UPDATED: Jennifer Colon is Miss Puerto Rico World 2009

We have heard that the new Miss Puerto Rico World for 2009 or Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico 2009 is Bayamon's Jennifer Colon Alvarado who is a student of architecture and the same time a professional model. She will be contesting the Miss World 2009 crown in Johannesburg, South Africa and in London on December 12.

The pageant was televised lived from Tapia Theater in Old San Juan with the participation of 24 contestants.

Twenty-one-year-old Jennifer is also the First Runner-up at the 2009 Miss Puerto Rico Universe which was won by Mayra Matos.

The first runner-up was Yara Lasanta from Barranquitas and Melissa Serrano from Vega Baja was second runner-up. Isabela's Amanda Diaz and Juncos' Libni Garcia finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Prior to the competition, several fast-track events were held to select the best contestant in sports, modeling, swimsuit, talent and charity.

The fast-track winners were Rebecca Fernandez, Culebra (Sports); Jennifer Colon, Bayamon (Model); Yara Lasanta, Barranquitas (Swimsuit); Mariselle Morales, Guaynabo (Talent); and Jennifer Ortiz, Orocovis (Charity).

In case you didn't know, the title of Miss Puerto Rico Universe was offered to the 1.75 meters tall Jennifer by Magali Febles, the franchise owner of the pageant, when she allegedly had a problem with Mayra's contract.

Jennifer is said to have declined the offer.

Jennifer is now being hyped as one of the front-runners for the Miss World crown along with Mexico's Karla Beltran and Philippines' Marie Ann Umali.

Complete Results

Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico 2009: Bayamon, Jennifer Colon Alvarado
1st Runner-Up: Barranquitas, Yara Liz Lasanta Santiago
2nd Runner-Up: Vega Baja, Melissa Serrano Flores
3rd Runner-Up: Isabela, Amanda Diaz Torres
4th Runner-Up: Juncos, Libni Garcia Pabellon

Semi-finalists

Caguas, Glorimar Serrano Rodriguez
Camuy, Carla Harrison Canals
Culebra, Rebecca Fernandez Perez
Guaynabo, Mariselle Morales Cordero
Humacao, Maria Angelica Hernandez Garcia
Orocovis, Jennifer Ortiz Melendez
Ponce, Azarel Nadal Torres

Special Awards

Photogenic: Juncos, Libni Garcia Pabellon
Congeniality: Camuy, Carla Harrison Canals
Face: Juncos, Libni Garcia Pabellon
Hair: Rio Grande, Karen Robles Hernandez

 

Gandang Binibini: What sets them apart from other beauty queens?

In contrast to Saturday last week when they, along with the 20 other contestants (originally 24 but one was disqualified for posing sexy in a men’s magazine), stood on high heels under glaring lights at the Araneta Coliseum, with nice smiles not leaving their faces even if they must have been hungry and sleepy and exhausted, the three major winners were subjected by Conversations to another round of Q&A in the cool comfort of a Pizza Hut parlor at the Gateway at the Araneta Center in Quezon City where the pictorial was also held in the nearby Oasis.

They were gracious under pressure, poised even under the oppressive summer sun, very confident now that they are titled. According to Madame Stella Marquez-Araneta, head of Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc., this year’s batch of Bb. Pilipinas aspirants was one of the prettiest in years, no wonder the board of judges (including 1969 Miss Universe Gloria Diaz, Richard Gomez, Regine Velasquez, Rizal Gov. Junjun Ynares and AFP Chief Alexander Yano) had a hard time picking the winners.

They are:

• 2009 Bb. Pilipinas-International Melody Gersbach (half-German/half-Filipina) who will compete in the Miss International contest in Japan (for the pre-fnals activities) and Macau (for the grand coronation);

• 2009 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Pamela Bianca Manalo, for the (58th) Miss Universe Pageant in Paradise Island, Bahamas, sometime in August. (She’s the niece of 1968 Bb. Pilipinas-International Nini Ramos and the sister of Bb. Pilipinas-World Katherine Manalo); and

• 2009 Bb. Pilipinas-World Marie Ann Umali (half-Lebanese/half-Filipina), for the Miss World contest in South Africa later this year.

Come, let’s pick the brains of the three Binibinis.

As a Binibini, what qualities of the Filipina would you highlight in the international contest?

Melody: The simplicity, confidence and positive attitude of the Filipina today.

Bianca: Her strong faith in God, her positive values and good morals.

Ann: The modern outlook of the Filipina, her dynamism, the way she can play multiple roles in the society — as her husband’s partner, as a leader and as a mover.

Who is your role model and why?

Melody: My mother, Marina Manuel Gersbach. She has a strong character. A typical Bicolana. She has determination. As far as she’s concerned, nothing comes her way. To her, everything has a solution.

Bianca: My sister, Katherine Anne Manalo. She plays very well her being the eldest sister in the family. She leads by example. I am a Binibini today because of her. As Bb. Pilipinas-World (2002), Ate Kate represented our country very well at the Miss World contest.

