The Women Behind Pageants: Stella Marquez Araneta

"In every man's success or failure is a woman", as the saying goes. This holds true in a pageant. Oh, not necessarily the pageant's contestants but the director of the pageant. In the next few weeks, this site will be featuring some of the most powerful women behind a pageant; be it local or international. To kick off the series, let's take a look at the woman behind the national pageant in the Philippines -- Stella Marquez Araneta of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

Stella Marquez Zawadski Araneta or commonly referred to as Madame Stella Marquez Araneta was born on June 17, 1937 in Tomaco Narino, Colombia. She won the national title of Miss Colombia in 1959 and represented her country to the Miss Universe 1960 pageant in Miami Beach, Florida. She placed as semi-finalist (Top 15. The crown was garnered by the hometown-candidate Linda Bemment of USA.

 Inspired by her semi-final placement in the Miss Universe 1960, she was handpicked to represent Colombia in the maiden-edition of the Miss International pageant in Long Beach California, a pageant which she won. She bested 51 other ladies from different countries including Iona Pinto of India as First Runner Up. It should be noted that Iona Pinto's became the highest placement that India had in the Miss International pageant.

Her exposure as Miss International paved the way for her to meet Filipino businessman Jorge Araneta. They eventually got married and settled in the Philippines. In 1964, she organized Binibining Pilipinas which sends out the winner to Miss Universe. The first winner was Myrna Panlilio. In that same year, Gemma Cruz (Miss Philippines 1963) won the Miss International title, the first internation crown for the Philipines. The next year, Binibining Pilipinas officially acquired the Miss International franchise from the City of Manila.

Madame Stella has been the director/owner of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc., for more than fifty years. Whilst marred with a lot of controversy, she produced eight major titles for the Philippines; 3 Miss Universes and 5 Miss Internationals. She also produced several crowns from minor pageants including Miss Supranational by Mutya Johanna Datul, Miss Globe by Lorraine Ann Colis among others.

A Family Affair

"It runs in the blood." This adage is true even in beauty pageants. We listed winners of different Miss Philippines' title who proved that winning a beauty title is in fact, a family affair.

Number 5: Mother and Daughter  - Elvira and Charlene Gonzales

Representation: Miss Universe 1994

Elvie joined Binibining Pilipinas twice; first was in 1964 where she was adjudged First Runner Up to the winner Myrna Panlilio, and second in 1965 where was declared Fourth Runner Up to the eventual winner Louise Vail Aurelio. She entered show-business and was linked to Bernard Bonnin whom she got two children; actor Richard Bonnin and Charlene Gonzales. Charlene joined Bb. Pilipinas 1994 (which was held on October 1993) and later on represented Philippines when it hosted Miss Universe 1994 in Manila. She made it the Top 6 which was the highest placement since Pebbles Asis semi-final placement in Miss Universe 1987.

Number 4: Mother and Daughter  - Alice and Mutya Crisostomo Laxa

Representation: Miss Asia Quest 1970, Miss Asia Pacific Quest 1992

Alice and Mutya Crisostomo is the first mother and daughter winner of the Mutya ng Pilipinas title. Alice won in 1970 and was later on adjudged as Miss Asia 1970 - First Runner Up. She was paired with Tony Ferrer in the movie "The Golden Child" in 1971. A year after, the two got married and had two children; Mutya (perhaps named after Alice's Mutya ng Pilipinas title) and Falcon.  In 1990, Mutya joined the same pageant and won Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacifc. Since there was no Miss Asia Pacific pageant held in 1990 and 1991, Mutya got to represent the Philippines in the 1992 edition of the pageant. She placed 2nd Runner to the eventual winner Tali Ben Harush from Israel.

Number 3: Aunt and Nieces - Nini Ramos, Katherine, Bianca and Nicole Manalo 

Representation: Miss International 1968, Miss World 2002, Miss Universe 2009, Miss Globe 2016

Only the Manalos achieved a three-way title win in the Binibining Piilipinas history. Make it four including their aunt Nini Ramos' Miss International 1968 semi-final placement. They represented their family and of course the Philippines in three out of Big 4 beauty pageants;  International, World and Universe, then one minor pageant for Nicole which is Miss Globe 2016. While Nini, Katherine and Nicole made it to the semifinals, nobody among the four made a top placement. Bianca on the other hand was the last Miss Universe Philippine before Venus Raj ended the eleven-year-semi-final-placement-drought for the Philippines.

Number 2: Aunt and Niece - Desiree Verdadero and Rafaela Verdadero Yunon

Representation: Miss Universe 1984, Miss World 2003

Only the Verdaderos made a back-to-back Top 5 placement for the Philippines in Miss Universe and Miss World. While both are expected to win during their respective pageant finals, Desiree ended Fourth Runner Up, while Mafe didn't place in the Top 3. Sweden's Yvonne Ryding won the Miss Universe 1984 crown, while Ireland's Rosanna Davison won the Miss World 2003 crown. Mafe is the daughter of Desiree's sister.

Number 1: Sisters Gloria and Rio Diaz

Representation: Miss Universe 1969, Miss Asia Quest 1977.

Gloria Diaz became the first Filipina Miss Universe in 1969. When the late-younger-sister Rio Diaz signified interest in pageantry, she thought she had a big shoe to fill if she joins Binibining Pilipinas. She chose Mutya ng Pilipinas 1977 pageant instead and went home with one of the crowns -- Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia 1977. In the international level, she made it to the Top 5 but placed last as the Fourth Runner Up. Just like her sister Gloria, she entered showbiz but was inclined more in hosting. She entered politics when she got married to Charlie Cojuangco and got elected as Vice Mayor of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and died on October 4, 2004 at the age of 45.