Meet the 2016 Bb Pilipinas Girls Who Caught Your Roving Eye's Attention

Finally, contestant numbering has just been concluded. Numbers are usually assigned according to height with the tallest girls getting the middle numbers in this case # 20 & # 21 and the rest taper down like the silhouette of a pyramid. 

With the pinning & assigning of numbers, the girls can finally heave a sigh of relief and this means that the Bb Pilipinas 2016 season is officially open. 

From more than a hundred applicants, 40 hopefuls have been selected as the official candidates for the country’s longest running & most prestigious national beauty pageant.

Three of my pre- pageant faves

For the fourth straight year, a Boholana is absent from the roster of candidates not because there is a dearth of beauty queen material in Bohol but because it requires a lot of logistical support to sustain an almost two-month stay in Manila for the competition.

The last time Bohol was represented in the Bb Pilipinas pageant was back in 2012 with Miss Tagbilaran 2010 Fer Mary Baliquig and former Miss Ubay Karen Gallman as the qualified candidates.

Five titles are at stake, namely; Miss Universe Philippines, Bb. Pilipinas INTERNATIONAL,   Bb. Pilipinas  INTERCONTINENTAL, Bb. Pilipinas   SUPRANATIONAL, and Bb. Pilipinas  GRAND INTERNATIONAL. 

Performance of 2015 Bb Pilipinas titleholders in their international pageant assignments:

CANDIDATE	PAGEANT	DATE	VENUE	PLACEMENT
Ann Lorraine Colis	Miss Globe	Oct.  8	Toronto,Canada	Winner
Parul Shah	Miss Grand Int’l	Oct. 25	Bangkok, Thailand	3rd RU
Janicel Lubina	Miss International	Nov. 5	Tokyo, Japan	Top Ten
Rogelie Catacutan	Miss Supranational	Dec. 4	Krynica-Zdroj, Poland	Top 20
Christi Lynn McGarry	Miss Intercontinental	Dec. 18	Magdeburg, Germany	1st RU
Pia Wurtzbach	Miss Universe	Dec 20	Las Vegas, USA	Winner

2015 has been another great year for Bb Pilipinas titleholders who all placed in their respective pageant missions and whoever will be crowned as this year’s queens will have the formidable task of equaling or surpassing their predecessors’ performances. 

 Who will succeed the Queens of 2015?

The greatest pressure will surely be felt by Pia Wurtzbach’s  successor as pageant fans will expect nothing less than a back- to- back Miss Universe victory. A very difficult and almost impossible assignment I must say but still achievable if everything will be aligned in her favor.

NOTE: Although Parul Shah was the 2014 Bb Pilipinas TOURISM winner, she was appointed by Madame Stella Marquez for she was not able to compete abroad in 2014.

Good luck to all forty fabulous Filipinas as they begin their journey for a Bb Pilipinas crown.

Do enjoy the journey! Cheers! 

Photos by Bruce Cassanova for Bb Pilipinas Charities, Inc

Miss Universe Homecoming of Gloria Diaz and Margie Moran

The recent homecoming of Pia Wurtzbach brought back memories of the triumphant homecoming of the country’s first two Miss Universe titleholders. In 1969, Gloria Diaz became the first Filipina to win the crown followed in 1973 by Margie Moran.

Stella Marquez de Araneta, the first Miss International and the Bb Pilipinas Charities, Inc. Chairperson, had already produced two Miss Universes, one Miss International and a bunch of runners up & semifinal placements since getting the Miss Universe franchise in 1964 and the Miss International franchise in 1968

GLORIA DIAZ HOMECOMING

When asked what is the best thing about being Miss Universe, Gloria Diaz answered “I guess having done my best for the country” Gloria came home to a glorious welcome one bright day in August 1969.

 Glorious Homecoming

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MARGIE MORAN HOMECOMING

Just like Pia Wurtzbach, Margie Moran considers her homecoming as the most important part of winning the crown because it’s when you are finally home that you feel your triumph.  

For Margie, returning home to the cheers and warm welcome of our countrymen was the highlight of the whole winning—making the Filipinos proud, that was the biggest accomplishment.

