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I Have Crabs!
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Date Posted: 18:53:03 07/28/07 Sat
Date Posted: 18:35:22 07/28/07 Sat
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You know what gets me excited when Binibini season starts? The news of a local supermodel trying her luck in Binibining Pilipinas. I always think that a supermodel has an edge to win the top crown, because of the fact that she has won half the battle already. It's almost a given that because she is a model, that she has a classic model body like the ones you see in NY Fashion Week, a classic face, and of course a minimum height of 5'9. So I take a close look at their performance during the auditions. They're also the first ones I look at during press presentations.Of course the competition becomes more exciting when a multiple of supermodels battle it out.
When was the first time I got so excited learning that a certain model decides to join Binibini? I remember getting ecstatic over Patty Betita (Bb Pilipinas-International 1991). In 1989, this St. Scholastica student made her debut when she had a close fight with Lou Bunyi in the Elite Look of the Year competition. Patty was a classic Asian supermodel at 5'9. This girl has long legs comparable to those of Melanie Marquez's. Her asset was also her jet black long tresses. She was a clear favorite at that time, although that year there were also Supermodels in the batch: Anna Marie Torres (5'8), Elite Model Look in 1990, and Seniaflor Sanchez (5'6), who later on won Supermodel-Philippines, 3rd RU to Cara Subijano. But I'll talk about Cara later. Patty once again duplicated her 1st RU feat by winning Bb Pilipinas-International to Fil-Am Anjanette Abayari (5'5) and Top 10 in Miss International.
The next year, I heard that two top winners in modelling competitions were being groomed to compete. Marilen Espino (6'0), who won Supermodel Philippines 1988, and Marina Benipayo (5'10), top winner of Bodyshots 1988.I couldn't contain my excitement, and I was predicting an early 1-2 finish. Nexcomer and almost mediocre Lisa Berroya (5'6) got in the way of their ambitions and Marilen settled for Bb Pilipinas-World with Marina Benipayo as Miss Maja-Philippines.
The two-model feat happened again in 1994. This time around, it's a Supermodel-Philippines top winner against another Supermodel-Philippines top winner. Cara Subijano (5'11) who won in 1991, and Abbygail Arenas (5'9) who won in 1992. This was one of the best times in Binibini history, simply because Cara and Abby were models who could easily crossover to becoming beauty queens, and were also known to be brainy. Once again, they were trumped by an 18-year old newcomer who was also deserving, Charlene Gonzalez (5'9). Abbygail was edged out as Bb Pilipinas-International by a voluptuous Alma Concepcion (5'8, who by the way, was a finalist in the same Supermodel that Cara won. Abbygail went on to clinch Bb Pilipinas-Universe in 1997: a perfect revenge.
In 1995, Lorena Pangan (5'11) who was more successful than both Cara and Abbygail in Supermodel Finals in 1993(she was in the Top 10), had a reversal in fortune when she did not even get in the Top 5. The Supermodel beauties were shunned out in that year, when Nena dela Pena (5'9) did not make it as well. Actress Joanne Santos (5'10) won the chance to represent us in Miss Universe.
In 1996, I was hopeful once again upon learning that Yedda Kittisveldt (5'9), who, like Patty Betita, was first runner-up, only in Supermodel-Philippines 1993, was joining. Although queenly, I had second thoughts at first because of Lorena's fate. Yedda was second placer to Lorena's Supermodel 1993. But I had to remind myself that Yedda was a different beauty, hers was more appropriate in Binibini than Supermodel. I thought she was going to Miss Universe, until the judges assigned Aileen Damiles to Miss Universe. Yedda had to settle for Miss International.
Year 2000 was the last time that we saw these breed of overachieving Supermodel Binibini crossovers. Who could forget Nina Alagao (5'9)? Nina almost won Elite Model Philippines 1997 over Lucia Santiago (5'11). She was the crowd favorite, but Lucia was a lot taller and modelesque compared to Nina. That was probably the most competitive modeling event in the history of the Philippines. After that finals night, I was almost sure Nina will join Bb Pilipinas. I had to wait 3 years to see her finally do it. This time around, her credentials were overwhelming that no midget got in her way. Why Nina did not crack the Top 10 in Miss Universe is still a mystery to all.
I am hoping to see Supermodels in Bb Pilipinas 2008. My homes are high that Meki Saldana (5'9), Verns Buckley (5'8), Bridget Inoferio (5'11), Marjay Ramirez (5'9), and especially Kuku Trinidad (5'11) and the likes will grace the competition.
There are Supermodels who only stay as Supermodels (i.e. Nina Naval, Joan de Mesa,Wilma Doesnt, etc). There are beauty queens who only stay as beauty queens. But there's a breed out there who achieve becoming both. And these are the ones whose legacy remain. They are the ones who make Binibining Pilipinas exciting year after year.
Next...Supermodel-Binibinis in the 80's
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