Miss International 2015 - Philippines versus Venezuela

Philippines                      Country                    Venezuela
Janicel Lubina                   Name          Edymar Martinez
20 years old                      Age                    20 years old
5' 9"                                Height                           5' 11"
Unplaced              Placement last year           Unplaced
Winner (5 )             Best Performance          Winner (6)





Barely two weeks before the Miss International 2015 finals yet the heat is on as the candidates from different countries participate in several pre-pageant activities. While there are several early favorites out of seventy-two (72) entrants, long time pageant aficionados can figure out that the competition is neck-to-neck between the representatives from Philippines and Venezuela.

 Janicel won the Bb. Pilipinas International title on March 15, 2015 along with the other winners for Miss Universe, Miss Supranational, Miss Intercontinental and Miss Tourism pageants respectively. Her more than seven months of preparation goes with it some sort of pressure as one of her colleagues, Ann Lorraine Colis bagged the crown for the Miss Globe 2015 pageant.

Prior to being crowned  Bb. Pilipinas International, she also joined Miss World Philippines 2013 pageant and placed 1st runner up to the eventual Miss World 2013 winner Megan Young.

Edymar was crowned Miss Venezuela Internacional 2014 on October 9, 2014 along with the winners for Miss Universe and Miss Earth pageant for 2015. Her more than a year of preparation was designed to put Venezuela back on the Miss International map. It should be noted that Venezuela set a record of winning the crown in a three year interval -- 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006. The last time Venezuela claimed a Miss International crown was in 2010.

In the event that Janicel wins the crown this year, that puts Philippines in a tie with Venezuela for the most number of wins ( 6 ) in the Miss International pageant history. Should Venezuela win, it would raise their title count to seven, same number as of the Miss Universe titles they have.

Hillarie Danielle Parungao is Miss World Philippines 2015

For the first time in Miss World Philippines' five year pageant history, a Filipino-sounding last name got crowned as Hillarie Daniel Parungao bested 25 other hopefuls to represent the country in the Miss World 2015 pageant to be held in Sanya, China.

Completing the Top 5 are; Candidate No.  14 Marita Cassandra Naidas, 1st Runner Up, Candidate No. 21 Mia Allyson Howell, 2nd Runner Up, Candidate No. 1 Maria Vanessa Wright, 3rd Runner Up, and Candidate No. 12 Emma Mary Tiglao, 4th Runner Up.

Parungao also snagged most of both special and sponsor awards including Best in Sports Challenge, Best in Fashion Runway, Best in Swimsuit, Best in Gown, Miss Zen Institute, Miss Technomarine, Miss Solaire, Miss Figlia and Miss Phoenix Petroleum.


Nineteen (19) is a a lucky number. Originally candidate number 27, she had to take the place of candidate number 19 Diana Pinto who withdrew from the competition just a week and a half toward towards the finals. It should be noted that Valerie Weigmann's number assignment last year was also 19. In 2012, candidate 19 Lorraine De Guzman was a semifinalist, while in 2013 candidate 19 Bianca Paz was third runner-up.

Foreign-sounding last name. The titleholders for the past four years of Miss World Philippines are all mestizas. Gwendoline Ruais is half-French, Queenierich Rehman is half Pakistani, Megan Young is half-American, and Valerie Weigmann is half-German. Following this trend, pageant fanatics were thinking that it's Mia Allyson Howell who will eventually win the crown.

Miss Philippines the second-time around. Last year, Hillarie was given a chance to represent Philippines in the Miss Asia Pacific World 2014 in South Korea and placed third runner-up. That experience and exposure really showed on the Miss World Philippines 2015 finals.

With what she has shown during the pageant finals, it seems Philippines is set to witness another Filipina Miss World bringing home the crown.

Notable Miss Universe Philippines Repeaters

When Binibining Pilipinas 2015 coronation night ended, there were three topics talked about the most in social media; Wyn-Wyn Marquez not winning a title, Toni Gonzaga's hosting, and Pia Wurtzbach being a repeater. The first two issues eventually died down, but with Pia being a repeater is something that continued to hound her title to date. But Pia is no pioneer being a repeater. Her predecessor MJ Lastimosa was also a repeater. And so was Janine Tugunon, who was a first-runner up the year preceding her Miss Universe Philippines title win.

Looking back at the history of Binibining Pilipinas pageant, it seems that "try and try again" is an adage that holds true not just with Pia, MJ and Janine. Let's take a look at the other five Bb. Pilipinas who gave it another shot at the Miss Universe Philippines crown.