Ann: I also look up to my mother, Renita Umali, a Batangueña. She’s the source of my strength, she’s my inspiration. She taught me the values in life and the importance of respect not only for elders but for everybody.

Young people today are liberated and adventurous, willing to try everything. What’s your stand on pre-marital sex and contraceptives?

Melody: The young are really curious; they want to experience everything. Pre-marital sex is a matter of choice. If they are old enough, they should know the consequences of their actions. Contraceptives? I’m pro-life. Again, it depends on the person. She has the right to decide for herself.

Bianca: Everyone has a right to decide what to do with her life. Personally, I’m not for pre-marital sex. You give “it” only to someone you love, someone that you marry. I’m also against the use of contraceptives of any kind.

Ann: If they can say no, say no. I believe in the sacrament of marriage and that sex should happen only between married couples.

Regarding contraceptives, nasa desisyon ‘yon ng taong involved.

After two women presidents, should we have a third one?

Melody: In terms of leadership, gender shouldn’t be an issue. Women of today can do men’s jobs. What matters is a good platform. A good leader, whether a man or a woman, should know how to listen to the people.

Bianca: Gender doesn’t matter. The important thing is the sincerity to serve the people and not her (the leader’s) own interests. She must lead by example.

Ann: Gender shouldn’t be the basis for choosing a leader. What’s important is the capacity to lead, and a heart for public service.

If you were Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, what are the three priority problems that you would attend to?

Melody: First, poverty. Second, education. Three, the environment.

Bianca: Education is a basic right and everyone should have access to it. Job opportunities. And poverty. If everyone gets good education and land good jobs, then it would be easy to eradicate poverty.

Ann: Poverty, because it deprives people of choices and opportunities. There’s also environmental issues like forest denudation. And, the traffic situation.

You seem perfect. What do you think is wrong with you and how do you want to fix it?

Melody: I’m happy with myself and with what God has given me, so I won’t change anything in me. But I want to be a better person and my being a Binibini will definitely help me in that area.

Bianca: I’m happy with myself. It’s not really changing but I want to improve myself. With experience, I think I can do that.

Ann: I don’t find anything wrong with me. But I am open to improvement. I want to grow old gracefully.

Who would you choose, a rich man who is not good-looking or a handsome guy who has no money?

Melody: The one who’s not rich but good-looking. If we work hard together, we can become rich. Money is not an issue with me.

Bianca: What’s important is not how rich he is or how guapo he is. Ang importante is that he is God-fearing, honest and thoughtful. And, most important of all, he should be faithful.

Ann: What’s important for me is that I love the guy and he loves me, too. I want to be in a relationship that is pure and sincere.

Do your boyfriends possess the qualities of your ideal man?

Melody: My boyfriend is the vice president for operations of their family business. He’s responsible, he has his own goals and, like me, very close to his family.

Bianca: He’s a pilot trainee. He started pursuing his dream of being a pilot when he learned that I would be a flight attendant. Yes, he has all the qualities of my ideal man. He’s religious like me. We hear the early-morning Mass together every day. Before going home, we would drop by the Adoration Chapel. What I want most about him is his strong faith in God. If you have that, everything is possible.

Ann: My boyfriend works in their family business (billboards). He fights for his principles and he fights for me. He’s sincere, very positive.

If you were somebody else, who would you like to be and why?

Melody: Princess Diana. I like her passion in life which was to be a role model to other people. She was compassionate. She was a princess and yet she was very humble.

Bianca: My mother, Norma Ramos-Manalo. I appreciate her patience. Even if we may have disappointed her, still she understood. She’s there to support us in all our endeavors.

Ann: Josefa Llanes Escoda, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. She was an excellent civic leader.

Describe yourself in three words.

Melody: Positive. Goal-oriented. Humble.

Bianca: Not just three words... I am a woman of faith. I have a strong faith in God... I am loving. When I love, I love unconditionally... I am humble. I don’t let things go to my head. I keep my feet on the ground. And I know how to look back.

Ann: Passionate. Generous. Lovable.

(philstar.com)
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The beauty pageant business is back

Another set of national beauties was crowned during the 2009 Binibining Pilipinas pageant at the Araneta Coliseum last Saturday night (telecast was on GMA 7). It turned out that it was the beauty contest’s 45th anniversary, but I only found out about that when host Iza Calzado said so toward the end of the three-hour show.

No, there was no grandness to the production, but director Al Quinn still put together a very cohesive show.

The opening number, however, was overextended — with the contestants dancing in what looked like light, but colorful overcoats that they eventually peeled off to reveal casual clothes that they wore while introducing themselves to the Araneta crowd and to the viewers at home.

I don’t know if it was my TV set or the lighting in the coliseum, but no one looked impressive in that part of the show, except maybe for Rich Asuncion, who I thought that time was a cross between Pilar Pilapil and a now very pretty Imee Marcos. And it was only then that I found out her real name was Richelle Angalot. To think I’ve known her this long — she being part of our group that graces openings of Flawless branches all over the country.

