BEAUTIFUL AND – Second Miss World from the Philippines?
Well, why not? The current batch of Miss World-Philippines aspirant are said to be exceptionally beautiful…and smart. Coronation night is on Sept. 15 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Of all the international beauty contests, Miss World is the most elusive. To date we only have one winner, Megan Young.
We have four Misses Universe, four Misses Earth, and six Misses International.
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EARLY FAVORITES – Highspeed contributor Mel Caparas says that the early favorites are Ilene de Vera, Glyssa Perez, Ann Legaspi, Michelle Thorlund, Patricia Gutierrez, Kristi Banks, Kelley Day, and Michelle Marquez Dee.
Highspeed focuses on Michelle Marquez Dee, daughter of Melanie Marquez, third Miss International, and businessman and former actor-producer Derek Dee.
Michelle is a fashion model, taking after her mother. After winning the Miss Int’l crown, Melanie became a supermodel, based in New York and flying to Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Milan for fashion shows and pictorials.
Melanie is also an actress, a field Michelle is expected to enter.
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LOOKS BACK – Highspeed looks back and recalls the country’s six Miss International winners, the first being Gemma Cruz, art and culture advocate and a writer as well.
After Gemma, came Aurora Pijuan, who these days lead a simple and quiet life. Au-Au recently made news when it was reported she was putting on the auction block her Miss Int’l crown made of Mikimoto pearls. Not true it turned out.
As earlier noted, Melanie is the country’s third Miss Int’l.
The fourth is Precious Lara Quigaman, a fine actress and Mrs. Marco Alcaraz offcam, a mother of two.
Bea Rose Santiago is fifth. Sadly she suffers from a kidney ailment, undergoing dialysis in Canada, where her mother resides. Hopefully, she is getting better.
The sixth is Kylie Versoza, a Viva contract artist. She’s appeared in a few films, where did quite well. But she has yet to get role, where she can show her acting prowess. Is she and Jake Cuenca still an item?
So there, six Filipinas who wore the Miss International crown.