Part 2: Bb Pilipinas Special Award Winners from Bohol

With the 55^th edition of Bb. Pilipinas taking place on March 18, Your Roving Eye will take you to a stroll down memory lane and give the spotlight again to the lovely Boholanas who won a special award or corporate sponsor award in the country's most prestigious beauty pageant.

Special awards are often the barometer used to determine who will most likely end up as the big winners at the conclusion of the coronation night. 

Corporate sponsor awards, on the other hand, indicate who made the best impression on the sponsors.

Here is the elite list of Boholanas who were special awards and corporate sponsor award recipients through the years: Only a handful of Boholanas have placed or made a mark in Bb. Pilipinas. In fact, only five of them have earned the distinction.

Here they are:

LUX LADIES

Three to five outstanding ladies who embody the qualities of Lux beauty soap are named as Lux Ladies during coronation night. More often than not, most if not all of the Lux Ladies end up as the big winners, runners up or finalists.

All five Lux Ladies made it to the Top 15 from a field of 37 beauties

In 1979, Peral Salig became the first of two Lux Ladies from Bohol. She was in good company. The others who made it as Lux Ladies were Criselda “Dang” Cecilio who was crowned Bb Pilipinas- Universe, Perla of course was 1^st Runner Up, Cathy Veloso was 2^nd Runner Up while Tina Orleans and Victoria Garcia made it as finalists.

Taina Manigque

In 1985, the Triumph Court of Fashion model Taina Manigque became the second Boholana to be selected as Lux Lady.

BEST IN EVENING GOWN

Anna Maris Igpit at 18 years old was the picture of elegance

In 2006, Anna Maris Arcay Igpit whose parents hail from Panglao, Bohol was proclaimed Best in Evening Gown. Three years of modeling and pageant experiences helped a lot in the very regal and elegant way that she showcased her evening and you cannot deny her stage presence and youthful charm during that particular segment.  

Candidate # 20 Anna Maris Igpit was a sight to behold in hewr swimsuit

Of course, the Best in Evening Gown award was just icing on the cake for she ended up with the Bb Pilipinas- World crown on her head at the conclusion of the pageant. 

2006 Bb Pilipinas Queens and Runners Up

Photo Credits: NJBP International

MISS TALENT

The first and only Boholana to be named Miss Talent in Bb Pilipinas is Richell Angalot. Her prior experience as 1^st Princess in GMA 7’s Starstruck reality talent search helped a lot as she oozed with confidence and charm during her talent presentation showcased weeks earlier before the pageant night. 

Richell Angalot is Miss Talent

Richell Angalot is Miss Araneta Center's Shoppers' Choice

Richell Angalot is also Miss Natasha Beauty

Aside from the Miss Talent special award, she was also the recipient of two corporate sponsor awards; Miss Natasha Beauty and Araneta Center's Shoppers' Choice.

2009 Bb Pilipinas Queens & Runners Up

Richell eventually finished as 1^st Runner Up.  

MISS PHOTOGENIC

will Karen Gallmann set another record for a second Miss Photogenic title on March 18?

Karen Gallman whose mom hails from Ubay, Bohol is the first and only Boholana to be voted as Miss Photogenic by the mediamen and press photographers who covered the event. Ms. Gallman won the Miss Photogenic title during her first attempt at Bb Pilipinas back in 2012.

Watch for the following BbPilipinas 2018 TV Specials, ABS CBN Channel 2:

Bb Pilipinas 2018 Primer            Sunday, March 11, 9 PM

Bb Pilipinas Pageant Night       Sunday, March 18, 9 PM

Part I: Boholanas Who Made a Mark in Bb Pilipinas

With the 55^th edition of Bb. Pilipinas taking place on March 18, Your Roving Eye will take you to a stroll down memory lane and give the spotlight again to the lovely Boholanas who made a mark in the country's most prestigious beauty pageant either as winner, runner up or finalist.   

Only a handful of Boholanas have placed or made a mark in Bb. Pilipinas. In fact, only seven of them have earned the distinction.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN ARE:

THE TITLEHOLDER:

2006 Bb Pilipinas- World: Anna Maris Igpit  

2006 Anna Maris Igpit of Panglao is the first and only Boholana to have won a Bb. Pilipinas crown. She was named the country’s bet to Miss World 2006 held in Warsaw, Poland. 

She made it as Beach Beauty finalist and was voted by readers of Poland’s biggest newspaper as one of the Five Most Beautiful Miss World 2006 Candidates.

