To say that Filipinos are obsessed with beauty pageants is an understatement with most whooping it up every time someone from the country wins a global title.
In fact, pageantry has already become big business around these parts, with almost everyone staging something related here and there, going on to create a variety of titles for individuals advocating this and that project.
It has also enabled designers and make-up artists eager to break big in show business.
The question is, are we having too much of it?
Not so, says Francesca Taruc, a 20-year-old Kapampangan beauty who, just recently, bagged the Miss Tourism World Intercontinental 2019 title in China.
“Ako personally, I really hope more people would stage pageants because it helps so many individuals, not only those of us dreaming of making a name for ourselves but also, like you said, designers, make-up artists…”
Susan Nuyles, Managing Director, Esquire Financing Inc., agrees, relating how they are actually sponsoring their very first pageant, the 2019 Mister and Miss Esquire Financing Inc., to coincide with their fourth anniversary.
She explains, “Apart from helping highlighting the services we offer as a company, we also want to empower people specifically individuals joining the pageant.”
Nuyles believes pageants are here to stay.
“I think it’s already part of our culture,” she opines. “Almost every barangay, town, city conducts its own beauty pageant year in, year out.”
The grand coronation of the 2019 Mister and Miss Esquire Financing Inc. will be held at the Leyte Academic Center Gym in Pawing Palo, Leyte on April 30.
Nuyles shares, “We decided to stage it in Leyte because one, I’m from there and I know personally there are many individuals from Leyte with potential to make it big in pageantry.”
11 boys and 11 girls are vying for the title with the Mister and Miss Esquire Financing Inc. winners receiving P30, 000 each.
“The other candidates won’t go home empty-handed, of course,” says Nulyes sharing how non-winners are set to receive P5,000 each as consolation prize.
“I’m really happy that Esquire Financing Inc. thought of staging a pageant for their fourth anniversary,” utters Taruc, who, coincidentally, will also sit as judge at the contest. “I’m excited to share my know-how to the contestants hoping to help them achieve their dream.”
Vlogger Edric Go, who is also making inroads in showbiz as contestant on “It’s Showtime’s” Bida Man tilt, joins Taruc as co-judge.
He says, “I am thrilled to be part of this event. I am hoping we will be able to discover the next Catriona Gray or Pia Wurtzbach at the contest.” (Neil Ramos)
