Fil-Pakistani Crowned Miss World-Philippines

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

Miss World Philippines official candidates presented; Arci Muñoz withdraws

Even as she laments the sudden withdrawal of TV5 princess Arci Muñoz from the Miss World Philippines 2012 competition, pageant director Cory Quirino is still excited about the 25 official candidates who made the final cut.

During the formal presentation of the final 25 at the Manila Hotel Thursday afternoon, Quirino revealed that Arci had joined the pageant without the network’s knowledge.

“She actually made it to the Top 25 but when I found out that she has a live contract with TV5, I told her and her mom that she cannot fulfill her obligations to Miss World Philippines because of her contract with the network,” revealed the president and CEO of Miss World Philippines franchise holder CQ Global Quest. “Even her manager, Annabelle Rama, told her na hindi talaga puwede.”

Quirino stressed that TV5 did not want to stop Arci from pursuing her dream of becoming a beauty queen. It was Arci’s decision to ultimately back out of the pageant after the young actress realized she still had commitments to the network that she needs to honor first.

“But I told her she can join again next year. I can see from her eyes that she really wanted to win Miss World Philippines,” Quirino said.

That aside, Quirino said she has high hopes about this year’s batch of official candidates which just might include the country’s very first Miss World title-holder in the 61-year history of the oldest major international pageant.

“The closest we ever came to the title was in 1973 when Evangeline Pascual won first runner up and then last year when Gwendoline Ruais was adjudged as 1st Princess,” she pointed out.

Along with Ruais and her Miss World Philippines 2011 court, Quirino had selected the candidates during a rigorous final screening that included competitions in casualwear, swimsuit and evening wear plus a brief question and answer portion.

Quirino and Ruais describe the final 25 as “a diverse mix of morena, mestiza and exotic beauties who are all very smart.”

This year’s official candidates are Brenna Cassandra Gamboa (22, from Laurel, Batangas); April Love Jordan (23, from Tondo, Manila); Rufaida Babudin (20, from Palawan); Marie Loraine Dione de Guzman (24, from Sta. Mesa, Manila); Kaye Michelle Agnes (24, from Sorsogon, Bicol);

Kaye Wigand (19, from Puerto Galera, Mindoro); Vanessa Claudine Ammann (23, from Lapu-Lapu City); Roshiela Tungol (24, from Angeles City, Pampanga); Mariz Ong (20, from Echague, Isabela); Carla Jenina Lizardo (22, from Bagong Ilog, Pasig City);
Vania Valiry Vispo (24, from Pasig City); Paulina Eliseeff (20, from Quezon City); Mary Anne Ross Misa (23, from Paranaque City); Mariver Ocampo (19, from Paombong, Bulacan); Daphne Tania Molinaar (17, from Bacolod City);

Paula Rich Bartolome (21, from Sta. Cruz, Laguna); Maria Teresita Baccay (21, from Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija); Maham Ahmed (17, from San Carlos City, Pangasinan); Rizzini Alexis Gomez (21, from Cordova City, Cebu); Larah Grace Lacap (18, from Batasan Hills, Quezon City);

Fer Mary Baliquig (20, from Tagbilaran, Bohol); Queeneerich Rehman (23, from Las Pinas City); Lara Lee Sarino (21, from Negros Occidental), Natacha Kristel Peugniez (17, from Muntinlupa City) and Maria Danna Javier (19, from Malabon City).

“It was not an easy task selecting the final 25 and it was a collective decision on the panel’s part and not just Ms. Cory after we all consulted each other,” Ruais added.

A closer look at the official candidates revealed that many of them have already won in beauty pageants staged in their respective localities while others have either joined or have won in other national pageants.

There’s Carla Jenina Lizardo who was Mutya ng Pilipinas Intecontinental in 2010. Fer Mary Baliquig was an official candidate of the recent Bb Pilipinas 2012. Brenna Cassandra Gamboa was a contestant in Miss Philippines Earth 2011 where she even won Best In Long Gown.

April Love Jordan is described in her Facebook fan page as “a seasoned beauty queen” who participated and did well in the Mutya, Miss Philippines Earth and Bb Pilipinas tiffs in the past in addition to winning in international pageants like the Miss International Beauty and Model Festival held in China in 2009.

And then there’s recent Miss Lions Mutya Rufaida Babudin who, Quirino said, came straight from a tribe in Palawan. Babudin, an exotic type in the Venus Raj mold, got some of the loudest applause among the candidates and was even cited by Quirino during the open forum with the press as one who does not speak Tagalog and English well but is very deserving to be in the pageant.

The Miss World Philippines 2012 Coronation Night will be aired live on TV5 on June 24 at the Manila Hotel and will be hosted by “Game ‘N’ Go” host Edu Manzano and former Miss World 2nd Princess Ruffa Gutierrez.

source: interaksyon.com