Miss Universe 3rd Runner Up Desiree Verdadero posing with the eventual winner from USA and Miss Venezuela.

Maria Desiree Verdadero was adjudged first runner up in the Bb Pilipinas 1982 pageant. The BB. Pilipinas Universe title went to the more eloquent Maria Isabel Lopez.

When Lopez failed to place in the Miss Universe 1982 pageant in Peru, a lot of pageant fans clamored that Philippines would have placed better had it been Verdadero who was sent to the pageant. That gave Verdadero the idea of joining the pageant again after two years. Strange enough, she in fact replicated the third runner up placement of Chat Silayan in the Miss Universe 1984 pageant.

Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1985 Joyce Burton in the traditional Santacruzan event in Araneta Center, with her escort Tonton Guttierez.

Joyce Ann Fellosas Burton first joined Bb Pilipinas in 1981 and was adjudged Miss Young Pilipinas. The Miss Universe title was won by Maria Caroline Mendoza.

Inspired by Desiree Verdadero's second attempt victory in Bb. Pilipinas 1984 and eventually a third runner up placement in Miss Universe 1984, Joyce decided to give Bb. Pilipinas Universe title a second shot the next year.

She joined Miss Universe 1985 in Miami, Florida, USA but did not place. The title was won by Yvonne Ryding of Sweden that year.

Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1997 Abbygale Arenas

Abbygale Williamson Arenas joined Bb. Pilipinas 1994 pageant and became a runner-up to queens; Charlene Gonzales - Universe, Cara Subijano - World, and Alma Concepcion - International. The three Binibini titleholders all made a semi-finals placement in their respective pageants.

She joined the 1997 edition of Binibining Pilipinas and got the ticket to represent Philippines in the Miss Universe 1997 pageant held in Miami Florida, USA. Abbygale missed the tenth spot in the semi-finals by just a hundreth point (.01 ). Along with Nina Ricci Alagao, she's one of the few Miss Philippines who placed 11th in the Miss Universe pageant.

Binibini winners from left-to-right: Rachel Soriano - World, Collete Centeno - International, Jewel May Lobaton - Universe

Jewel May Lobaton first joined Bb. Pilipinas in 1995. She made it to the Top 15 semi-finals. The titles went to Joanne Quintas-Universe, Reham Snow Tago - World, and Gladys Dueñas - International.

After three years, she joined the pageant again and became one of the crowd favorites to win the crown following her eloquence during the question and and answer portion. She turned out to be first runner up, though. A few weeks after the coronation, Tisha Silang who was originally crowned Bb. Pilipinas Universe was dethroned because of residency issue. Jewel May being the runner-up automatically assumed the crown and got on to represent Philippines in the Miss Universe 1998 pageant in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Jewel didn't make a placement on that pageant which was won by Trinidad and Tobago's Wendy Fitzwilliam.

Bb, Pilipinas Universe 2004 Maricar Balagtas being crowned by the outgoing winner Karla Gay Balingit.

Maricar Manalaysay Balagtas is the first to win the Bb. Pilipinas - Universe title on a third attempt. She joined in 2000 but failed to make a placement. Tried again the next year and became second runner-up. Her placement that year  became her ticket to represent Philippines in the Miss Globe International 2001 pageant held in Istanbul, Turkey, which she apparently won the title.

Despite having won an international pageant title, she was allowed to join Bb. Pilipinas in 2004 the third time. That year, she got the Bb. Pilipinas - Universe title and represented Philippines in the Miss Universe 2004 pageant held in Quito, Ecuador.

Balagtas was unable to make a placement. The title was won by Australia's Jennifer Hawkins.

It seems the trend's not new. Will we be seeing more of repeaters finally snagging the Miss Universe Philippines crown in the future? We'll find out!

PBB Queens

In the history of the reality show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) there were three housemates who were crowned-beauties prior to going inside the house, while two used their experience inside and eventually became beauty queens. Let's take a look at these ladies and let's get to know as to which national pageant they were declared winners.

Zephorah "Zara" Aldana Mayon (born April 17, 1989)  is a former Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific, winning the title in 2007. She gave up her crown in less than two months of her reign after controversies hounded her due to poverty.

She entered the PBB House on October 14, 2007 for the Celebrity Edition 2. On November 3. 2007, after twenty-one days inside the house,  Zara became the third celebrity housemte to be evicted.

In 2011, she joined the Binibining Pilipinas as Candidate No.1 alongside Shamcey Supsup, Diance Necio, Janice Tugunon, Mary Jean Lastimosa, and Queenierich Rehman but didn't make a placement in the semi-finals.

