LOS ANGELES—Twenty candidates for Binibining Pilipinas USA made their first official public appearance Sunday, July 7.
Insider Productions held a meet-and-greet at Porsche of Downtown Los Angeles, with pageant candidates Kristine Masajo, Kathleen Bautista, Jessica Marasigan, Jessica Joan, Jasmin Miko, Kayla Marie Nadres, Carlotta Pura, Melissa Gasia, Rizza-Belen Diaz, Alexandra Drechsler, Patricia Rodriguez, Hanah Marte, Kristina Cruz, Geramie Dizon, Amyra Soriano, Arienne Calingo and Hanadi Ahmad.
Several other candidates live out of state and were not available.
The candidates will have the chance to compete for Binibining Pilipinas USA 2013, Binibining Pilipinas USA-Earth, Binibining Pilipinas USA-Tourism. Candidates must meet height and residency requirements to move on to the international competition.
InsiderProductions’s Binibining Pilipinas USA is a big leap forward from its Queen Lola Pageant.
“The biggest challenge was finding women who can move on and compete in Ms. Earth and Binibining Pilipinas,” stated executive producer Mildred Deang. All candidates will be mentored by Venus Raj for a week, 5-6 hours a day.
“As a designer, I want to make their individuality shine more than my clothes,” stated official designer Alan Del Rosario.
The winner is expected to set a high standard for Binibining Pilipinas USA Pageants in grace, beauty and intellect.
Del Rosario asked all the candidates, “Who can talk about the current state in Egypt?!” Candidate number 16, Arienne Calingo, stepped forward and said, “I support the uprising in Egypt.” Calingo is a Fil-Am studying Arabic.
Kristina Cruz, candidate number 13, on the other hand teaches students, “I want to show my students that I am a person who is comfortable in her own skin and not afraid to put myself out there.”
The pageant’s foundation, Binibining Pilipinas USA Cares, will hold “A Fashion Gala” on July 21 to benefit the campaign for Filipino children of the Apl.de.ap Foundation and Mending Kids International.
Mending Kids International provides life-changing surgical care to children in the Philippines and other countries.
“I’m stressing originality and the philanthropy aspect of giving back,” stated Ted Benito, Binibining Pilipinas USA director and Apl.de.Ap Foundation executive director.
Apl.de.Ap Foundation builds classrooms, provides curriculums and promotes the entrepreneurial vision of students and children in the Philippines and Asia.
Binibining Pilipinas USA 2013 will be held at Centinela Valley Center For The Arts in Los Angeles. Preliminary competition is on July 26, 2013 6 p.m. PST and Coronation Night, July 27th, 2013, 6 pm PST.
