“TO conquer our dreams. Philippines, I will forever our raise our flag. Thank you for choosing me as your queen. Forever a Miss Philippines, forever a Binibini…”
Those were the words of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, when she gave her bittersweet farewell speech at the 2019 Binibining Pilipinas pageant held last Sunday, June 9th at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dressed in a stunning Waling-Waling-inspired gown by Mak Tumang, Gray bid the Binibining Pilipinas stage farewell as she expressed her gratitude for all the support and love she received throughout her journey.
“My heart is overflowing with gratitude because here, on this exact stage, I was given the chance to pursue this dream. This journey has been made even more meaningful because every single step of the way, I felt each and everyone of you right there with me,” she said.
What makes Gray’s speech so meaningful is that she is not only bidding farewell to being a “Binibibing Pilipinas,” but is actually passing the baton to the woman who might be the next Filipina to wear the same Miss Universe crown.
Enter: Miss Gazini Christiana Ganados, the new Miss Philippines-Universe!
Ganados who hails from Cebu, was crowned the overall winner out of all 40 contestants who competed. This earns her the right to represent the country in the 2019 Miss Universe pageant.
Her half-Palestinian beauty and sultry walk won her The Face of Binibini (Miss Photogenic) and Best in Long Gown.
During the Q&A portion, Ganados was asked, ““If you win the crown tonight, what will you do to get more women in the workplace?” Ganados told pageant judges she wanted to work to promote women’s rights and to take care of the Philippines’ elderly.
“If I win the crown tonight, what I will do is to promote my advocacy. My advocacy is for us women to fight for our rights and for elderly care and for us to be able to know that someone is loving and someone is pushing us to whatever ambitions that we have. We will be able to rise from our decisions to whatever dreams that we have, goals that we have, and we will achieve it because of those values, those wisdoms that they gave us.” she said.
Ganados’ biological father is Palestinian, and although Ganados has never met him, she hopes she can reconnect with him through the competition. To pay homage to her Middle Eastern roots, she performed a belly dance in the preliminary.
Ganados started her modelling career at the age of 15 after being scouted by Sven Chua of Origin Model & Artist Management. She has a degree in Tourism from the University of San Jose Recoletos.
After signing with Chua, she won a number of beauty titles as a teenager, including Miss Milo Little Olympics 2011, Miss Cesafi 2016, and came in as second runner-up in the Reyna ng Aliwan 2015, and was Miss Cesafi 2016.
Miss Universe-Philippines 2019 is Ganados’ first major crown.
Among 80 candidates, the following emerged as the final winners of the 2019 BInibining Pilipinas: Gazini Ganados of Talisay, Cebu (Miss Universe Philippines 2019), Bea Patricia Magtanong of Bataan (Bb. Pilipinas-International 2019), Resham Saeed of Maguindanao (Bb. Pilipinas-Supranational 2019), Samantha Ashley Lo of Cebu City (Bb. Pilipinas-Grand International 2019), Emma Mary Tiglao of Pampanga (Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental 2019), Leren Mae Bautista of Laguna (Bb. Pilipinas-Globe 2019), Maria Andrea Abesamis of Pasig (Bb. Pilipinas 2019 1st Runner-up), and Samantha Mae Bernardo of Palawan (Bb. Pilipinas 2019 2nd Runner-up).
Special awards were also given such as Jag Denim Queen (winner: Vickie Marie Rushton of Negros Occidental), Miss Ever Bilena (Vickie Marie Rushton) of Negros Occidental)
Manila Bulletin Reader’s Choice: (Vickie Marie Rushton), Miss Philippine Airlines (Martina Turner Diaz of Muntinlupa City), Miss Pizza Hut (Emma Mary Tiglao of Pampanga),
Poten Cee Gandang Palaban (Vickie Marie Rushton), Bb. Megawide (Bea Patricia Magtanong of Bataan), Bb. Cream Silk (Vickie Marie Rushton), Bb. Friendship (Marie Sherry Ann Tormes of Polangui, Albay) Miss Talent (Cassandra Colleen Chan of Bacolod) The Face of Binibini/Miss Photogenic (Gazini Ganados), Best in Swimsuit (Bea Patricia Magtanong of Bataan) and Best in Long Gown (Gazini Ganados).
Congratulations to all the winners and especially to the new Miss Universe-Philippines, Gazini Ganados! May you be the next Filipina beauty queen to bring pride to the Philippines. I wish you all the best in your journey.
***
Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at [email protected]
