The Miss Universe pageant held in Manila last January serves as an “inspiration” for the staging of the 2017 Binibining Pilipinas coronation ceremonies on Sunday night (April 30).
“You’re going to know the 15 finalists better,” ABS-CBN Special Projects head Chit Guerrero told the Inquirer at the recent media presentation at the Novotel Manila in Quezon City.
In the recent international tilt, audiences got a pleasant surprise when the 13 semifinalists were interviewed immediately after their announcement and were also featured in pre-taped segments showing their background.
“We’ve been thinking about this [Miss Universe format],” Guerrero said.
But familiarity will not be that hard to achieve as almost all of this year’s contestants have previously been parlayed in the national pageant scene, led by last year’s second runner up Jehza Mae Huelar.
Maria Angelica de Leon, daughter of actors Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong, has also joined in the fray, along with her fellow former semifinalists Charmaine Elima and Mae Liezel Ramos.
Vanessa Saliba, Angelique de Leon, and Elizabeth Clenci are returning as candidates as well.
Crossover beauties from the rival Miss World Philippines pageant include runners up Arienne Lousie Calingo, Nelda Ibe, and Rachel Peters, and semifinalists Kimberly Pajares and Arah Salientes, and non-placers Ruffa Nava and Leitz Camyll Ang, who also joined the Miss Chinatown Philippines search.
Alumnae of another pageant, the Miss Global Philippines, include runners up Sirene Sutton and Sammie Ann Legaspi.
Miss Philippines-Earth “elemental queens” (vice queens) Chanel Olive Thomas and Thoreen Halvorsen have also jumped ship, along with non-placer Dane Felisse Marasigan
Dindi Pajares was a Binibini semifinalist and a Top 20 finisher in the Miss Philppines-Earth pageant, while Sarah Asido was unplaced in both pageants.
Larah Grace Lacap was unplaced in the Miss World Philippines pageant, but finished in the Mutya ng Pilipinas semifinals, while Jennylyn Carla Malpaya was unplaced in both the Binibining Pilipinas and Miss World Philipines pageants.
Beatrice Valente represented Italy in the 2014 Miss Earth pageant in Manila, where she did not advance, but carried the Filipino community of Milan in the 2015 Miss Republic of the Philippines, where she was crowned Miss RP-International.
Campus queens Miss SCUAA Maria Gail Tobes and Binibining Unibersidad Benjieleen Nama and local beauties Mutya ng BatanganJuliana Kapeundl, Miss Manila runner up Kristel Guelos, and Miss Bulacan candidate Karla May Manongsong are giving the big league as shot, while “Asia’s Next Top Model” third place finisher Katarina Rodriguez is trying out for nationals for the first time.
But perhaps the most “experienced” of the lot is 21-year-old Joselle Mariano from Trece Martires. She was a semifinalist in the 2013 Mutya ng Pilipinas, a candidate in the 2014 Miss Philippines-Earth, and was crowned “Miss Luzon” in the 2015 Miss Republic of the Philippines pageant.
But the rookies may still be in contention, like last year when neophyte Maxine Medina took the very important Miss Universe Philippines crown.
Among the strong newbies who may pull an upset are architect Gabriela Ortega and globetrotter Ana Patricia Asturias.
Six new queens will be proclaimed in the 2017 Binibining Pilipinas coronation night, and they will represent the country in the Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Grand International, Miss Intercontinental, Miss Supranational and Miss Globe pageants.
The ceremonies will be staged at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City at 7 p.m. on Sunday and will be seen on ABS-CBN after “Gandang Gabi Vice.”
Xian Lim will return as host and will be joined by 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and 2010 Miss Universe fourth runner-up Venus Raj. /atm
