MANILA, Philippines — The Miss Bikini Philippines pageant was supposed to hold its 2021 edition late last year after organizer ProMedia successfully staged the live edition of the sister competition Miss FIT (Face, Intelligence, Tone) Philippines contest. But the varying pandemic restrictions pushed the beauty spectacle aside until protocols have been eased.
Now, with Metro Manila and other places under a much looser “alert level” status, ProMedia hit the accelerator and mounted what is technically the pageant’s 2021 edition, almost two years after holding a virtual competition for 2020. Twenty-six candidates from all over the Philippines are vying for the title currently held by Chelsea Fernandez.
The competition, which aims to promote holistic beauty, will crown a new queen in ceremonies to be staged at Palazzo Verde in Las Piñas City tonight, April 18, at 8 p.m. Although the ladies will compete face-to-face in front of a judging panel, spectators will be limited, and followers are invited to watch the contest via ProMedia’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
ProMedia acquired the rights to the national beauty pageant from its previous owners in 2019 with the promise to carry the contest’s legacy of promoting fitness. Former Miss Bikini Philippines winners included 2013 Miss Philippines Earth Angelee Claudette delos Reyes and 2015 Binibining Pilipinas International Janicel Lubina.
Fernandez, who was crowned in the virtual staging of the 2020 Miss Bikini Philippines pageant, was proclaimed Miss Philippines Water in 2019 and has filed her application in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
The reigning queen rationalized the staging of the Miss Bikini Philippines pageant at a time when the world is currently battling a pandemic.
“I believe that it is very relevant during these times, especially on the aspect of taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally,” Fernandez told the Inquirer.
She continued: “The ethos behind Miss Bikini [Philippines] is being true to yourself while being an inspiration to others to become the best versions of themselves and become catalysts of positive change as well.”
Fernandez said embracing the pageant’s thrust “freed” her from a world that she found now to be “restricted, confined, and boxed in notions of beauty on weight, figure, skin tones, and hair.”
She said she hopes to crown a successor who is “more outgoing, sociable and exciting, one who has tremendous energy to propel the ethos of Miss Bikini [Philippines] to a bigger audience.”
Fernandez added: “I expect to pass [the crown] to someone who, like me, is true to her word, one who’s passionate and dedicated, and one who can best represent the organization.”
But if Fernandez saw her reign extended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, her successor will hold the crown for a shorter period of time. Pageant director Rodgil Flores told the Inquirer that ProMedia will stage another competition, the 2022 edition of the Miss Bikini Philippines pageant, later this year.
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