Miss World Megan Young overwhelmed by rapturous homecoming welcome

Megan Young couldn’t help but wax emotional upon seeing the throng of well-wishers that greeted her much-anticipated homecoming at the NAIA Terminal 1 Thursday.

“These are tears of joy. I’m just really happy to be home. I’m just really happy to see everyone,” exclaimed the newly crowned Miss World 2013 during a mini-press conference upon her arrival.

The 23-year-old Filipino-American actress and film student admitted that she still couldn’t believe she was the new Miss World even after she had proceeded to London following her victory in the prestigious pageant in Bali, Indonesia.

“First time ko sa Europe. Hindi ko ma-imagine na magta-trabaho pala ako doon as Miss World. It still hasn’t sunk in to me yet,” she confessed.

As she learns more of her upcoming activities in her scheduled world tour, Megan said she now has a better understanding of the “Beauty with a Purpose” mission of the pageant.

“Ang gusto ko lang sanang hilingin, hindi lang ako ang nandidito para sa Miss World, sana lahat ng Pilipino dito at everyone worldwide kasama ko sa journey bilang Miss World. Hindi lang po ito korona, malaking bahagi ng puso bilang Miss World ang ibinabahagi namin sa buong mundo,” she pleaded.

She later revealed that she intends to raise funds for the charitable projects of Miss World, particularly for the children of Africa who have no access to clean water.

“I was very excited when they told me we were going to Kenya and Ghana because I’ve always wanted to go to those parts of Africa,” Megan said during another press conference at Solaire Resorts and Casino that preceded her homecoming victory dinner party.

As for her own countrymen, Megan’s schedule for the next four days will be capped with a charity visit to the Philippine General Hospital. She said she also hopes to do charity work for street children here while reiterating her concern for the recent typhoon victims in her hometown of Olongapo City which she will visit on Saturday.

“Para sa mga kababayan ko rin po sa Olongapo, I just hope everyone’s okay. I will visit my fellow Batang Gapo during my stay here,” she added.

Although she did not make it on time to toss the ceremonial jump ball in the equally anticipated NBA Global Game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers, Megan was likewise greeted with loud cheers upon her arrival at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Aside from her visits to Olongapo and the PGH, Megan’s busy schedule include a courtesy call with President Noynoy Aquino at Malacañang this Friday. This will be followed by a Grand Fans Day that will commence with a motorcade victory parade from Makati to SM Mall of Asia where a meet-and-greet affair will immediately follow.

With regards to personal matters, the reigning Miss World was asked if there was anyone special in her life right now. Megan replied in the negative but did not rule out the prospects of meeting one in the course of her travels as Miss World.

Prior to her winning Miss World Philippines this year that led to her crowning as the new Miss World, Megan was romantically linked with GMA Network talent Mikael Daez. Neither Megan nor Mikael have publicly admitted being in a relationship.

Megan managed to post a lone tweet early Friday morning that expressed what it means for her to finally come home.

source: interaksyon.com

Megan Young bags Philippines’ first Miss World crown

After a long wait and several near misses, the Philippines finally won its first Miss World title as 23-year-old Megan Young, a Filipino-American actress from Olongapo, captured the coveted crown at the Bali International Convention Center in Bali, Indonesia on Saturday.

The result was posted on the Facebook page of the prestigious beauty pageant as Young bested nine other semifinalists from Brazil, Australia, France, Nepal, England, Indonesia, Spain, Jamaica and Ghana. There were a total of 131 contestants from around the world — the most in the pageant’s history.

“It’s destiny!” Miss World Phillippines franchise holder Cory Quirino said in a text message to InterAksyon. “The honor is not only Megan’s but the Philippines’. We have made history and have proven once and for all that the Filipina is the most beautiful woman in the world! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas,” she added.

Prior to her coronation, Young also figured prominently in three of the preliminary compeititions in the pageant, winning the Top Model challenge and finishing in the Top 5 of the Beach Fashion and Multimedia Award contests.

She achieved her victory despite the malicious resurfacing of her sexy photos from a March 2012 magazine shoot courtesy of what Miss World Philippines franchise holder Cory Quirino called “a smear campaign by a neglible sector of the Philippine pageant industry”.

