Mirror, mirror on the wall...

It’s Binibining Pilipinas time again, so keep your eyes (not so much your ears – if you know what I mean) wide, wide open.

Like the other beauty contests, the Binibini is a rich source of showbiz material. As of last count, close to 50 Binibinis have crossed-over to showbiz. You should know who they are, shouldn’t you?

Meanwhile, here’s the usual forecast by Funfare’s "beauty experts" Gery Yumping, Francis Calubaquib, Joey Cezare and Felix Manuel (now in UK):

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant. Since 1964, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. has been selecting beauties to represent our country in the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant. As the years progressed, they were also able to acquire the franchise to the Miss International and Miss World pageants, thus emerging as the country’s premier pageant. Binibining Pilipinas has produced four major world beauty titles, namely: Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe 1969; Aurora Pijuan, Miss International 1970; Margarita Moran, Miss Universe 1973; and Melanie Marquez, Miss International 1979. The country has yet to capture the very elusive Miss World crown. The closest Binibini to almost win was Sharmaine Ruffa Gutterrez, Binibining Pilipinas – World 1993. She emerged Second Princess to Miss World Lisa Hannah of Jamaica. Last year, Miss World bet Katherine Anne Manalo finished 8th to Miss Turkey.

Who among the 27 lovely candidates will make it to the magic three?

Find out tomorrow night as the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. presents the grand coronation night of the 2003 Bb, Pilipinas Beauty Pageant at the Araneta Coliseum.

This year’s official candidates are: Maria del Carmen Antigua, Anna Kathrina Ashby, Cherry May Bacarro, Aloha Crisostomo, Nilda Baliwag, Farrah Casilda Tuballa, Gladys Cruz, Ruth Faye Toribio, Jeramie Alagon, Carolyn Ramos, Penelope Grulla, Jhezarie Javier, Kate Sephora Baesa, Jacquelyne Inoferio, Anne Marie Falcon, Sanya Smith, Ariane Garcia, Angelina Corstorphan, Maria Rafaela Yunon, Noela Mae Evangelista, Angelica Sandel, Gretchen Malalad, Carla Gay Balingit, Diana Sadie, Maria Elena Andaya, Ma. Althea Rose Mauricio and Joy de los Reyes.

These lovely ladies will be competing for the three major titles: Bb. Pilipinas-International, Bb. Pilipinas-World and Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, and will go on to represent the country in three of the most respected beauty pageants around the globe: Miss International to be held in Japan in October, Miss Universe in Panama in May; and Miss World in China in November.

Here are our top 12 choices:

• Candidate No. 1 Maria del Carmen Muertegui Antigua, 24, of Cebu City, first runner in Miss Philippines (Earth) Pageant in 2001. She is a freelance events organizer who wants to be a TV host. Vital statistics: 5’6.5", 35-24.5-35.

• Candidate No. 2 Anna Kathrina Fagela Ashby, 19, from Manila, raised in the UK. She’s a part-time co-host of German Moreno’s Master Showman. She speaks Ilocano which her folks taught her. 5’6", 35-24-35.

• Candidate No. 6 Farrah Casilda Asdillo Tuballa, 19, Medical Technology student at UST, a native Zamboanga City. She was Mutya ng Mindanao 2001. She dreams of becoming a doctor someday. 5’6", 34-25-35.

• Candidate No. 9 Jeramie Cortes Alagon, 20, from Zambales. "Ar-shie" as she’s fondly called by her family, was a semi finalist in last year’s Mutya ng Pilipinas. She’s an architectural student of TIP-Manila. 5’8", 35-24-35.

• Candidate No. 12 Jhezarie Games Javier, 21, from Antipolo City. She was a Star Circle Member of ABS-CBN as Diana Enriquez and a Miss Thomasian Personality 2002. 5’8", 35-23.5-35.

• Candidate No. 13 Kate Sephora Roldan Baesa, 20, the tallest among the delegates. Part-time model and a student of B.S. Accountancy at PSBA, she was awarded Best in Long Gown and Miss Avon in the 2000 Bodyshots Modelling Competition. 5’11 .5", 35-24-35.

• Candidate No. 15 Anne Marie Sio Falcon, 21, perhaps the most familiar face among the candidates because she was a mainstay of the defunct That’s Entertainment. A pageant veteran, at 6 she joined the Little Miss Philippines contest in 1988, Elite Model Look in 1995, Bodyshots 1996 (semi-finalist), 1997 Miss Philippine Red Cross (representing Quezon City, finalist) and as the official representative of the Philippines in the Miss Southeast Asia Peninsula 1998 where she won second runner-up. Recently, she was second runner-up in the Miss Fort Ilocandia 2003. She’s a student of BS Psychology at the Dominican College and also models. 5’11", 36-24.5-36.

• Candidate No. 18 Angelina Louise Hubilla Corstorphan, 17, the youngest among the candidates, Philippine-born but grew up in Queensland, Australia. She is a high school graduate of John Paul College in Queensland. She wants to be a corporate lawyer. She speaks Japanese fluently. 5’9", 36.5-24-36.5.

• Candidate No. 19 Maria Rafaela "Mafae" Verdadero Yunon, 21, a fashion model niece of Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1984 and Miss Universe third runner-up Desiree Verdadero. She was encouraged to join by her fellow beauty-queen-turned-models from PMAP. A graduate of Tourism and Hospitality Management from the University of New South Wales in Australia, she speaks French, Spanish and Japanese. She’s also a former Miss Philippines-Australia and Miss Charity Queen in 1998. 5’9", 35-24.5-35.

• Candidate No. 20 Noela Mae Buhion Evangelista, 21, a BS Commerce graduate from the University of San Carlos-Cebu City. A fashion model, she was first runner up in last year’s MTV Fashionista search. She was a convent novice and is currently active in CFC-Youth for Christ. 5’8.5", 34-24-34.

• Candidate No. 21 Angelica Santos Sandel, 20, a Marketing Management graduate from the College Holy Spirit. The younger sister of Aubrey Miles, she was first runner-up in the Miss Global Queen-Philippines 2001. 5’8", 35-24-35.

• Candidate No. 23 Carla Sunga Balingit, 19, a BS Tourism junior at Holy Angel University in Pampanga. She is the reigning Mutya Ning Kapampangan. 5’7", 34.5-24-34.5.

(E-mail your reactions at [email protected])