THE RUNNERS UP:

1979 Bb Pilipinas 1st Runner Up

1979 was the year that a Boholana finally made it to the winners’ circle. The beautiful Perla Fernando Salig of Loboc was named 1^st Runner Up.  Perla competed in Bb. Pilipinas after she was crowned as Queen of Circulo Boholano de Cebu, the biggest and oldest Cebu- based association of Boholanos.  

Almost immediately upon arrival in Manila, she caught the eye of the organizers and the press for her natural beauty, charming personality and unaffected manners.

The Boholana’s achievement was truly remarkable because it was rare for girls from the provinces to get noticed in the national competition. She made it on her own with no connections whatsoever.

2009 Bb Pilipinas 1^st Runner Up: Richelle Angalot  

2009. Twenty years after Perla’s 1^st RU placement, another Boholana achieved the same placement. Richelle Angalot , a GMA 7 contract star who goes by the screen name Rich Asuncion became the third Boholana  to make it in the winners’ circle after she was named 1^st Runner Up to Bianca Manalo.

Ms. Angalot already had a name in showbiz after being proclaimed in the GMA 7 reality talent search Starstruck when she competed in Bb. Pilipinas 2009.

THE FINALISTS: 

 Emma in Binibini//Emma with classmates during the 2012 BPHSN INTL.REUNION DAY

1968. Exactly 50 years ago, Emma Mumar made pageant history as the first Boholana to earn a placement as a Bb. Pilipinas Top 15 Finalist. 

1968 Bb Pilipinas Poolside Press Presentation

Photo Credits: Tony Paat

1968  Bb Pilipinas Top Fifteen

Photo Credits: Tony Paat

1968 Bb Pilipinas Board of Judges that included actress Susan Roces
Photo Credits: Tony Paat

1982 Rowena Burden, ,a brainy & beautiful doctor whose mom traces her roots in Bohol made it as Top 15 Semi- finalist in 1982.  Her batch included the controversial Maria Isabel Lopez who was crowned Bb. Universe and 1st RU Desiree Verdadero.

1982 Bb Pilipinas Top 15

With her stunning looks and gift of gab, Ms Burden impressed a lot of pageant watchers and organizers.

Right after the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant, Rowena was approached by Madame Stella Araneta and was requested to acquire some training and come back the following year. She declined saying she wanted to pursue her medical degree and she joined mainly for the experience.

The 1st RU Desiree Verdadero heeded Madame's advice, rejoined the pageant two years later, won the Bb. Universe crown and went on to place as 3rd RU in the 1984 Miss Universe Pageant.

TRIVIA: There was an uproar in Cebu where she was based that time when she represented Bohol instead of Cebu in Bb Pilipinas 1982.

1985. Tall and gorgeous Taina Manigque was already a top model in the country and a member of the prestigious Triumph Court of Fashion when she joined Bb. Pilipinas. She made it as Top 15 Semi- finalist. Taina comes from a family of beauty queens.

1985 Bb Pilipinas Top 15 Finalist

TRIVIA: Cita Capuyon and Desiree Verdadero, Bb. Pilipinas- Universe winners for 1983 and 1984, respectively, were both Triumph Court of Fashion members.

Her younger sister MariJo was named one of Tagbilaran's Five Prettiest in 1985 and her niece Margo Manigque was crowned Miss Tagbilaran 2006

2012 Bb Pilipinas Top 12 Finalist

2012. Karen Gallmann of Ubay who competed in the pageant’s 2012 edition made it as a Top Twelve Finalist.

Six years after her first attempt at Bb. Pilipinas,  Karen is back and has been picked by most pageant experts and websites as one of the most likely to win one of the crowns this year. If that happens, she will be the second Boholana to be crowned a Bb Pilipinas queen.

Watch the 55^th edition of the Bb Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night happening on Saturday, March 18, SMART Araneta Coliseum, 8 pm with delayed telecast over ABS CBN 2 on the same day.

Boholanas in Miss World Philippines

 Will Lady Luck smile at Glyssa?  

BEHOLD BOHOL'S BEAUTY

With the Miss World Philippines  2017 Pageant on its last stretch before the coronation night on Sunday, September 3 and getting talked about by Boholanos online primarily because of high- profile Boholana beauty Glyssa Bingas Perez’ participation, let us recall the Boholanas who have qualified in the nationwide search.

ANNA MARIS IGPIT Who can forget Anna Maris Arcay Igpit? The Panglao beauty is the first and , so far, the only Boholana to have represented Bohol in the Miss World Pageant. 

