On a night where morena beauties shone the brightest, Ariella Arida, a 24-year-old BS Chemistry graduate from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños led all winners in the 50th Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Hailing from Alaminos, Laguna, Arida was crowned Binibining Pilipinas-Universe and will represent the country in this year’s Miss Universe beauty pageant amid high expectations following consecutive runner-up finishes by Janine Tugonon, Shamcey Supsup and Venus Raj in the last three years.
A model and technical sales executive who was also a contestant in last year’s Miss Philippines Earth beauty pageant, Arida was not in most pundits’ lists of favorites to win the crown.
But she won Best in Swimsuit, a special prize that almost always guarantees a finals slot. Arida then clinched the top prize with her impressive showing in the make-or-break interview portion of the pageant while most of the favored contestants struggled with their answers.
Asked by judge PNP Director General Alan Purisima what lesson women can teach men, she knocked the ball out of the park when she said: “One lesson in life that women can teach men is being sensitive. Men are more logical when it comes to decisions. They’re rational and straightforward. Unlike women, we use our hearts and we tend to get emotional when we make our decisions. Sensitivity is something that we women can teach to men”.
Masbate native Bea Rose Santiago won Binibining Pilipinas-International and was also adjudged Binibining Avon while former “WilTime Big Time” co-host Joanna Cindy Miranda of Nueva Ecija won Binibining Pilipinas-Tourism and special awards Binibining Petron and Cream Silk Beyond Beautiful Woman Award.
The only other crown holder, Isabela’s Mutya Johanna Datul, was declared Binibining Pilipinas Supranational. She also won the Binibining Photogenic and Best in Long Gown competitions.
Cagayan De Oro’s Pia Wutzbach, a.k.a. actress Pia Romero, settled for 1st runner-up and the special award, Ms. San Miguel Zero Fit and Sexy Body. Two other “showbiz” contestants Imelda Schweighart (who won the Binibining Pilipinas-PAGCOR award) and Rhea Nakpil also made it to the top 15 semifinalists.
Although she has not officially joined the entertainment industry yet, Maria Angelica De Leon, daughter of Christopher De Leon and Sandy Andolong, also cracked the Top 15, along with Binibining Pilipinas Manila Bulletin Reader’s Choice Award winner Ellore Noelle Punzalan, Camille Carla Nazar, Grace Yann Apuad, Amanda Noelle Navasero, Merry Joyce Respicio and pre-pageant favorites Charmaine Elima and Parul Shah.
Rounding up the other special awardees are Lourenz Grace Remetillo (Binibing Friendship), Anna Carmela Aquino (Binibining Talent), Nicole Kim Donesa (Miss Philippine Airlines) and Maria Teresita Alaine Baccay (Binibining Best in National Costume).
Aside from Purisima, other members of the board of judges were former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz, Philippine Azkals player James Younghusband, ABS-CBN Chairman Gabby Lopez, TV talk show host Boy Abunda, Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, Miss International Chairman Hirofumi Hashimoto, Macau businessman Louis Ng, Chilean Ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Mayorga, Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Roscigno and Liliana Marquez Zawadsky.
Ref: http://www.interaksyon.com
Tags: beauty pageant, Philippines, winners
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