When the show got into the swimsuit competition — with the contestants doing the mandatory poses in a resort in Batangas — I thought most of the shots were unflattering. Was it the camera angles that showed most of the contestants with bulging midsections? It was either that or the contestants had too much Pizza Hut.

Then I saw the tale of the tape flashed on one side of the screen: Some of the girls had waistlines as wide as 26”. You could actually mount a flat screen on each of them. To the pageant organizers, send the winners to Gold’s Gym — pronto.

The program, of course, had other features aside from the contestants parading around the stage. This being the pageant’s 45th year, they gathered as many former Binibining Pilipinas winners as possible. Great idea, but messy and tedious in execution.

The cameras could not locate the former titlists. They were either on the wings of the stage waiting for their duties as presenters or scattered all over the coliseum. Some of the names called by host Paolo Bediones probably weren’t even in the venue — like Pilar Pilapil, for example.

In one segment of the pageant — still in line with the organization’s 45th year — handsome glass trophies were presented to the Pinay beauty queens who brought home major international beauty titles. Only three were honored in that portion of the show: Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran and Aurora Pijuan.

Of course, Gemma Cruz wasn’t there because when she won Miss International, Binibining Pilipinas was not yet the local franchise holder of the then Long Beach-based international beauty pageant (besides, didn’t she picket outside the Araneta Coliseum during an edition of the Binibining Pilipinas in the ‘70s and denounced beauty contests as a mere exploitation of women?). But baffling was the non-appearance of Melanie Marquez, while the absence of Precious Lara Quigaman only confirmed rumors that she is at odds with the Binibini organization after she and other beauty queens put up their own pageant last year.

But back to the real stars of the program: The contestants vying for the three major titles at stake. After the presentation of special awards, they were made to parade in evening gowns to the tune of a jazzed-up Hindi Kita Malimot, the arrangement of which worked well for the segment.

Then it was time to reveal the 10 semi-finalists and 2007 second runner-up Abby Cruz, who joined a second time hoping to finally bag one of the crowns, wasn’t in the list. Abby is actually even prettier now, but at 5’5” she was easily dwarfed by the taller candidates. But I have to give it to Paolo for not letting the unfortunate turn of events for his girlfriend Abby affect his job as pageant host. He went on with the show like a pro — like he didn’t have to do a lot of comforting later that night. His female co-hosts Iza and Carlene Aguilar also carried on with their duties like veteran special events emcees.

After the announcement of the 10 semi-finalists came the much-awaited question and answer portion. To the disappointment of the Araneta Coliseum hecklers (and even those at home), there was no Janina San Miguel. Playing it safe, none of the girls winged on and on and most of them kept their answers short and rushed to end their statements with their that’s-all-thank you safety net.

But while grammars were correct and their sentences were well put together and made for pleasant listening, most of the answers were lacking in substance. Very Chiz Escudero — you know, nice to listen to, but is there actually anything there?

But I did admire the contestants even more by the time they got to this round because — for all that pressure (what with the crowd waiting to boo and jeer them with one single slip of the tongue) — they got out of that alive and in one piece. And quite frankly, some of the questions that came from the judges were crappy and didn’t deserve decent answers.

As the pageant got deeper into the night, I noticed that the girls were finally getting prettier. Not just pretty, but lovely. Maybe because there were just 10 of them and that made it easier to dissect every face and figure.

Right before the names of the winners were announced, I had finally placed my bets (I was slow that night). Second runner-up was Regina Hahn, daughter of one-time TV personality Chiqui Brosas, who earlier was 1975 Binibining Pilipinas and fourth runner-up in that year’s Miss Universe pageant. Regina has great personality and maybe should have joined the contest earlier. This close to getting a title was first runner-up Richelle Angalot, who probably should join again another time (or wait for one of the winners to get into trouble and assume the crown).

The Binibining Pilipinas-International title was given to Melody Gershback, who, with her very mestiza features, is so doll-like — very much the kind of look they favor in Miss International. For Miss Universe, they are sending Pamela Bianca Manalo, sister of Binibining Pilipinas-World 2002 Kate Manalo and niece of former Binibining Pilipinas-International Nini Ramos Licaros, who was the producer of Eh, Kasi Babae in the ‘80s.

Chosen to represent the country in the Miss World contest is Marie Ann Umali, another pageant repeater, but is now a big winner — thanks to the unmatched regal bearing she displayed that night of the contest.

Also a big winner was the pageant show itself. In spite of those little rough edges along the way, it was basically smooth and entertaining. The telecast of the coronation night also scored 18.7 percent, which was high enough considering the fact that it started airing at almost 11 p.m. (Eat, Bulaga! and Startalk both went overtime because of the tribute to Francis Magalona and pushed the primetime schedule back.)

Apparently, the interest in beauty pageants is back and the Binibining Pilipinas organizers have Janina San Miguel from last year to thank for that. (Butch Francisco of philstar.com)