTUME

by Dominador Agbayani

When pageant fans bicker about the kind of national costume our candidates will have to wear in their international contests, we start to wonder why they have to do this. Even foreigners are apt to ask this question. It does not surprise me because the national dress identifies the national identity. I have been to different parts of the world and when you see a person with the way he/she dresses, you can easily identify where that person came from. 

Even dresses are made to convey a particular statement. In one pageant I have watched, there is a portion that the girls parade in their safari costumes. The aim is to project that they are for wildlife preservation – something that I found ironic because the costumes were made of wildlife parts and thus, it would seem that the creators of the costumes devastated wildlife instead of preserving it.

In a write-up by Mina Roces, entitled “Gender, nation, and the politics of dress in the 20th century Philippines” she chronicled how the barong Tagalog and the terno became political tools and a statement for the powerful and mighty during the Marcos regime. [1]  The many photographs of the then First Lady Imelda Romualdez in her dazzling terno showed how she promoted the country – as she adhered to her “only the good, true and the beautiful” concept. [2, 3]


Undoubtedly, the terno was promoted very actively most especially in pageants. Although the Philippine costume was less successful in the Miss Universe and Miss World beauty pageants, the terno was very much promoted and accepted in the Miss International beauty pageant.

 In 1972, 1976 and 1979, the Philippine candidates in their terno won honors as the Best in National Costume. The Philippine candidates were much luckier in the Miss Maja International beauty pageant. In 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1988, Philippine representatives won the award. In the defunct Miss Young International Pageant, Dorothy Sue Bradley in 1979, won also the Best in National Costume. [4] Would it be an understatement if we say that the terno’s popularity was seen and felt during the Marcos’ years? Yes, maybe but for every Filipino competitor, if the National Costume wins, then it becomes a matter of national pride in whoever’s regime it was. The names of the following designers- Pacita Longos, Juanita Roa, and Ramon Valera were said to be the fashion trendsetters when the terno is concerned. [5] The terno had become the fashion fare for state functions and affairs such as the rigodon de honor. It had become the staple of Flores de Mayo processions, coronation nights and stately functions in Malacanang Palace. [6]

I have read in forums referring to the Maria Clara type of costume as Filipiniana and the other Philippine costumes as that of the Igorots, Manobos, Subanon and other regional costumes as ethnic or folk costumes. These forum writers are misled into believing that the Maria Clara dress is the real Filipiniana costume because in essence, all these costumes which originated in the Philippines are all lumped up in a singular term called “Filipiniana.” The reference to the Maria Clara costume as the only Filipiniana is maybe derived from the fact that it is referred to as the Philippine National Costume for females. [3]      Furthermore, the original female national costume is the baro at saya which through the years has been transformed into the Maria Clara dress that eventually transformed into the traje de mestiza. [5, 7] Eventually the traje de mestiza was transformed to the present appearance of the present terno.

Criticisms abound when beauty queens parade in front of a foreign audience using the so-called national costume when they feel that it does not represent the true culture and identity of our nation. Critics bewail the organizers use of foreign designers doing our national costume. They agree generally that those done by foreign designers do not embody the Filipino soul and thus what is being paraded is a costume which is not authentically Filipino. The question of the national costume in international pageants has become not only a cultural one but has become political as well. Since the franchise holder for Miss Universe in the Philippines is Miss Stella Marquez Araneta, a former Miss International and a Colombian by birth, she is being accused of favouring her compatriots in the creation of the Philippine National Costume. She probably believes that the essence of the National Costume is in the person who wears it and not the designer who made it.

Others however, insist that the national costume should be Philippine and Filipino made to embody the ideals of a unified nation. On the other hand, sticking to one type or derivative of a costume makes other regional or ethnic groups marginalized. There has been a clamour amongst Filipino pageants fans to show other Philippine costumes because these too are more Filipino in essence compared to the Philippine terno which had great influences of Spain and once marked the thrust of the Marcos dictatorship. Although, it was Manuel L. Quezon who started the nationalist sentiment that the Barong Tagalog and the baro at saya should be our Dress Emblem when he was fighting for our independence from the Americans. It is not surprising therefore to see ethnic costumes paraded by our pageant queens in their international competitions. To a certain extent or degree, such show of the national costume demonstrates that we are a heterogeneous mix of culture and not a pure race as other countries would like to project. The great question has evolved in this debate of what national costume should be used for our candidates – is it the harmonized costume as exemplified by the terno or will it be a representation of our regional or ethnic costumes? I really don’t mind showcasing any of our Philippine costumes in the international arena as long as it is authentically Filipino...