THE first Miss Universe pageant that was held in the Philippines took place in 1974. The first ever Miss Universe, Armi Kuusela of Finland, fell in love with and married a Filipino, Virgilio Hilario. The first Miss Universe from the Philippines, Gloria Diaz, won her crown on the day American astronauts made history in outer space.
The 86 beauties gathered for the Philippine hosting of the 2017 Miss U unfolding day by day, hour by hour for our entertainment and delight are as beautiful as their (spiritual) grandmothers of pageants past, with very slight differences. In the old days candidates were younger, in their late teens or early 20s, today they are in their mid-to-late 20s, possibly as a result of being “veterans” of beauty competitions. You also need a little more experience in life to carry yourself with confidence, what our Miss U 2016 Pia Wurtzbach describes as being “confidently beautiful.”
And then there are all those tools that some, not all, candidates use to stand out from the rest, with a bit of a stitch here and there for a more perfect face. Technological and chemical advances in the field of cosmetics have also advanced the cause and course of beauty competitions – state-of-the-science creams and foundations, blush-ons and brush-ups that add a dewy glow to skin and hair, their effects designed to last longer and withstand the harsh sunlight as well as the powerful scrutiny of stage and TV lights.
At the height of the current Miss U mania, a congressman was forced to withdraw his bill imposing a vanity tax on cosmetics. Nice of him to withdraw it as soon as a dust storm of condemnation hit him in his unmade-up face. The thought occurred: What if an enterprising impresario were to put up a beauty contest where every candidate may show only her natural face and figure – no makeup, no history of cosmetic or body-reshaping surgery, not even eyelash extensions allowed?
As the congressman has learned from his first makeup tip, a noble intention is easily swept away by the most candid, most furious feedback from one-half of the population. His response, an instinct not to create enemies (and lose the next election), affirms the power of women in this country, a civilization that pays homage to beauty, beauties, and beauty contests every day in every nook and cranny. Celebrate, beauty is good for business! (Jullie Y. Daza)