Miss Philippines in Miss World history, Philippine participation in Miss World Options

[Ek-ek]

Again, we are keeping our fingers crossed and hoping (against hope?) that our bet, Karla Bautista (19, standing 5’9" and measuring 34-25-34), will finally bring home the only international beauty title that has proven elusive to a Filipina – Miss World. Karla is now in China with 119 other beauties for the Miss World Pageant, the grand finals of which is slated tomorrow night, Dec. 4, to be telecast live by Star World (Channel 25 on SkyCable) and RPN 9, starting at 8 p.m. Karla was ranked fourth among the Top 10 Best in Swimsuit chosen during the preliminaries.

So far, the highest honor achieved by a Filipina is first runner-up, by Evangeline Pascual in 1973. Almost but not quite.

The Philippines first sent a candidate 30 years ago, in 1966, in the person of Vivien Lee Austria, also known as Princess Emraida Kiram, a Muslim princess from Cotabato. The pageant began in 1951 (one year ahead of the Miss Universe Pageant) in London, organized by the Mecca Promotion headed by the late Eric D. Morley (who died in 2000).

Here’s a list of Misses Philippines who have so far figured prominently in the Miss World Pageant, compiled by Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Gery Yumping, Joey Cezeare and Francis Calubaquib:

In 1968, Cecilia "Pinky" Anas Amabuyok (5’7", 35-24-35), then only 17 and a high school student at UE, caught the attention of English media the moment she arrived in London with the confiscation at the customs of cigars she brought along as gifts to the city mayor and an article that described her as a nun from the Philippines. Pinky finished fourth runner-up.

In 1970, Maria Minerva "Minnie" Manalo Cagatao (5’7", 34-23.5-35), 17, a native of Isabela and a UST medical technology student, made it to the semi-finals. Olive-skinned Jennifer Josephine Hosten of Grenada won, the first black Miss World.

Our bet in 1972, Evangeline "Eva" Rosales Reyes (5’9", 36-24-36), 19, from Lipa City and a PWU student, was an instant hit among Englishmen but she made it only in the semi-finals along with other top favorite Miss USA Lynda Carter of Arizona (who would later star as TV’s Wonder Woman).

The only Pinay who has nearly bagged the crown was Evangeline "Vangie" Luis Pascual (5’9", 36.5-26-36.5), from Orani, Bataan, and a UST Fine Arts student, was first runner-up in 1973. She was supposed to succeed Miss USA Marjorie "Marji" Wallace of Indiana, who was stripped of her Miss World title after 104 days for not fulfilling the requirements of her contract with the Miss World organizer. Vangie refused to accept the responsibilities for she too had lots of commitments here in the Philippines that year. So Wallace’s name remained in the roster of Miss World winners.

In 1977, Anna Melissa "Peachy" Ofilada Veneracion, 17, was among the Top Nine choices for the title. But the day before the finals, the Philippine Embassy in London advised her to withdraw in support of the Philippines stand against the Apartheid issue. She was the first Philippine entry under Mutya ng Pilipinas title.

A Balikbayan from Canada, 21-year-old Sarah Jane Coronel Areza (5’4", 33-23-33), a sociology student at the University of Toronto, was our bet in 1982; she was a semi-finalist and named Asia’s Queen of Beauty.

Then in 1986, another Pinay from Canada, Sherry Rose Austria Byrne (5’6", 36-25-35), an 18-year-old student, made it in the semi-finalist and also voted as the Asia’s Queen of Beauty.

Marilen "Lhen" Camiling Espino from Pampanga was originally the country’s bet in the 1992, but she felt sick a few hours before her scheduled departure. She was replaced by Marina Pura Abad Santos Benipayo (who was Bb. Maja Pilipinas winner that year) who was the first Philippines entry under BPCI (Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.)

In 1993, Sharmaine "Ruffa" Rama Gutierrez competed in Sun City, South Africa. She was among the favorites and made it as Second Princess (third place), proclaimed Asia’s Queen of Beauty.

In 1994, 5’11" tall Caroline "Cara" Villarosa Subijano, a 22-year-old commerce graduate of the University of California in Berkeley, was a semi-finalist.

Another Bb. Pilipinas-World winner in 1996, Daisy Garcia Reyes, 19, nearly lost her chance to compete in the Miss World pageant when the BPCI dethroned her for violating the contest rule. She only retained her title with the help of other Bb. Pilipinas past winners and lawyer uncle — the late Sen. Rene Cayetano. She was voted by her fellow Miss World candidates as Miss Personality. The pageant was held in India where the event was heavily guarded and overshadowed by protests and threats by militant women to commit suicide by immolation.