She got the chance to compete for the blue crown after she was selected as Bb Pilipinas- World 2006. She went on to Warsaw, Poland later the same year to compete with more than a hundred beauty delegates from around the world. 

She may not have made it but she landed on the front pages of Poland’s leading newspapers after being voted by Polish readers as one of Miss World’s Five Prettiest.

 2006: Anna Maris Igpit

After Cory Quirino acquired the franchise to select the Philippines’ official bets from 2011 to 2016, the following have been among the lucky few to pass the rigid screenings:

DONNA MARICEL CARDINO In 2011, it was Donna Cardino of Clarin, Bohol who qualified for the national finals after passing the screening held in Cebu City. 

The 2004 Miss Bohol Top Ten Finalist and Best in Swimsuit didn’t make the Top Twelve that year but paved the way for the Boholana to be recognized in the newly acquired Miss World franchise in the Philippines.

 2011: Donna Maricel Cardino

FER MARY BALIQUIG In 2012, it was Fer Mary Baliquig, Miss Tagbilaran 2010 and Miss Bohol 2010 1st RU who qualified for the finals but didn’t make it. 

Earlier that year, she also qualified for Bb Pilipinas but lack of support hindered what might have been a breakthrough performance.

2012: Fer Mary Baliquig

GAZINI GANADOS The last Boholana to make it as official candidate was the celebrated beauty Gazini Ganados who qualified in 2014. 

She was one of the heavy favorites but she only made the Top Twelve due to inexperience and her young age.

 2014: Gazini Ganados

 Gazini with the MWP 2014 Favorites

What do you think of Glyssa’s chances?  

Miss Bohol Sighting in Sydney, Australia!

It’s a small world after all! Guess who would be bumping into each other one fine day in Sydney, Australia? Two of our revered Miss Bohol titleholders that’s who.

 

 Ms. Glyssa Perez & Ms. Anna Taylor

Reigning Miss Bohol 2016 Glyssa B. Perez who concurrently holds the titles of Miss JCI Visayas 2016 and Miss JCI Philippines 2016 and Miss Bohol 2005 Anna Maris Igpit- Taylor got the most pleasant surprise of their lives after they met up. 

Ms. Taylor, a Bb Pilipinas- World 2006 titleholder who is blissfully wed to an Aussie is Australia- based while Ms. Perez is in Sydney for a much- needed break and at the same time, visit mom Yolie Bingas Perez and her family. 

Miss World 2006 BFF's Reunite During Anna's Wedding

Ten years ago, when Anna Maris competed in Miss World 2006, she forged a close friendship with two of her fellow contestants from Asia. That friendship that has endured for a decade now has been strengthened by visits, emails, social media updates & being bridesmaids to their respective weddings.

  Singapore, Philippines & Hong Kong beauty sorority

 Photo Credits: April Lupot

 Photo Credits: Parul Shah

On her most unforgettable day, Anna was joined by Singapore’s Colleen Pereira & Hong Kong’s Janet Chow who have been both by her side when she walked down the sandy aisle with Tommy.

  the three ladies during Miss World 2006

Now who says pageants can’t be arenas for enduring friendship & sisterhood?

  Colleen, Janet & Anna 

Anna Igpit's Fabulous Wedding Styling

When royalty gets hitched, she deserves nothing but the best especially when styling her wedding is concerned.

That’s what Anna Maris Igpit, Bohol’s pride & first Boholana to win a national beauty title got for her stylish and talked about beach wedding at the South Palms Resort in Panglao, Bohol.  

 Tommy & Anna Taylor

Michael Yu & Joseph Ven Dumadag, the creative tandem behind Blue Grass Project, went full steam ahead and left nothing to chance to give the radiant bride the dream beach wedding that she had always wanted.

 Anna's ultra- feminine bouquet

For starters, Anna Maris Igpit's bouquet was created out of pink and white peonies, astilbe, rice flowers, eucalyptus, wax flowers and fine fillers with a cabochon gemstone accent.

The weather cooperated and gave the couple & their guests the most perfect azure skies that served as canopy during the entire ceremony. 

Amidst the gentle lapping of the waves and to the thunderous applause from everyone, the couple was pronounced husband and wife.

It was a most awesome wedding indeed and thanks to the beautiful people and the impeccable styling of Blue Grass Project who recently got named to the exclusive list of the Philippines' top ten wedding florists by Merry to Marry,  everyone would have something to gush about for days.

Photo credits: Mango Red & Michael Yu of Blue Grass Project For more of Bohol's fabulous event stylists, visit their FB Page  Blue Grass Project