Margie Moran  was accompanied by her father Francis, mother Rosario,

 sister Lulette, her six brothers, grandmother Nieves and uncle Eddie

Malacanang, 1973 

Nine days after winning the crown, she finally came home and welcomed by cheering countrymen who kept shouting “Mabuhay”. She was met at the airport by government officials, relatives and family.

Flower petals, confetti and ticker tape kept raining during her motorcade where she wore an aqua terno with her Miss Universe crown, sash & scepter. 

But more than the Miss Universe crown which is for a year’s reign, it’s really what Margie and Gloria have become and accomplished after their reign that defined them later in life.

Long May You Reign Gloria & Margie!

What Does Annie Corrales Have in Common with Pia Wurtzbach, MJ Lastimosa and Maricar Balagtas?

Everyone has been talking of how Pia Wurtzbach had to hurdle Bb Pilipinas thrice in 2013, 2014 & 2015 before she could make it to the Miss Universe Pageant. Ditto for Mary Jean Lastimosa who also competed in the 2011, 2012 & 2014 editions of Bb Pilipinas before she finally triumphed.

Third Time’s a Charm for Maricar, Pia & MJ 

But did you know that they weren’t the only ones who joined thrice? We have quite a number but the aforementioned are just two of four ladies who made three attempts before winning the crown that would bring them to the world’s most prestigious beauty competition.

 The belief that the third attempt is more
 likely to succeed  than the previous two tries.

 Maricar in controversial Pintado
costume during Miss U 2004

In her third and final attempt, Maricar Manalaysay Balagtas ultimately got her wish to represent the Philippines in Miss Universe. Her first attempt at Bb Pilipinas was in 2000 where she got only the Miss Close Up Smile special title and didn’t make the semifinals. 

The next year, she enlisted again and this time, she was Best in Swimsuit and made it all the way to the Final Five. That same year, she was appointed by Madame Stella Marquez to be RP’s bet to the Miss Globe International Pageant which she won thus making her the first Asian to win the said title (not to be confused with the Miss Globe 2015 crown by Ann Lorraine Colis)

But Maricar’s ultimate dream was to compete in Miss Universe, considered by most Filipinos as the mother of all beauty pageants. She was crowned Bb Pilipinas- Universe 2004 and flew to Quito, Ecuador for the Miss U pageant. Although a hot favorite, she was shockingly excluded from the list of Top 15 semifinalists.

But long before Maricar, MJ and Pia made their mark in Philippine pageantry, there was Mary Ann Carmen Philipps Corrales who started it  back in the 50’s. Here is the story:

ANNIE CORRALES: Tried Three Times

Annie's Attempts for Miss U

She first competed in the 1955 Miss Philippines Pageant won by Yvonne Berenguer de los Reyes and placed as Miss Mindanao, the equivalent to  3^rd RU or fourth place.   

She decided to skip the pageant  the following year but Edith Nakpil, the 1956 Miss Philippines winner, decided not to go to the 1956 Miss Universe Pageant at the last minute. 

A special search was then organized to select the Philippines’ official candidate for the international pageant and this time, Ms. Corrales changed her mind and signed up for the pageant. 

Despite being a pageant veteran and who was already a Miss Aviation 1955 titleholder (a prestigious pageant in the 50’s), Annie experienced what Pia and MJ would also experience half a century later; a heartbreaking loss the second time around, this time to Isabel Escobar Rodriguez.

RP First Lady Leonila D. Garcia crowns
Annie Corrales as Miss Philippines 1957

Eventually, the perseverance, persistence and patience of Mary Ann Carmen Philipps Corrales or simply Annie Corrales paid off. 

On her third attempt, she finally got what she had been aiming for during the last three years. She was crowned the 1957 Miss Philippines on June 23, 1957, the same year that a Boholano assumed the presidency of the Philippines. 

In fact, Annie was even crowned by Pres. CPG's wife, First Lady Leonila D. Garcia during the pageant's finale.

Ms. Corrales then represented the Philippines in the controversial 1957 Miss Universe Pageant in Long Beach, California.