In 2002, Katherine Anne "Kathy" Ramos Manalo (5’8", 36-26-36), 22, a Masscom (cum laude) graduate at Assumption College made in the Top 10 finalists in London. The original pageant site that year was supposed in Abuja, Nigeria. But religious riots spurred the pageant’s schedule of staging the event resulted to the death of some 200 people, prompting the organizer to move the pageant back to London at the Alexander Palace. Miss Canada withdrew after the incident happened in Nigeria. A new voting system that includes global text messages was adopted to select the 20 semi-finalists from the 88 candidates.

Last year, a Balikbayan from Australia, Maria Rafael "Mafae" Verdadero Yunon, 21, who stands 5’9" and measures 35-24.5-35, made it to Magic 5 in the pageant also held in China. Mafae is the niece of former Bb. Pilipinas Ma. Desiree Verdadero-Abesamis (1984 Miss Universe third runner-up). It was the first time for China to host an international beauty contest after a ban on beauty pageants

In 1971 Miss World, Miss Philippines Onelia Jose won the " Best in Gown " and in 1978 Miss Philippine representative Louvette Hammond won " Miss Talent"

[poknat]

Wow , I thought that the Philippines had been sending representative in that pageant for a long time!

But Miss Universe is still a top choice for most Filipinos! It was inly when Ruffa won a second princess in 1993 did the people realized that there was such a pageant called " Miss World"

[Forumwalker]

yah.. Miss Universe is more prestigious for the filipinos

[Ek-ek]

Miss World ranking:
Venezuela 5 2 3 7 8
2 India 5 0 0 3 6
3 United Kingdom 5* 6 4 14 8
4 Sweden 3 1 0 6 8
5 Jamaica 3 0 3 5 8
6 United States 2 5 1 17 17
7 Australia 2 2 1 4 10
8 Argentina 2 2 0 1 7
9 Holland 2 1 0 2 5
10 Austria 2 0 2 3 9
11 Iceland 2 0 1 1 1
12 Germany 2* 1 3 3 8
13 South Africa 2** 3 5 6 11
14 France 1 2 2 6 11
15 Finland 1 2 1 4 9
16 Israel 1 1 6 6 8
17 Greece 1 1 3 0 4
18 Ireland 1 1 1 2 10
19 Peru 1 1 1 0 3
20 Brazil 1 0 2 7 7
21 Turkey 1 0 1 2 3
22 Trinidad & Tobago 1 0 1 1 4
23 Egypt 1 0 1 0 0
24 Poland 1 0 0 2 2
25 Dominican Republic 1 0 0 1 3
26 Puerto Rico 1 0 0 0 5
27 Nigeria 1 0 0 0 2
28 Bermuda 1 0 0 0 1
28 Russia 1 0 0 0 1
30 Grenada 1 0 0 0 0
31 Guam 1** 0 1 0 4
32 Colombia 0 4 1 2 4
33 Canada 0 3 0 1 4
34 Denmark 0 2 1 5 5
35 New Zealand 0 2 0 5 7
36 Philippines 0 1 1 2 6
37 Taiwan 0 1 1 0 0
38 Switzerland 0 1 0 4 3
39 Norway 0 1 0 3 5
40 Italy 0 1 0 2 4
41 Croatia 0 1 0 2 1
42 Yugoslavia*** 0 1 0 1 7
43 Korea 0 1 0 1 4
44 Aruba 0 1 0 0 2
45 Guyana 0 0 1 3 2
46 Spain 0 0 1 2 7
47 China 0 0 1 2 0
48 Malaysia 0 0 1 0 4
49 Portugal 0 0 1 0 0
49 Scotland 0 0 1 0
(IMG:http://news.balita.ph/html/public_html/images/articles/20041204184049114_2.jpg)

Miss Philippines being interviwed

[unattractiveguy]

What the hell happen to miss Vietnam? (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/icon_sad.gif)

This post has been edited by unattractiveguy: Dec 11 2004, 09:53 PM

[uKganda]

Don't walk in front of me I may not follow
Don't walk in back of me I may not lead
Walk beside me and be my friend

(IMG:http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/FriendsofChangi/PavielyneCarandang.gif)

This post has been edited by uKganda: Oct 18 2008, 05:45 PM

[uKganda]

yah.. Miss Universe is more prestigious for the filipinos

(IMG:http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/FriendsofChangi/Miss-Universe-low-numbers.jpg)

[uKganda]

Janina San Miguel in Miss World and her english was bad and embarassing to them as a race.

(IMG:http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq64/FriendsofChangi/JaninaSanMiguelembarassingmoment.gif)