Megan became the country’s official representative after winning the Miss World Philippines pageant last August in a lopsided contest where she swept most of its special awards, including Best in Fashion Runway, Miss Sports by FILA, Miss Reducin, Miss Olay, Miss Laguna, Miss Bold and Glamorous by Revlon, Miss Figlia and Miss Bench Body.

Also a digital filmmaking student at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, Megan recently appeared in the TV5 sexy drama series, “Misibis Bay” and headed the ensemble cast of the independent crime anthology, “Bang Bang Alley”.

Established in 1951, Miss World is the oldest major international beauty pageant in the world and is part of the “Big Four” international beauty pageants that also includes Miss Universe, Miss Earth and Miss International.

source: interaksyon.com

Megan Young wins Top Model challenge, boosts her chances of winning Miss World title

Notwithstanding a recently posted online news item that recalls her sexy cover shoot for the men’s magazine Rogue, Miss World Philippines 2013 Megan Young won the Top Model challenge of this year’s Miss World beauty pageant.

As posted on the prestigious beauty pageant’s official website Friday, Megan bested four other top candidates from the United States, France, Ukraine and Brazil to win the Miss Top Model title which automatically catapults her to the semifinal round of the prestigious beauty contest.

Megan also figured prominently in two other challenges in the pageant. After earlier landing in the Top 11 of the Beach Fashion competition, the 23-year-old Fil-Am charmer from Olongapo placed 5th overall in the final tally trailing the candidates from Jamaica, Ghana, France and eventual winner Miss Brazil Sancler Frantz who will also advance to the semifinals with her win.

In the Multimedia Award competition, Megan finished 4th overall behind contestants from Nepal, Thailand and winner Miss India Navneet Dhillon who also finished 9th in the Beauty with a Purpose race won by Miss Nepal Ishani Shrestia.

Megan’s sterling showing in these preliminary competitions has further bolstered her strong chances of becoming the country’s first ever Miss World title holder. Aside from Miss Brazil, Miss India and Miss Nepal, other contestants who are expected to land in the semifinals based on their showing in the challenges are Miss France Marine Lorphelin, Miss Ghana Naa Okailey Shooter, Miss Australia Erin Holland, Miss Ukraine Anna Zaiachkivska, Miss Netherlands Jacqueline Steenbeek who won the Sports and Fitness challenge and host country representative Miss Indonesia Vania Larissa who earlier won Miss Talent.

Winners of two more challenges, the World Fashion Designer Award and The People’s Champion (online voting), where Megan is ranked number two as of September 25 will be announced on the coronation night.

source: interaksyon.com

Celebs, fellow beauty queens toast Miss World PH Megan Young

Although it has become fairly common for showbiz personalities to join beauty contests, only Ruffa Gutierrez actually won a major title when she was already an established young actress — the Binibining Pilipinas-World title in 1993.

Hence, all this talk about Megan Young being heavily favored because of her celebrity was not unprecedented.

A rare combination of beauty, brains and spunk, the very competitive Megan had actually lost when she competed in two reality series: first in GMA’s “Starstruck” Season 2 in 2004 where her batchmates included Mike Tan, C.J. Muere, LJ Reyes and Ryza Cenon.

Then she got eliminated early in ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition” in 2007 where Gaby Dela Merced, Will De Vaughn, Yayo Aguila and the controversial Baron Geisler fared better.   







But there is a right time for everything and Megan finally hit her stride in the Miss World Philippines 2013 pageant on Sunday. Now 23, the Fil-Am actress never stopped persevering and kept accepting acting projects that kept her busy and allowed her to keep herself in shape in addition to learning more and more about her craft.

In one of her popular teleseryes, 2008’s “I Love Betty La Fea”, she played the younger sister of Ruffa. Five years later, she won the same title that her older TV sister won. Ruffa, like many other celebrities including several other beauty queens, was delighted with Megan’s win and was more than happy to congratulate the latter in her tweets.

The Philippines has never won the Miss World crown. Ruffa came close with her Second Princess finish 20 years ago. Will Megan finally clinch the title?

source: interaksyon.com