Controversy hounds Miss World pageant

The Miss World pageant is by far the most controversial international beauty contest, the first to have dethroned winners – in 1973 when USA’s Marjorie Wallace was accused of "immorality" (her first runner-up, the Philippines’ Evangeline Pascual, politely declined to take the crown); in 1974 when England’s Helen Morgan (first runner-up to Spain’s Amparo Muñoz in that same year’s Miss Universe pageant held in Manila) was confirmed to have a baby (exposed after the Miss U contest but it didn’t stop Morgan from still joining the Miss World contest), replaced by her first runner-up Miss South Africa; and then in 1980 when Miss Germany posed nude in a pictorial, replaced by her first runner-up Miss Guam. (So far, only one winner has been dethroned by the Miss Universe pageant, Russia’s Oxana Federova, for non-compliance with her duties, replaced by her first runner-up, Panama’s Justine Pasek. In 1996, Venezuela’s Alicia Machado was almost dethroned because she became overweight.)

In 2002, the Miss World pageant sparked a bloody riot in Nigeria generated by protest against beauty contests (in general), forcing the organizers to evacuate the 90-plus contestants in the dead of night to London where the coronation night was held, with Miss Turkey taking the crown and the Philippines’ Katherine Anne Manalo landing in the Top 10. Similar violent anti-beauty-contest rallies marred the pageant when it was held in India a few years earlier.

These Miss World tidbits were mentioned by Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib as the 2006 Miss World pageant nears its grand finals tomorrow (Sept. 30 Philippine time) in Poland, where the Philippine bet, Anna Maris Igpit (from Bohol), is among the standouts in a field of more than 100 beauties from around the world. Will Anna bring home one of the only two major international beauty titles (the other being Miss Earth) not won by a Filipina? Hope springs eternal. (The three other major international crowns are Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Tourism Queen International whose current holder is the Philippines’ Justine Gabionza.)

Here’s the rest of the "beauty experts’" report:

The Philippines first sent a contestant to the Miss World pageant in 1966. Local franchise holders of the pageant changed yearly. From 1969 to 1976, the Philippine representative to Miss World was chosen through the Miss RP (Miss Republic of the Philippines) pageant. In 1977, the franchise was transferred to the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant which selected the official Philippine delegate until 1991.

In 1992, the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (organizer of the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant) of Stella Marquez de Araneta acquired the local franchise to choose the Philippine representative to the Miss World Pageant.

Here’s a list of Philippine bets who have made it to the semis and the finals and who have won special awards:

• 1968 – Cecilia "Pinky" Amabuyok (fourth runner-up)

• 1970 – Minerva "Minnie" Cagatao (semi-finalist)

• 1971 – Onelia Jose (Most Original Gown)

• 1972 – Evangeline Reyes (semi-finalist)

• 1973 – Evangeline Pascual (first runner-up)

• 1978 – Louvette Hammond (Miss Talent)

• 1982 – Sarah Jane Areza (semi-finalist/Asia’s Continental Queen of Beauty)

• 1986 – Sherry Rose Byrne semi-finalist/Asia’s Continental Queen of Beauty)

• 1993 – Sharmaine "Ruffa" Gutierrez (Second Princess/Asia and Oceania’s Continental Queen of Beauty)

• 1994 – Caroline "Cara" Subijano (semi- finalist)

• 1996 – Daisy Reyes (Miss Personality)

• 2002 – Katherine Anne Manalo (finalist )

• 2003 – Maria Rafaela Yunon (fourth runner-up)

• 2004 – Karla Bautista (fourth runner-up Asia and Oceania’s Queen of Beauty)

• 2005 – Carlene Ang Aguilar (semi-finalist)

Footnotes:

• In 1992, Marilen Espino was crowned the very first Bb. Pilipinas-World. Days before she was supposed to compete in the 1992 Miss World pageant, Marilen got sick and she was replaced by Marina Benipayo. Marilen retained her title.

• In 1999, Lalaine Edson was appointed Bb. Pilipinas-World when the original title-holder, Miriam Quiambao, was officially given the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe crown after the winner, Janelle Bautista, was dethroned due to citizenship issues.

• Two Philippine bets have withdrawn, Joy Conde in 1976 and Peachy Veneracion in l977 due to issues concerning "racial discrimination."

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