Ask Maricar Balagtas, the newly-proclaimed (2004) Bb. Pilipinas-Universe who’s competing at the Miss Universe Pageant in Ecuador come June.
Maricar is a repeater in beauty contests and she’s proud of it.
Here are Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezare, Francis Calubaquib and Gery Yumping for a retelling of Maricar’s success story:
We first saw Maricar at dawn back in 2000 during the final screening of that year’s Bb. Pilipinas candidates. She was Miss Bulacan. She and her two discoverers, Chiqui Francisco and Tito "Joy" Sambile, were waiting for a ride home when we bumped into them. "She made it to the finals!" Chiqui and Tito chorused. One look at Maricar and we felt she was destined for victory.
Unfortunately, during the grand finals, Nina Ricci Alagao emerged as the top winner (Bb. Pilipinas-Universe) while Maricar didn’t even make it to the semi-finals. However, she went home with a special award as Miss Close-Up Smile.
Maricar and her discoverers were undaunted. Chiqui and Tito entered her in the Bodyshots contest that same year and Maricar finished a finalist and Miss Pinnacle (one of the sponsors).
In 2001, Bulacan had another bet and Maricar was there to root for her during the screening. By a stroke of fate, beauty queen-maker Rodgil Flores persuaded Maricar to join again. She did and finished second runner-up and Best in Swimsuit special awardee.
But the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc., headed by Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta, saw Maricar’s potential and tapped her to represent the county in the Miss Globe Pageant in Turkey. She won, the only Asian to have done so thus far.
In 2002, Maricar was asked anew to represent the country in the Model of the World search in Lebanon. She was named one of the five finalists and Best in Long Gown.
But Maricar wanted so much to wear the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe crown and to represent the country in that contest won so far by only two Filipinas, Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973. Maricar has gained self-confidence and a lot of tips from the international beauty contests she just joined – and won – and she felt she was ripe and ready for the "big fight." The 21-year-old, 5’8" tall charmer with a "never say die" attitude joined the 2004 Bb. Pilipinas Pageant with only one thing in mind – "I must bag that crown this time!"
And she did, on the side winning five special awards – Miss Philippine Airlines, EACOMM’s Miss Internet, Miss Red Bull Supreme, Miss Cream Silk and Best in Swimsuit. That night, only her father, Josefino Balagtas, was at the Big Dome cheering for Maricar whose mother, recovering from a stroke, was at home watching the proceedings on TV.
"My next mission is to bring home the Miss Universe crown," said Maricar. "It’s about time. It’s been a long time since the Philippines won that crown."
All we can say is, "Good luck, Maricar! We’re praying for you."
Incidentally, Maricar isn’t the only "repeater" to win the Binibini crown. There have been several others, including...
• Dianne Jean Chiong, second runner-up in 1977, then Bb. Pilipinas-International in 1980 and semi-finalist in that year’s Miss International
• Desiree Verdadero, second runner-up in 1982 (to Maria Isabel Lopez), then Bb. Pilipinas-Universe in 1984 and third runner-up in that year’s Miss Universe Pageant
• Maritoni Judith Daya was Bb. Pilipinas Miss Photogenic in 1984 before she won as Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism in l988
• Abbygale Arenas, first runner-up to Charlene Gonzalez in 1994 before she won as Bb. Pilipinas-Universe in 1997 (named Miss Photogenic in that year’s Miss Universe Pageant).
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)