Students vote Vilma Best Role Model of Youth

A survey was conducted last July 15 among 455 students of Humanities under Dr. Ronnie Gan at the University of Mindanao in Davao City and, you guessed it, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos emerged as the popular Students’ Choice as Best Role Model of the Youth.

This piece of good news was relayed to Funfare by reader Willie Fernandez, who said that he’s "a solid Vilma Santos fan from General Santos City."

Here’s the breakdown of how the students voted: Vilma Santos, 386 votes; Judy Ann Santos, 30; Maricel Soriano, 19; Sharon Cuneta, 11; Claudine Barretto, six; and Nora Aunor, three.

A plaque of recognition will be given to Vilma.

The other good news is that as part of the 60th founding anniversary UM, Vilma will be awarded the Gawad Suri Gintong Alamat ng Sining on Aug. 14 at the school’s main gym. She was chosen for "her phenomenal career which spans four decades."

(Incidentally, through Funfare the family of Sen. Ralph Recto and Vilma Santos would like to express their heartfelt sympathy to the family of Yvonne C. Feria whose mom, Nelia C. Feria of Bacolod City, died on July 25. Yvonne is the girlfriend of Vilma’s brother Joel.)

2006 Miss Tourism Queen to join showbiz

Yes, 2006 Miss Tourism Queen International Justine Vinluan Gabionza plans to join showbiz after she finishes her studies at UST where she’s a B.S. Tourism senior. That’s about the same time she relinquishes her crown, the first ever to be won by a Filipina.

This was confirmed by Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib during a brief chat two weeks ago with Justine when she was feted by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and Carousel Productions at the Club Intramuros. PTA general-manager/CEO Robert Dean Barbers gave her a plaque of recognition.

Carousel Productions is behind the annual search for Miss Earth-Philippines, winner of which represents the country in the Miss Earth contest. Justine placed first runner-up (Miss Air) in the 2002 Miss Earth-Philippines contest before she competed for the Miss Tourism Queen title in China first week of July. She bested 85 beauties from the same number of countries.

Felix Manuel noted that Justine, 23, is a familiar face in TV commercials and print ads. She’s a champion fencer.

"I’ve been receiving movie offers since I won as Miss Air in 2002," Justine told Felix. "But I have put my studies as top priority. After graduating, I will try my luck in showbiz."

The Funfare "beauty experts" rank international beauty contests this way in terms of prestige and number of candidates: 1). Miss Universe (with 86 contestants this year); 2). Miss World (number of candidates reached 108 in 2003); 3). Miss Earth (81 candidates in this year’s search); 4). Tourism Queen International (86 candidates this year); and 5). Miss International (60-plus candidates last year, won by the Philippines’ Precious Lara Quigaman).

Beauty queens from Pampanga

Reader Dennis Guerrero reminds his fellow Funfare readers that his province, Pampanga, is "the home of beautiful women," with its growing list of beauty-title holders, namely (from the ’80s onwards):

• Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism – Pilar Naluz (1988)

• Mutya ng Pilipinas-World – Ma. Lourdes Apostol (1990)

• Bb. Pilipinas-Flower Queen (one-time title) – Ma. Rita Apostol (1989)

• Bb. Pilipinas-Maja – Luisa Jimenez (1987)

• Bb. Pilipinas-International – Melanie Marquez (1979, also that year’s Miss International) and Lourdes Enriquez (1987)

• Bb. Pilipinas-World – Marilen Espino (1992)

• Bb. Pilipinas-Universe – Violeta Naluz (1986), Abbygale Arenas (1997) and Carla Balingit (2003)

(Trivia: Pilar and Violeta Naluz are sisters, and Lourdes Enriquez is their cousin; Ma. Lourdes and Ma. Rita Apostol are also sisters.)

Weekend healing retreat

A Healing the Family Tree and Relationships Weekend Retreat is scheduled July 28 to the 30th in Subic, Olongapo, Zambales, from 5 p.m. today until 2 p.m. on Sunday. Venue is the Chapel of St. Therese at Crown Peak Gardens, Cubi Point, Subic Freeport Zone. You might still catch up. For inquiries, call Charlie de la Hostria at 0919-4141657 or Maribi Mapa-Garcia at 0918-9380979.

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