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.

Boholana Beauties in Bb. Pilipinas

It's Bb. Pilipinas season once again and so we take a look back into the past and remember the beautiful Boholanas who placed in the country's most prestigious beauty pageant.

Back in 1979, a lovely lady from Loboc, Bohol won 1st RU and was chosen asMiss Lux in the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant and thus became the first Boholana to place in said pageant.

What made her feat truly remarkable was the fact that she made it on her own with no connections whatsoever and it was a very competitive batch that included Criselda Dang Cecilio, Bb Universe, Mimilanie Laurel Marquez who eventually won the 1979 Miss International title and of course the very controversial Ma. Theresa "Si Ako, Si Ikaw" Carlson, Bb. Young International who passed away in the mid- 200's under very mysterious circumstances

The name of this fresh- faced Boholana beauty? Perla Salig

1979 Bb Pilipinas Queens during Perla's time: L-R: Melaniue Marquez, 
Ava Quibranza, Dang Cecilio & Theresa Carlson

Melanie Marquez eventually won Miss International 1979

 Taina Manigque is 3rd from left. Inset is Joyce Ann Burton who won the Bb Universe title

Taina Manigque is the girl in the center

Another Boholana beauty Taina Manigque, a member of the exclusive Mondragon Triumph Court of Fashion, was a Top Fifteen Finalist and Miss Lux Awardee in the 1985 edition of the pageant

Another Boholana, Rich Asuncion, equalled Perla's feat when she also  placed as 1st RU in the 2009 edition of the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant.

Anna Maris Igpit however is the first and so far, the only Boholana to have won a Bb. Pilipinas crown. She ensnared the 2006 Bb. Pilipinas- World crown and represented the country later that year in the Miss World Pageant held in Poland.

She didn't make the cut in the SMS- driven preliminaries but her exotic charms proved to be a big hit in Poland when she was selected by Poland's widely- circulated and most respected paper as one of the "Five Prettiest Miss World Girls for 2006".

Anna Maris Igpit during her triumphant return to Bohol in 2006

INTERESTING TRIVIA ON BOHOLANAS WHO MADE A MARK IN BB. PILIPINAS

1968. Emma Mumar is the first Boholana to place as a Bb. Pilipinas semifinalist which she did in the 1968 edition of the pageant.

1979. Perla Salig is the first Boholana to win a special award in Bb. Pilipinas. She was one of the Three Miss Lux Ladies in 1979.

She is also the first Boholana to place in the winners' circle when she was selected as 1st RU to Criselda "Dang" Cecilio, Bb. Universe that year

 Dr. Rowena is Forever Fabulous 

1982. Rowena Burden ,a brainy & beautiful doctor from Jagna, 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.

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. 

1985. Taina Manigque was a Top 15 Semi- finalist and Miss Lux Lady in 1985. Taina comes from a family of beauty queens.

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

Anna Maris Igpit is Best in Gown

2006. Anna Maris Igpit of Panglao is the first and only Boholana to have won the Best in Evening Gown award which she won in 2006 enroute to the 2006 Bb. Pilipinas- World title which makes her also as the first and only Boholana to have won a national beauty title

2009. Rich Asuncion is the first and only Boholana to have won the Miss Talent award in Bb. Pilipinas.

She also won two special corporate titles

 Rich Asuncion is the only  Miss Talent

2012. Karen Gallmann of Ubay who competed in the 2012 edition of the pageant is the first and only Boholana to have won the Miss Photogenic title.

Miss Gallmann, a pre- pageant favorite, also ended up as a Top 12 Finalist

Only the Best in Swimsuit special award remains elusive to the Boholana who has competed in Bb. Pilipinas but then as Reigh Monreal, Bohol's foremost beauty pageant connoisseur pointed out recently and if the Wikipedia entry is accurate, then we may have won it already.

 Karen Gallmann: the only Miss Photogenic

 You see, the 1988 Bb. Pilipinas- Universe titleholder Perfida Limpin and who was also selected as Best in Swimsuit listed Tagbilaran City, Bohol as her place of birth

 Perfida Limpin during Parade of Nations
Miss U 1988, Taiwan

 Perfida lists Tagbilaran City as her birthplace

  Ella Evangelista is 2003 Bb Pilipinas 2nd RU

I just found out from fellow Boholano bloggers that Noella "Ella" Evangelista traces her roots in Bohol. Although born and raised in Iligan City, the 5' 9" dusky charmer has Boholano parents so she IS 100% Boholana.

Ms Evangelista was Bb. Pilipinas 2nd RU in 2003 and represented the Philippines in an international beauty tilt, the Queen of Tourism 2004 in Mexico City which she also won.

For the record, the victory in Mexico would make Ms Noella "Ella" Buhion Evangelista as the first and only Boholana to have won an international beauty title

 

2004 Queen of Tourism winner 

With so many European expats settling in Bohol the past few years, it would come as no surprise that the next generation of Boholanos would be a veritable minefield of gorgeous Eurasian girls to complement the surfeit of dusky beauties and stunning Fil- Am girls

Who knows? A future Bb. Pilipinas titleholder just might surface from among these girls in the next decade

Miss Bohol Winners: The Early Years 1941 to 1978

You may not realize it but the Miss Bohol Pageant has been with us for so many decades already. This blog feature is based on the initial results of our research.

