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By Ed H. Pangilinan, Contributor
As expected, the results of the Binibining
Pilipinas beauty pageant Saturday night did not please everyone.
The annual pageant continues to draw more rant
than raves, especially from pageant fans, because of the
controversial and often mediocre winners year after year.
This year was no different. During the
announcement of winners, the crowd at the Araneta Coliseum cheered
for a minute, then jeered after host Paolo Bediones completed
reading the names of the winners.
Jennifer Barrientos, from San Mateo, Rizal, was
crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and will represent the country in the
next Miss Universe pageant which will be hosted by Vietnam. She is
an alumna of University of Santo Tomas, where she earned a degree in
tourism.
Patricia Fernandez, 22, was named Bb. Pilipinas-International.
When asked who she admires the most, she said “Mother Teresa.”
And then she made a gaffe: “I believe all of us should do her.”
The audience went wild and booed.
Realizing her mistake, she corrected herself and
added, “I mean, all of us should do what she does.” It was
unclear whether she knew Mother Teresa died in 1997.
Fernandez will be the country’s representative
to the Miss International, which will be held in Japan in November.
Pageant neophyte Janina San Miguel emerged as
Bb. Pilipinas-World.
Few probably thought the 17-year-old mestiza
from the University of the East would end up wearing the crown after
she also embarrassed herself during the question and answer portion.
She mumbled a lot and kept apologizing to everyone and reasoning
that it was her first time to join a pageant. She finally spoke in
Filipino to finish off her tough initiation. Earlier in the
proceedings, San Miguel won Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening
Gown.
Pageant favorite Danielle Kirsten Muriel Castaño
won first runner-up. She went home with the most number of special
awards, including Ms. Bacchus Energy Drink, Ms. Photogenic, Ms.
Natasha Poise and Grace, Ms. Philippine Airlines and Ms. Ever Bilena.
Another crowd favorite was the reigning Miss
Ilocandia, Elizabeth Jacqueline Nacuspag, who came up short with
second runner-up.
The other semi-finalists were Kathleen Phyllis
Guerrero, Jaysel Arrozal, Karen Golar, Toni Alyessa Hipolito and
Thabeta Fricke.
Pageant judges included US Ambassador Kristie
Kenney, Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte, Japanese Ambassador Makoto
Katsura, Philippine Ambassador to Spain Joseph Bernardo, United
Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Dr. Vijay Mallya,
Chateau Petrus’s Jean Moueix, Entrepreneurs’ School of Asia
founder Vivienne Tan, Sofitel Philippine Plaza President Oscar
Salvacion, celebrities Marian Rivera and Dennis Trillo and amateur
basketball player Chris Tiu.
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