MANILA, Philippines --- A 23-year-old Filipina-Pakistani candidate was crowned 2012 Miss World Philippines in a glittering televised beauty contest at the historic landmark Manila Hotel last Sunday night.
Queenierich Rehman, of Las Piñas City, bested 24 other candidates and earned the right to represent the Philippines in the 62nd Miss World beauty pageant to be held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China on Aug. 18, 2012. The Miss World contest is said to be the longest running beauty contest.
This is the second time in a row that a former Binibining Pilipinas candidate captured the Miss World crown. Last year, Gwendolyn Ruais, half French, won the Miss World Philippines title.
Rehman joined the 2011 Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant won by Miss Universe third runner-up Shamcey Supsup. That year, Rehman also made the Top 15 semi-finalists and won the Best In Swimsuit award, the same special award she won in this year’s Miss World Philippines contest.
Ruais, who won First Princess in the 2011 Miss World beauty contest, was among the Top semifinalists in the 2010 Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant won by eventual Miss Universe 3rd runner-up Ma. Venus Raj.
Rehman won P1 million cash, a car and other prizes from this year’s sponsors. She stands 5’7” and measures 33-25-34.
Aside from winning Best In Swimsuit, she also bagged seven special awards --- Miss Pantene, Miss AMA Beauty and Brains, Miss Photogenic, Miss Talent, Miss Philippines Prudential, and Miss World Traveler.
Rehman impressed the judges in the Q&A portion in which the Top 5 candidates answered questions from Tweets. The question she picked was: “As an ambassador of the Philippines, what are the best features of your country that you can project to the world?”
Rehman answered: “I believe that wherever you will go here in the Philippines, it’s not the islands that make us special but of course the Filipinos who have warm hospitality, who are having smiles on their faces, and of course who will treat all foreigners the love and respect, and hospitality that they can give to them. I believe that the Philippines is a country that we can be proud of.”
The beauty queen graduated at the Assumption College in Makati City. Her hobbies include Internet surfing, cooking, basketball, playing video games and singing.
Rehman attended high school at Southville International School. During high school and college, she was a varsity player in basketball. She was even named Rookie of the Year during college.
Asked what she will do after the pageant, Rehman said: “I’ll eat as much as I can. I will rest the whole day.’’
First Princess was Maryanne Ross Misa, 23, of Paranaque City. Misa also made the Top 10 cut of the 2010 Bb. Pilipinas pageant.
Misa, who stands 5’10,” picked the question “Have you ever been bullied? What can you advise people who are often bullied.’’
She answered: “Yes, I have been bullied back in my childhood days. And it just motivated me to prove those people wrong because I think if you have the dignity in yourself and the strong will that you can do things and people don’t think that you can, I think that’s what’s going to make you successful in life.’’
Second Princess was Vanessa Claudine Amman who, observers said, was one of the surprises in the Top 5 semifinals. She won special awards such as Miss Friendship, Miss Laguna World, and Miss MyPhone World.
Third Princess was April Love Jordan, 23, of Tondo, Manila. Like Misa and Rehman, Jordan was also a heavy favorite for the crown. Her special awards were Miss Manila Hotel, Best In Long Gown, and Miss OraCare.
Jordan, also a Bb. Pilipinas semifinalist in 2009, won the 1st International Beauty and Model Festival held in Beijing, China the same year. She bested 49 other international contestants.
Fourth Princess was Brenna Cassandra Gamboa. She was a recipient of special awards such as Best In Fashion Runaway, and Miss Manny O’ Wine.
Other winners of special awards included Marie Loraine De Guzman (tied with Rehman), Miss Talent; and Vania Valeri Vispo, People’s Choice.
Other candidates who made the Top 12 semifinalists were De Guzman, Vispo, Mariver Ocampo, Rufaida Babudin, Carla Terina Lizardo, Kaye Wigand, and Paulina Eliseeff.
Members of the Board of Judges included Manila Hotel President Atty. Jose “Joey” Lina, Becky Garcia, actress Lorna Tolentino, Ma. Fe Perez Agudo, top photographer Raymund Isaac, athlete James Younghusband, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Melinda Reyes, Robert Barerro, Emmanuel Lorenzana, and Clint Navales, among others.
Miss World is the only major beauty contest in which the Philippines has not won yet. The highest ranking the country has achieved in the pageant was First Princess won by Evangeline Pascual in 1973, the same title won by Ruais last year.
The reigning Miss World is Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela.source: mb.com.ph
