Three Most Powerful Things Filipinos Need to Do to Win In Miss Universe

The Philippines is already considered as one of the Powerhouses of beauty pageants these past few years because our candidates consistently bag places in different international competitions. The Philippines has 5 crowns in Miss International, 2 crowns in Miss Universe, 2 in Miss Earth, 1 in Miss Supranational and 1 for Miss World. Include on the list our consistent inclusion in Miss Universe's Top 5 for the past four years.

However, it seems that it's not the Philippines' year in beauty pageant. In the recently held Miss Universe held in Doral, Miss Universe Philippines MJ Lastimosa ended in Top 10. Though it is still an achievement, we have to admit that there are some areas to be fixed and polished for us to be able to be successful in getting the most coveted crown of Miss Universe.

Background of the Philippine Beauty Pageant

Bb. Pilipinas is the organization which filters beautiful Pinays to delegate the country in major beauty pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Suprainternational. The aforesaid organization is managed by a Colombian, Stella Marquez de Araneta. Madam Stella is a Colombian beauty queen who was the very first title holder of Miss International. Stella Marquez was married to a Filipino businessman and she decided to run a beauty pageant organization here in the Philippines.

What are the things we need to do to succeed?

1. Get a Filipino designer

Both gowns are created by Barazza. Obviously
Vega's gown is better than Lastimosa's.

Every Filipino would have to agree that the gown worn by MJ Lastimosa is nothing but a bridal gown. This gown is designed by Alfredo Barazza, a Colombian designer. Alfredo Barazza is a great designer but of course, he might be biased to the candidates of different countries, most especially if the contestant is a front runner and a great competitor of Colombia. Barazza's creations for Paulina Vega are awesome but when it comes to MJ Lastimosa, he created crap. I know where Barazza is coming from. That is understandable because if a Filipino designer will design for his country and for other countries, he will also give the best for his country. So the best solution here is we need a Filipino designer who is really dedicated to give our candidates queenly gowns. We need a Filipino designer who will do his best to make our candidate the most beautiful woman in the universe. 

It was also an obvious sabotage when Barazza put a cut on MJ's gown which made MJ Lastimosa 5 inches shorter. As you can see on the edited picture below, MJ looks taller without the cut. 

Filipinos questioned Madam Araneta's patriotism to foreign designers the fact that there are world-class Filipino designers. She called Filipino designers as "no good." But for Pete's sake, there are lots of Filipino designers like Michael Cinco, Paul Sebastian, Francis Libiran and Leo Almodal who make gowns way better than Barazza. It is not true that our designs are no good. Have a look:

Leo Almodal's creation

Francis Libiran was the one who designed Meegan Young's gown. Megan Young, a Filipino, won the Miss World title.

Gown made by a Filipino designer, Paolo Sebastian

Michael Cinco gowns

Barazza also created MJ's national costume and Filipinos made it a laughing stuff. Barazza is not the best person to consult in national costume because he is not a Filipino and he doesn't know our culture. MJ's national costume is so dull and it lacks flamboyance. There are lots of better national costume designers in the Philippines yet I do not know why Madam Stella Araneta is not open for Filipino designer. Madam Araneta keeps on rejecting Filipino works for she was not satisfy with their works. But who is she? She is a Colombian and she doesn't know how should a Filipino look like. She doesn't know what best represents a Filipina and I must say that these Filipino designers are more knowledgeable than she and other Colombian designers.

MJ's national costume made by Barazza. It lacks flamboyance.

For the record, there are lots of national costumes made by Filipinos that really display flamboyance like the pictures below. Why can't Madam Araneta allow our Filipino designers to dress our candidate as lovely as this?

Tboli, a tribe in the Philippines

These national costumes from a provincial competition in the Philippines are way better than Barazza's creation

Sto. Niño Festival in the Philippines

More than artistic interpretation which Madam Araneta said on her interview, the costume must preserve the Filipino culture and it can be preserved only if the designer is knowledgeable about the costume.

What could we do if Madam Araneta still wants to patronize Colombian works? We could create petitions and boycott the organization until she accepts Filipino works. I am not saying that Colombian designs are mediocre. Barazza is a great designer but he may be biased and unfaithful to other candidates.

2. Stop the 50% beauty, 50% brain mentality

For the past years, we have proven that in Miss Universe, beauty is highly prioritized and brain is just a small factor. The Philippines must not focus in sending intelligent candidates. We don't need candidates with Latin honors. We need a beautiful lady who is really good in pageant. We need someone who ramps well and has a good catwalk. We need someone who knows how to carry gowns with confidence. Rampa kung rampa! Kahit 'di honor nung college, basta kabogera, pasok na yan! Let us set aside the educational attainment because we have to admit to ourselves that before you could enter the top 5 and answer the final questions, you have to perform well in these areas. After all, personality is what it takes to answer the questions. You do not need to apply your mathematical skills or any skills acquired in college in answering those questions.

The problem in some Filipinos is that no matter how beautiful the contestant is, no matter how good she ramps on the stage, no matter how a stunner she is, all of these are forgotten if the other contestant has Latin honors or came from a prestigious school.

3. So what if the candidate does not know how to speak English?

Filipinos prejudice Filipino contestants who do not know how to speak English. Majority of us think that speaking English is a pre-requisite in these beauty pageants. But always remember what Miss Universe 2012 first runner up, Janine Tugonon. She affirms with the fact that being Miss Universe is not all about knowing how to speak a specific language.

There are lots of beauty wasted because these beautiful ladies are afraid to be criticized for their poor English. Many Filipinos too do not want to use interpreters in these pageants. But wake up now Filipinos! Latinas prove that they can win without English! So if the contestant is beautiful and she has the x-factor in beauty pageants, let us still consider her even though she doesn't know how to speak English. Let us not be afraid of getting an interpreter in pageants because we can really express ourselves better if we use our native tongue.