TOKYO—The country’s candidate to the Miss International 2013 pageant has a “selfie” (self-taken photograph) with President Aquino, which she had taken after the President spoke at a gathering of the Filipino community here late Thursday.
The picture taken by Bea Rose Santiago has since made its way online and reposted several times by other Filipino beauty queens supportive of her quest.
The 53rd Miss International pageant this year is being hosted by Japan, with the coronation night to be held at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The President himself is rooting for Santiago.
To the delight of the Filipino community here, Mr. Aquino made special mention of Santiago, who wowed the audience when she turned up at the President’s meeting with the Filipino community at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center.
The President wished Santiago success in her quest to win the crown.
“To our contestant to the Miss International, we really wish you good luck,” the President said in a speech before a large Filipino audience that represented the 203,000-strong Filipino community in this country.
The Masbate-born beauty returned the gesture by posing with the President’s selfie at the end of the program.
The meeting with the Filipino community happened a few hours after Mr. Aquino, along with six members of his Cabinet, arrived in Tokyo for a summit meeting with Japan this Saturday.
Mr. Aquino recalled that he was in Bali barely a week after Megan Young was crowned Miss World in Indonesia’s resort island.
Young became the Philippines first title holder of the oldest beauty pageant, besting 126 candidates from all over the world on Sept. 28.
“Hopefully, I would experience in Japan the same experience I had in Bali, Indonesia,” said the President, eliciting a roar of approval from the audience composed of Filipino immigrants, overseas workers and exchange students.
The President was in Bali from Oct. 6 to 8 for the 21st economic leaders’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
In Bali, he recalled that “many people”—presumably including Apec leaders themselves—were saying, “Oh Philippines! Miss World!”
The President joked that it was hard to conclude, judging from the way people have reacted upon seeing him, whether they were extending “congratulations,” or saying that “if not because of the Philippines we would have won.”
“But you know, even the politicians were saying that ‘it’s very hard to compete against Miss World candidates,’ so it’s okay that a Filipino won in Bali. If we win here in Japan, people would say, ‘it’s very hard to compete against Miss International candidates,’” he said.
Should Santiago win, Mr. Aquino would tell other countries, “That’s how things turned up.”
