ANOTHER candidate has been dropped from the official roster of the 2016 Bini-bining Pilipinas beauty pageant due to a sexy photo.
Binibini No. 1 Janelle Olafson, a Filipino-American model and former teacher, said that she was disqualified from the contest after she posed topless for an anti-cancer advocacy.
“That photo is for a breast awareness ad because my family in the States – my aunt, my cousin, and this year alone, my tito, are survivors of breast cancer so that is an advocacy. I don’t regret posing for that photo and I am not going to change myself for anybody,” said Olafson, during an interview in “Bandila” news program aired over ABS-CBN.
Olafson stressed that she went through the same selection process of the beauty contest. But the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc., which organizes the annual pageant, has been very strict about the past pictorials of candidates even for art or health campaign.
Asked how she accepted the decision, Olafson said: “Okay lang naman ako. Kaya ko ito.”
Olafson said that she would join the 2016 Miss Philippines Earth pageant instead.
Reigning Miss Earth Angelia Ong of the Philippines said that the MPE would not be judgmental in the topless photos of candidates if there were any.
“The Miss Philippines Earth is more than just a beauty pageant, we help preserve and protect the environment. She’s a promising candidate so I don’t think that should stop her from reaching her dreams,” Ong said.
Earlier, pageant guru Jonas Gaffud expressed disappointment after her candidate Kim Ross delos Santos, who belong to the Aces and Queens beauty camp, was disqualified from the contest due to racy photos.
“These works of art are not deemed pornographic. It saddens me that while we celebrate love and equality, the very organization that should uplift women, denies them the chance to demonstrate empowerment,” said Gaffud, in reaction to the disqualification case of Delos Santos.
Gaffud is also the mentor of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
The grand coronation night of the 2016 Bb. Pilipinas beauty contest will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City on April 17.
Prior to that, the 40 official candidates of the beauty contest will be presented to the press at the Novotel in Cubao on Tuesday, March 29.