UST BEAUTIES
by Felix Manuel


The Pontifical, Royal, The Catholic University of the Philippines- The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has not only produced great men and women in different fields of endeavor, but it has also produced the most number of national beauty titleholders who competed abroad since the postwar pageant era. UST is arguably the beauty queen university of the country. It's solitary campus along España, Manila can definitely claim that it has the highest concentration of beautiful women who went on to become national beauty queens. Sprawled in an almost perfect square of twenty two hectares, the UST campus is boxed in by España Street on its front lawn, Governor Forbes (now Arsenio Lacson) St. on its northern flank, P. Noval on its south, and Dapitan St. on the rear.

Known as the Catholic University of the Philippines, the almost four-century old University of Santo Tomas draws inspiration from the teachings and philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic doctor and patron saint of Catholic schools.

The Campus of the University of Santo Tomas stands out like well-crafted sparkling jewelry in the city long marred by ecological ugliness, spawned by human neglect. The almost 400-year old university is the oldest in Asia and in student population, the largest Catholic University in the world located in one campus. In some ways, the campus lays bare the soul of this venerable institution. The UST campus exudes history and culture, a quest for knowledge and a love for God. Funfare beauty pageant experts, Felix Manuel, Gery Yumping, Joey Cezeare and Francis Calubaquib, tabulated which school has produced the most number of winners in the different national pageants we have. Due to the numerous pageants in the country, they only considered the girls who competed in the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, Miss Asia Pacific, Miss Maja Internacional and Miss Earth pageants. Data as to where they were studying during the time of the national pageants were gathered from different newspaper and magazine articles, souvenir programs, yearbooks, pageant memorabilia and application forms they have at hand. It is also common for the girls to transfer schools after their reigns; hence, some Thomasian beauties finished their course elsewhere while other titleholders from different schools transferred to UST.

It is very obvious that schools and universities are a rich source of beauty queen materials and, of course, showbiz materials. That is why during the different pageants in all schools there are always beauty pageant aficionados and talent scouts in attendance. This year's Mr. & Ms. Ideal Thomasian Personality, held on the evening of Valentine, was no exception. Many pageant aficionados would flock to the Medicine Auditorium and eagerly await to see if one of the girls (guys as well) would eventually end up as a national beauty queen. UST started holding inter-departmental beauty pageants in the 1970's.

Prior to that, it was the college or department's prerogative to choose their own queens. The prettiest and smartest girls always had the edge even then. These ladies have always been guided by the Thomasian mission- UST under the inspiration and patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas, commits itself to the pursuit of truth and to the preservation, advancement and transmission of knowledge in the arts and sciences, both sacred and civil, through the use of reason illumined by faith. The university affirms its role in the formation of men and women to become competent and compassionate professionals committed to the service of the Church, the nation and the global community.


Here is the list of Thomasian achievers in the field of beauty pageants:
Representatives for Miss Universe
1952- Teresita Torralba Sanchez
1954- Blesilda Mueller Ocampo (first Filipina semi-finalist in the pageant)
1962- Josephine Estrada Brown
1972- Armi Barbara Quira Crespo (semifinalist)
1986- Violeta Asela Enriquez Naluz
1990- Germelina Leah Banal Padilla
1994- Charlene Mae Bonnin Gonzalez (finalist)
1999- Miriam Quiambao (1st RU Ms. PT '96), (1st RU Ms. Universe '99)

Representatives for Miss World
1970- Minerva Manalo Cagatao (semifinalist)
1971- Onelia Ison Jose
1973- Evangeline Luis Pascual (1st runner up)
1990- Antonette Elizalde Ballesteros
1991- Gemith Gonzaga Gemparo

Representatives for Miss International
1961- Pilar Arciaga
1962- Cynthia Ugalde (Miss Educ. '60), (4th RU Miss Photogenic)
1967- Margarita Lebumfacil Romualdez
1986- Jessie Alice Salones Dixson (semifinalist)
1990- Jennifer Perez Pingree
1994- Alma Carvajal Concepcion-(Miss Friendship, semi-finalist)
1995- Gladys Andre Dinsay Duenas-(Ms AB 1992),(semi-finalist)
2003- Jhezarie Gamez Javier-(Ms Ideal Thomasian Personality 2001)

Representatives for Miss Asia-Pacific
1970- Alice Tiongson Crisostomo (1st runner up)
1971- Carolyn Gomorra Masibay (1st runner up)
1990- Mutya Crisostomo Laxa (2nd runner up)
1998- Rochelle Romero Ong (runner up Ms AB 1996)

Representatives for Miss Maja Internacional
1975- Annette So Liwanag (4th runner up)
1989- Jeanne Therese Hilario-( Miss UST '89), (2nd RU Ms Maja)

Bb. Pilipinas Tourism
1990- Mila Rose Javelosa
1993- Jennette Fernando

Thomasian International Titleholders:
Jhezarie Gamez Javier- Miss ASEAN 2005
Bridgette Tolentino Inoferio- Model of the Year 2005
Michelle Reyes- Miss Tourism International '01, Miss Tourism World '02
Joanna Paula Abiniman- Miss Global Queen 2002
Racquel Tentoco Uy- Queen of the Year 1999

It is interesting to note that Miss International 2005, Precious Lara San Agustin Quigaman was a college freshman during her Bb. Pilipinas 2001 stint. Miss Asia Pacific 1993 Michelle Zulueta Aldana was a freshman in the College of Nursing (she was a semifinalist and Ms Photogenic during the 1989 Ms Nursing pageant). She transferred to UP for her sophomore year. Miss Philippines-Universe 1953, Cristina Monson Pacheco, transferred to UST after her reign.


Special Thanks to Felix Manuel
http://www.missosology.org/forum/