Riza Raquel Santos  (born August 30. 1986) is a Filipino-Canadian beauty queen and soldier trainee. She competed under the Canadian flag in the Miss Earth 2006 pageant and was adjudged Miss Photogenic. She ended up being the runner up to the grand winner Ruben Gonzaga during the Celebrity Edition in 2007. She placed the highest among the three beauty queen housemates that edition and the all-time highest placement by a beauty queen in PBB.

She starred in several television series like "Palos" starring Cesar Montano and Jake Cuenca but her career went lackluster prompting her to go back home to Canada. In 2011, she won the Miss Canada World title and went on to represent Canada in the Miss World 2011 pageant in United Kingdom.

Two years after, she went on again to represent Canada in the Miss Universe 2013 pageant but failed to place. She holds the distinction of being the only Miss Canada to win three national titles from three different franchise holders and being the only Miss Canada to represent the country in three of the four major international pageants.

Megan Lynne Young (born February 27, 1990) was an actress and former GMA Network talent when she entered BB Celebrity Edition 2 along with Zephora Mayon and Riza Santos. She was the first Starstruck star to transfer to rival station, ABS-CBN, in a bid to change her image from villain to a "nice girl".

On day 35, November 17, 2007, she was the fourth celebrity housemate to be evicted. She went on to co-star in television series after gotten evicted -- one of which is the Philippine remake of Betty La Fea which starred Bea Alonzo. It was on this series that she got close with Miss World 1993 Second Princess Ruffa Guttierez. Later on, when Megan Young got crowned Miss World 2013, she revealed in an interview that it was during her bonding days with Ruffa in the set that she realized she really wanted to be a Miss World. 

But prior to joining Miss World Philippines in 2013, and eventually snagging the first Philippine Miss World crown, rumors have it that she underwent training camps in preparation for Binibining Pilipinas 2012. Apparently, she was disqualified from the pageant because of some conflicts with her corporate endorsements.

Valerie Clacio Weigmann (born November 22, 1989) was 18 years of age when she entered the PBB house for the Teen Edition 2. She was born in Weisbaden, Germany. She was profiled as a "Daddy's Girl" currently trying to re-establish her ties with her Filipina mother since the death of her German father. Although she has lived most of her life in Germany, she has a great Filipina sensibility, visiting her mother's country very often. Regardless of her German tradition and heritage, she also has a good command of the Tagalaog language and has plans to enter Philippine showbiz. Valerie was evicted on Day 67. 

During her stay inside Big Brother house, she was linked to the eventual winner Ejay Falcon. The next few years after her PBB experience, Valerie went totally off the radar and concentrated in her studies. She resurfaced as the mestiza host wannabe in Eat Bulaga's Juan for All, All for Juan barrio sorties. It was her exposure in the GMA Network shows that put her in a very good position comes Miss World Philippines 2014 pageant. Apparently, a former PBB housemate was destined to inherit the MWP crown from a fellow PBB alumna.

Vickie Marie Milagrosa Sausa Rushton (born May 8, 1992) is a half-Pinay, half-British Bacolod-based model who also wants to pursue a career as a flight attendant so she can travel. She joins beauty pageants for the prize money and to make her visually impaired mother proud. 

In 2011, she bagged the Mutya ng Pilipinas International title alongside the would-be Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago who was assigned a special title of Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas. Because of conflict in the pageant schedule, Vickie wasn't able to represent the Philippines in the Miss Intercontinental 2011 pageant held in Alicante, Spain.

During the PBB All In edition, Vickie was only nominated once but was eventually saved. She is the 4th Big Placer during the season. She was linked to the eventual winner Daniel Matsunaga. The loveteam did not prosper as Vickie was already committed with actor Jason Abalos.

Miss Universe Theme Song

Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen with Miss Greece, Miss USA and Miss Sweden with the little sisters from the Philippines

For the benefit of the new-generation of beauty pageant aficionados, below is the lyrics of the Miss Universe theme song sung by the little sisters from the host country during the gown competition.

You Are My Star 
Artist:  Little Sisters

You are my star
You light my way
You brighten all my nights and make my day

You are my star
And even more
You are the friend that I've been waiting for

And if I start to lose my way
I search the sky and find out where… you are
Then I call on you to lead me through
Because you are…because you are my star

With WME/IMG acquiring Miss Universe Organization, fans all over the world are expecting a major pageant format again. Hopefully it would be for the advantage of our Miss Universe representative.