Filipinos, as well as millions of beauty pageants enthusiasts around the world, constantly find beauty competitions as alternative entertainment with relevant positivity and obliging advocacy. Just like basketball, boxing, teleseryes, and the advent of the internet, pageantry becomes a serious way of fecund life and an isochronous social episode.
The Philippine zealots and beauty contest experts gradually gained prominence in the pageant arena that was formerly dominated by Caucasians, Whites, and Latinas.
Lately, the Philippines has earned the reputation as the world’s pageant powerhouse after stamping a remarkable feat in almost all major international beauty competitions. In the current Pageant Powerhouse Ranking (countries that best performed from the last 5 years) the Philippines has consistently held the top slot for two consecutive years (2016-2017) following our delegates’ bagging the most coveted titles in the Big Five: Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth, and Miss Supranational.
For a couple of years, the Philippines was also named Country of the Year (COY) having proven its stature as the best performing country in all major (and even minor) pageants for a particular period.
But behind all the glamorous titles and prestigious honor beauty pageant winners brought home to their countries, a number of protesters (especially groups that rally in the wake of the protection of feminine standard and exploitation) consistently fight against this long running social tradition. They find the system irrelevant and a form of sexism.
Their battlecry merely fall on deaf ears though, for the internationally instituted beauty contests had all the more gained global reputation and general acceptance proving that beauty competitions are strappingly germane and of interest to society.
For an attention-grabbing virtual reality let’s take a look at the existing record the Philippines has kept for the year 2017 in every beauty pageant be it the Big Five or minor events not necessarily less esteemed or lesser in magnitude.
Let’s start with Miss Asia Pacific World 2017- formed in 2010 with headquarters in Seoul, Korea
Venue: Monkey Beach Club Ilo, Peru
Date: May 27, 17
Edition: 7th
Number of delegates : 54
Winner: Beatrice Andrada (Philippines)
Miss Teen International 2017 – Established in 1993 by Enrique Gonzales and later acquired by Nikhil Anand of India.
Venue: Playhouse Theater @ Suan Lum Night Bazaar Hotel Bangkok, Thailand
Date: September 23, 2017
Edition: 9th
Number of delegates: 15
Winner: Kathleen Patron of the Philippines
Note: This is the 4th title for the Philippines having won it first by Nikita Conwi (2009), Charmaine Hong (2010), and Anjelica Nicole Hernandez (2011), three years in a row.
Miss Grand international 2017-Bangkok,Thailand-based beauty pageant established in 2013
Venue: Ganh Dau, Vietnam
Date: October 25, 2017
Edition: 5th
Number of delegates: 90
Winner: Maria Jose Lora (Peru)
Philippine standing: Elizabeth Clenci (2nd Runner-up)
Miss Earth 2017. Manila-based international environmental-themed beauty pageant established in 2001.
Venue: Mall of Asia Arena Pasay City, Philippines
Date: November 4, 2017
Edition: 17th
Number of delegates: 86
Winner: Jenny Kim (Korea)
Philippine standing: Chanel Olive (Top 10)
Note: Titles won by the Philippines: Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell (2014), and Angelia Ong (2015).
Reina Hispanoamericana 2017- Established in 1991 in Sta. Cruz dela Sierra, Bolivia generally participated in by Latin American countries but in 2017, Canada, the Philippines, and Australia were invited to join.
Venue: Sta. Cruz, Bolivia
Date: November 4, 2017
Edition: 26th
Number of delegates: 20
Winner: Teresita Ssen Marquez (Philippines) (first Phil. Delegate)
Miss International 2017- Created in 1960 in Long Beach, California and currently headed by Akemi Shimomura.
Venue: Tokyo, Japan
Date: November 14, 2017
Edition: 57th
Number of delegates: 68
Winner: Kevin Lilliana (Indonesia)
Philippine standing: Mariel De Leon failed to qualify
Note: The Philippines holds the distinction of winning 6 titles: Gemma Cruz-Araneta (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Mimilanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013), and Kylie Verzosa (2016).
Miss World 2017 – Considered the oldest running international beauty pageant established in 1951 by Eric Morley
Venue: Sanya, China
Date: November 18, 2017
Edition: 67th
Number of delegates: 118
Winner: Manushi Chillar (India)
Philippine standing: Laura Lehman (Top 40)
Note: The Philippines almost made it in 1973 when our representative Evangeline Pascual finished First Runner-up to Marjorie Wallace who was stripped off of her crown due to non-compliance and fulfillment of duties. The position was offered to Evangeline (minus the title) but she refused). It was only in 2013 when Megan Lynn Young brought home the first ever Miss World crown.
Miss Universe 2017 – Established in Long Beach, California in 1952 and its first winner was Armi Helena Kuusela of Finland who married Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario.
Venue: Axis @ Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas
Date: November 23, 2017
Edition: 66th
Number of delegates: 92
Winner: Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (South Africa)
Philippine standing: Rachel Peters (Top 10)
Note: The Philippines has won 3 titles: Gloria Aspillera Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1974) and Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (2015)… with three Miss Universe editions held in Manila: 1974 (Winner: Amparo Munoz), 1994 (Winner: Sushmita Sen) and 2016 (Winner: Iris Mittenaere)
Miss Asia Pacific International 2017- Originally established in 1968 as Miss Asia Quest and later rebranded as Miss Asia Pacific Quest but subsequently renamed Miss Asia Pacific International in 2006.
