Washington, D.C. --- The Philippine Embassy here held on Aug. 31 a send-off reception for a talented 24-year-old Filipino-American woman crowned as “Miss District of Columbia 2004.”

Therese Lorraine Diza Lizardo, who will represent D.C. in the “Miss America Pageant” next week, met with government officials and dignataries, including Albert del Rosario, the Philippine ambassador to the U.S.

Also, the reception was attended by Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, president of the George Washington University, Lizardo’s alma mater where she has been admitted for a course in Doctor of Medicine.

Three former “Miss District of Coumbia” were present during the event. They were Lisa Ferris (2003), Rashida Jolley (2001), and Sonya Gavankar (1997), who acted as the mistress of ceremonies.

Lizardo, as Miss District of Columbia, has received a $100,000 grant from the Peter Strauss Foundation, Inc. to promote her “Values First” platform while traveling through the 52 states, including the Virgin Islands, as an ambassador of goodwill for Washington, D.C.

“A strong set of values that fosters ambition and integrity is what differentiates a good student from a great student,” Lizardo said. “Teachers play an important role in the development of any child because they can infuse these values everyday in the classroom.”

Lizardo said that through her efforts, she could motivate teachers across the nation.

With this platform, Lizardo has prepared herself for the “Miss America” contest to be held in Atlantic City, starting on Sept. 12, culminating in a parade at the Atlantic City Boardwalk on Sept. 17, and the final “Miss America Pageant” and Coronation on Sept. 18, which will be televised live on ABC Channel from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

http://www.filipinoexpress.com/18/37_expressweek.html

FILIPINO Beauty Queens

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But when an international beauty pageant
crowned someone the winner, we better believe it that she's the fairest of them all.

You maybe surprise to know that the new "Miss America", Angela Perez Baraquio, is a
Filipino American from Hawaii. A Filipino American as the first asian american
to win the beauty pageant is something to be proud of. Filipinos are known to be
typically short, brown and with a pug nose. Unkown to most Filipino Americans, the
Philippines had been producing beauty queens for a long time. In fact we have been
raising them, small girls are competing in local or city beauty pageants are normal
for each town during fiestas, school anniversaries, fund raisings and other events
that require someone to promote the cause. When they grow older, they will be
competing for the chance to represent the country to the international pageants.

The Philippines have 3 Mses. International and 2 Mses. Universe to made us all proud
of. The likes of Margie Moran and Gloria Diaz as Mses.Universe, Gemma Cruz, Aurora
Pijuan and Melanie Marquez, the Mses. International. And some beaty queens married
Filipinos like Armi Helena Kuusela (Miss Finland)- Hilario, Miss Universe 1952 who is
married to a businessman and a Miss Australia married to a Filipino actor and
comedian. Not to mention, Miss International 1960 Stella Marquez Zawadzky-Araneta
(Miss Colombia) who is married to a scion of the Araneta family and the organizer of the
Miss International in the Philippines. Indeed the Philippines is home to a lot of
beautiful women.

As a race, we have a long tradition in winning beauty contests, the Filipino Americans
can be credited to have several beauty title holders of their own. Aside from Miss
Baraquio, the Miss Teen USA for 1998 is a Filipino American from South Carolina,
Vanessa Minnillo. Ms. Minnillo was voted Miss Congeniality by the contestants for that year.

The stereo type of a typical Filipino woman is not true. We've been blended with several
races in our blood and that made our features so unique and together with our zest for
living, our personalities are easy to get a long with - a winning combination. We can
be friends with all nationalities because we do not have prejudies towards any race,
look at our people to see what we've been tolerating in our society. We are a mixed
society, you name it we will surely have them in our blood, we are truly a melting pot.
And this melting pot made us produced these beauties.


Related Sites:
Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) Beauty Pageant
More Beauty Pageants Info
Miss America 2001 - Angela Perez Baraquio


http://www.epilipinas.com/FilAmBeauties.htm