UP has most number of beauty queens

This corner’s feature on Stars and beauty queens from UST a few issues ago drew a lot of reactions from readers who want to add more names to the UST roll of graduates.

• From Teddy and Nenet Perena, UST professors: Other showbiz Thomasians include Aiza Seguerra, Dennis Padilla, Ali Sotto, Janet Basco, Ariel Ureta, Archie Alemania, Winnie Cordero and Tetchie Agbayani.

• From Elizabeth Aco-Agbulos of Pangil, Laguna: Also include Eva Vivar, Theresa Amor de Guzman (US-based singer), Tonette Roquel (a character actor) and Maribel Seva (beauty queen).

• From Sheila Marie Abendan (of Makati City) and Cecile G. Ascalon (Brunei Darussalam): There’s also Marichele Lising Cruz-Gregorio, 1989 Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism. A BS Tourism graduate, she’s the niece of comedian Gary Lising and is happily married to Patrick Gregorio (former Waterfront Hotels president) by whom she has three lovely children.

• From Maribeth Roa (New York): Last April 28, there was a fund-raising event for the UST Conservatory of Music at the Philippine Consulate in New York, led by Raul Sunico who’s the current dean. The two artists featured, Clarissa Ocampo and Andrew Fernando, are both UST graduates. Among the guests was another UST graduate, Gilbert Aguinaldo, identified in google as an accomplished researcher for Mt. Sinai Hospital.

May I add my own list of journalists from UST, to wit: Jullie Yap-Daza, Ethel Ramos, Veronica R. Samio, Butch Francisco, Mario Hernando, Lito Tacujan, Penny Azarcon dela Cruz, Rina Jimenez-David, Ching Alano, Shirley Pizarro, Raoul Tidalgo and Edmund Silvestre (of the New York-based The Filipino Reporter), Lito Zulueta, Marinel Cruz, Mar d’Guzman Cruz, Nestor Cuartero (who teaches in the same university) and Cris Belen.

That UST story was filed by Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel and Gery Yumping who are also UST graduates.

Said Felix, "Did you know that that story generated a debate on the Internet among pageant aficionados as to what school has produced the most number of beauty queens?"

The winner? Yes, UP! "It leads UST by a slim margin," said Felix who provided the following list of beauty queens from UP:

Representatives For Miss Universe:

• 1971 – Vida Valentina Fernandez Doria, Miss Photogenic

• 1976 – Lizbeth Samson de Padua

• 1979 – Ma. Criselda Geronima "Dang" Flores Cecilio

• 1982 – Ma. Isabel Pagunsan Lopez

• 1985 – Joyce Ann Fellosas Burton

• 1989 – Sarah Jane Davies Paez

• 2000 – Nina Ricci Caldo Alagao

• 2001 – Zorayda Ruth Blanco Andam, second runner-up in the Best National Costume Award

• 2006 – Lia Andrea Aquino Ramos (to compete in July)

Representatives For Miss World:

• 1967 – Margarita "Maita" Favis Gomez

• 1977 – Ana Melissa "Peachy" Ofilada Veneracion (withdrew)

• 1989 – Estrella "Star" Singson Querubin

• 2001 – Gilrhea Castañeda Quinzon

• 2004 – Ma. Karla Rabanal Bautista, fourth runner-up, Asia and Ocenia’s Queen of Beauty

• 2005 – Carlene Ang Aguilar, semi-finalist

Representatives For Miss International:

• 1960 – Edita Resureccion Vital, semi-finalist

• 1972 – Yolanda "Yogi" Adriatico Dominguez, second runner-up and Best National Costume winner

• 1977 – Ma. Cristina Valentina "Pinky" dela Rosa Alberto (withdrew)

• 1978 – Luz dela Cruz Policarpio

Representatives For Miss Maja Internacional:

• 1973 – Ma. Nanette Macapagal Prodigalidad, first runner-up and Miss Photogenic

• 1987 – Ma. Luisa Sarthou Jimenez

Representatives For Miss Asia Pacific

• 1978 – Epifania Luterio Lagman, first runner-up

• 1988 – Ma. Hyacinth Barbara Valencia Lotuaco

• 1993 – Michelle Zulueta Aldana, winner

International Title Holder:

• Nelia Sancho – Queen of the Pacific 1971

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)