Venue: Newport Performing Arts Theater @ Resorts World, Manila
Date: November 30, 2017
Edition: 49th
Number of delegates:
Winner: Francielly Ouriques of Brazil
Philippine placement: Ilene de Vera finished 4th Runner-up
Note: Former Philippine winners: Inez Zaragoza (1983). Gloria Dimayacyac (1982), Lorna Legaspi (1989), and Michelle Aldana (1993).
Miss Supranational 2017 – Established in 2009 in Plock, Poland
Venue: Poland
Date: Dec. 1, 2017
Edition: 9th
Number of delegates: 65
Winner: Jenny Kim (Korea)
Philippine standing: Chanel Olive (Top 10)
Note: Philippine representative Mutya Datul was crowned winner in 2013 during its 5th Edition.
Miss Tourism International 2017 – Established in 1994 in Kuching, Malaysia with current headquarters in Kuala, Lumpur.
Venue: Petaling Jaya, Kuala, Lumpur
Date: December 6, 2017
Edition: 20th
Number of delegates: 48
Winner: Jannie Loudette Alipo-on (Philippines)
Note: The Philippines had previously won 3 titles already: Maria Esperanza Manzano (2000), Rizzini Alexis Gomez (2012), and Angeli Dione Gomez (2013)
World Miss Tourism Ambassador 2017 – Manila-based international beauty contest
Venue: One Canvas, Makati City
Date: December 9, 2017
Edition: First
Number of delegates: 43
Winner: Aibedullina Talliya (Russia)
Philippine standing: Karen Eje (Top 11)
After years that women had reigned the beauty pageant stage, their masculine counterparts are raring to hog the spotlight, invade the same euphoric status, and claim the fame they feel they rightfully deserve. The relevance of beauty pageants broke loose to open equal opportunity for male aspirants. Although infrequent and seemingly odd pageant enthusiasts welcomed the idea and later male pageantry became an interesting slice of life.
Originally a bodybuilding match, now the mushrooming men-related beauty contests are gaining their relevant distinction and struggling side by side with already established international beauty pageants for women..
Here are the 2017 results of actively operating male personality and talent competition:
Mr. International 2017 – Founded in 2006 in Singapore by Alan Sim as organized by Graviera, a clothing company.
Venue: The Stage @ Asiatique the Riverfront Bangkok, Thailand
Date: February 13, 2017
Edition: 11th
Number of delegates:
Winner: Paul Iskandor (Lebanon)
Philippine standing: Miguel Guia (Top 16)
Note: The Philippines won the title in 2014 courtesy of Neil Perez
Mr. Gay World 2017 – Founded in 2008 with headquarters in Australia by Eric Butter (Australia), Dean Nelson (Canada), and Tore Aasheim (Norway).
Venue: Madrid, Spain
Date: May 5, 2015
Edition: 9th
Number of delegates: 40
Winner: John Raspado (Philippines)
Mr. World 2017 – A biennial male beauty pageant sponsored by Miss World Organization founded in 1996 with headquarters in London, UK under Julia Morley.
Venue: Southport, England
Date: July 19, 2016
Edition: 9th
Number of delegates: 46
Winner: Rohit Khandelwal (India)
Philippine standing: Sam Adjani only won in a Team Extreme Challenge
Mr. United Continents 2016-17 – Manila-based male beauty pageant organized by Melvin Alvaran and Rodell Salvador in 2015 to be held every two years.
Venue: Tanghalan Pasigueno, Pasig City
Date: July 22, 2016
Edition: 2nd.
Number of delegates: 16
Winner: Mohit Singh (India)
Philippine standing: Issa Janda resigned prior the final competition due to unsettled dispute with the organizers.
Note: The 3rd Edition will be held on January 29, 2018 in Pangasinan.
Man of the World 2017 – Manila-based male contest established just a year ago,
Venue: One Esplanade Pasay City
Date: July 28, 2017
Edition: First
Number of delegates: 28
Winner: Mostafa Galal Elizali (Egypt)
Philippine standing: Chriz Dulagan (Top 10 Semi-finalist)
2017 Manhunt International – Established in Singapore in 1993 by Alex Liu
Venue: Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theater, Bangkok, Thailand
Date: November 27, 2017
Edition: 24th
Number of delegates: 40
Winner: Kingsley Truong (Vietnam)
Philippine standing: Daniel Azurin (semi-finalist).
Note: Philippine delegate June Macasaet was crowned Mr. Manhunt International in 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand besting 53 candidates, the biggest number of delegates.
Mr. Supranational 2017- Established in 2016 by Miss Supranational Organization.
Venue: Krynica Zdroj, Poland
Date: December 2, 2017
Edition: 2nd
Number of delegates: 34
Winner: Gabriel Correa (Venezuela)
Philippine standing: Yves Campos (Top 20)
Lastly, nobody and nothing imaginable could impede the progression of male power in the international pageant arena since every participating country readily supports its own representative.
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