1941 Miss Maribojoc  Paula Baura Raagas

1950 Miss Maribojoc Felomina Redulla Chiu

1957 Miss Calape Olivia Solis  

1968 Miss Sevilla Theoprolia Clarin- Parras

1968 Miss Tagbilaran Emma Mumar

1976 Miss DWCT Lou Minoza

1977 Miss Tagbilaran City Ellen M. Campbell

1978 Miss DWCT Geraldine Galang

1941 Miss Bohol

The first- ever Miss Bohol titleholder Paula Baura Raagas who was crowned back in 1941 eventually became a mayor of her town Maribojoc. 

1950 Miss Bohol

Felomina Redulla Chiu of Maribojoc was born on August 2, 1931. She was the youngest and the only girl of six siblings. Her male siblings are the owners and proprietors of the famous 5 Brothers Store in Maribojoc, Bohol. She was crowned Miss Bohol 1950 at the age of 19.

1957 Miss Bohol

Olivia Solis, the 1957 winner became famous for the Visayan serial radio drama song "Dawata na Olivia" which was composed especially for her. I had the chance to see her in person and introduce her to an adoring hometown when she graced the 2000 Miss Calape Pageant which I emceed.Indeed, she has the looks and elegance of a classic Hollywood movie star.

 

1962 Miss Bohol

 Although she was not officially crowned as a Miss Bohol, she nevertheless carried the sash “Miss Bohol” in the 1962 Miss Philippines Pageant where she placed 2^nd Runner Up. Her name? Adelia Canda of Batuan.  

Delia has the distinction of being the first Boholana to place in a national beauty pageant when she was selected as Miss Visayas or 2nd runner up to Cynthia Ugalde.

L-R: 3rd RU Juliet Pardo Picar, 1962 Miss RP Cynthia Ugalde, 2nd RU Adelia Canda
Not in photo: 1st RU Lalaine Bennett

 Delia's batchmate is the first Pinay to enter the Miss Universe Top Five

Her pageant batchmate Lalaine Bennett who finished as 1st RU competed again the following year. Lalaine’s efforts and determination paid off. She won the crown in her second attempt and made history as the first Filipina to enter the Miss Universe Top Five when she was selected as 3rd runner up to Miss Brazil.

1968 Miss Bohol

The 1968 Miss Bohol that was organized by the Bohol Jaycees selected the province's bets to the 1968 Binibining Pilipinas Pageant.

Theoprolia Clarin and Emma Mumar were Bohol's bets to the country's most prestigious pageant Miss Mumar was declared one of the 15 semi- finalists in the 1968 edition of Bb Pilipinas . 

Miss Clarin & Miss Mumar during the 1968 Bb. Pilipinas Poolside Presentation


 

Emma Mumar (3rd from right) is a 1968 Bb Pilipinas Top 15 Finalist   

 TODAY: That's Emma Mumar- Campbell (in black & white stripes

The Most Beautiful Boholana (1976, 1977 & 1978)

The Miss Bohol pageant was relaunched in 1976 after a brief hiatus in the early 70's. It became known as the Search for the Most Beautiful Boholana  and ran from 1976 to 1978.

The then Divine Word College now Holy Name University had the most success during those three years with two winners and a runner up. Although the 1977 winner represented the City of Tagbilaran, she was a BS Commerce student of the said school

1976 Most Beautiful Boholana

 Lou Minoza (the girl in the green gown)

When the Miss Bohol Pageant was relaunched as The Search for the Most Beautiful Boholana, the winner was Divine Word College's bet, Lou Minoza.

 1977 Most Beautiful Boholana

In 1977, a tall and svelte 18 year old named Ellen Campbell who represented Tagbilaran City was crowned the 1977 Most Beautiful Boholana in the province- wide search that attracted 34 beauties representing towns, the capital city, schools and civic & business organizations.

The candidates first came out in shorts (swimsuits were a big NO then for conservative Boholanas) then in evening gowns.

From 34 ladies, the field was whittled down to 15 semi- finalists before the final seven were called

Her 1st Runner Up was Miss DWCT Antoniette Biloy. 2nd Runner Up was Angie Pepito, Miss Rotary Club of Tagbilaran.

Rounding out the Top Seven were 3rd RU Miss Tubigon Teresita Baura, 4th RU Miss G- Hernandez Corazon Ranario, 5th RU Miss Loon Carmelita Taylaran & 6th RU Miss Jagna Agnes Abrenilla

1977 Most Beautiful Boholana

A recent picture of U.S.- based Geraldine "Gigi" Galang 

In 1978, the pageant was won by the candidate from Divine Word College, very lovely and delicate- looking Geraldine Galang whose family roots are traced to Carmen town, home of the world- famous Chocolate Hills.

An interesting trivia:

Ms. Galang officially became Miss Divine Word College in 1979 and Angie Pepito, the 2nd RU in the 1977 Most Beautiful Boholana Search was her 1st Runner Up.  

Please CLICK for the Miss Bohol Winners: 80's & 90's Decades