Rodgil Flores casts a stern taskmasterâs glance as grimacing young women in bikinis stride across one of the mirror-walled studios that is central to making the Philippines a beauty pageant juggernaut.
As a child she waded in muddy Philippine rice paddies, now teenager Janicel Lubina struts down runways for the country's top designers and is hoping to be crowned among the world's most beautiful women.
If 2013 was the year of âpageant virgins,â 2015 must be the year of also-rans and repeaters, as Binibining Pilipinas crowns a new set of winners on March 15 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
IF MARY Jean âMJâ Lastimosa succeeds in ending the countryâs 42-year title drought by winning the Miss Universe crown on Monday...
Beauty queen maker Jonas Gaffud of Aces & Queens felt Pia Wurtzbachâs loss. He and his team have been responsible for helping prepare the frustrated beauty queen for almost two years now.
While Filipinos the world over waited with bated breath some time last November for Miss Universe hosts Thomas Roberts and Mel B. to announce the five finalists in Moscow, celebrated Filipino beauty queen maker Jonas Gaffud of Aces & Queens was running to the nearest menâs room of the huge Crocus City Hall, the eventâs venue.
Although Rodgil Flores and Jonas Gaffud, two of the countryâs leading beauty queen makers, insist theyâre âfriends,â their respective supporters, including a number of current protĂ©gĂ©s, are threatening to tear that friendship apart.