She may not have placed in the international pageant but she surely won a lot of friends with her grace and humility and knew how to get noticed by the press. She did this in a photo opp with World War II mortal enemies tuned Miss Universe BFF's, Miss Japan & Miss USA who would later be disqualified after being found out to be married and had two kids!

 Photo Credits: Tony Paat

She displayed her breeding & sense of sportsmanship in a post- pageant newspaper interview when she described her Miss Universe Pageant experience as a wonderful and unforgettable experience that money cannot buy.  

Here's another anecdotal trivia about Annie: She is the first & only Miss Philippines who brought her own stylist/ hair & make artist to the Miss Universe Pageant. Talk about covering all bases before facing the competition.

That’s Annie Corrales dear blog readers and thanks to her, many other Pinay beauties followed her footsteps and did well on their second and third attempts.

After all, quitters never win and winners never quit.

Have You Read About the Pia Dolls?

While doing my weekly online research and updates for my weekly newspaper lifestyle column, I came across these photos of Queen Pia with a set of Pia dolls that a pageant fan has lovingly & painstakingly created for her.

   Pia is fascinated with her miniature versions

  Pia is absolutely thrilled when Ian presented the
 doll replica during her birthday before Miss U

Turns out that Ian Mendajar, a Pia admirer and pageant fan has been creating a set of miniature beauty queens all dressed up in Pia Wurtzbach’s iconic dresses as a tribute to the beauty queen while following her journey from Bb Pilipinas and all the way to Miss Universe 2015.

 Miss U 2015 with fellow Bb Pilipinas queens

L-R: Venus, Shamcey, Janine , MJ & Ara

   Pageant fan & Pia admirer Ian Mendajar with
his creations of art & labor of love

   The Pia Doll that started it all

His first creation was inspired by the evening gown of Wurtzbach during the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, the second one patterned after Albert Andrada’s gown and given as an advanced gift to Wurtzbach, and the third dubbed as “Pia Doll Version 3.0” was created with a replica of Bessie Besana’s gown for Pia during the Star Magic Ball

 Pia looks like a doll in this photo

Pia's Bb Pilipinas 2015 gown & regional costume

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Pia in her Bessie Besana creation worn 

during the Star Magic Ball

Ian's reciprocates Pia's gift for the
Philippines with this Pia Doll in
Albert Andrada replica gown
as his gift  

These dolls are not only a collector’s item but also a collective symbol of our nation’s love and admiration for our beauty queens.

Thank You Philippines for the Best Miss Universe Homecoming Parade

Thousands came and lined up along the parade route as everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the country’s newest sensation & pride, Pia Wurtzbach who looked absolutely queenly and confidently beautiful on board her Miss Universe crown inspired float. 

The parade started at 2 pm and ended when dusk came yet people were excitedly gawking & waving at Pia and chanting her name.  

The unbelievably huge turnout and the overwhelming display of love given by our countrymen to our third Miss Universe titleholder has confirmed that we are a country that takes pride in our beautiful women and how we are lavish with praises and profuse with our compliments when our beauty queens wins an international crown especially the Miss Universe crown.

 selfie moment to capture the historic images

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Indeed, ours is a pageant- crazy nation that fiercely protects and supports its candidates in international pageants. In fact, the overwhelming support we give our beauty queens has been a source of both admiration and envy for other international beauty delegates particularly during the Miss Universe pageant season

 

This brings me back to a conversation I had with the Polish representative to Miss Earth 2002 when all 53 beauty delegates came here in Bohol for a pre- pageant activity at the Bohol Tropics Resort. The girls were touched by Boholanos’ warm welcome for them when they arrived in our island. Miss Poland remarked that Filipina beauty queens are luckier than their European counterparts when it comes to attention & support given to pageants.

building work stopped when Miss U
acknowledged the construction team
Photo Credits: Jonas Gaffud

More than just being a symbol of the winsome charm and global appeal of the Filipina, Pia Wurtzbach’s victory in the international arena has become an inspiration for Filipinos around the world and a timely reminder that anything is possible if we have the discipline, drive and determination.

Thank you Pia for reminding us! Mabuhay Ka!