‘Miss RP Dindi Gallardo’ is reigning Miss Doll Universe

Think of a "Miss This" or "Miss That," or a "Mr. This" or "Mr. That," and you can be sure that we have never seen and we will never see the end of the "beauty" parade.

The Philippines being a beauty-contest-crazy country, we Pinoys can never seem to celebrate an occasion — any occasion! — without crowning a "Miss" or a "Mr." Thus, we have a "Miss This" and "Mr. That" from the barangay level to the national level. Believe it or not, but there’s now even a search for Miss Ugly, recently launched by the beauty clinic Beverly Hills 6750, which guarantees to turn the "ugly duckling" into a swan. Or have you forgotten years back when there was a nationwide search for the country’s heaviest woman, as in Dabiana, won by Cecille Iñigo who appeared in movies as part of her prizes?

We now have a country-ful of international titlists, as listed down by Funfare’s "other beauty expert" Celso de Guzman Caparas, namely: Two Misses Universe (Gloria Diaz, 1969; and Margie Moran, 1973), four Misses International (Gemma Cruz, 1964; Aurora Pijuan, 1970; Melanie Marquez, 1979; and Precious Lara Quigaman, 2005), four Misses Tourism International (Joanne Santos, 1997; Peachy Manzano, 2000; Michelle Reyes, 2001; and Kristine Alzar, 2002), two Queens of the Pacific (Baby Santiago, 1968; and Nelia Sancho, 1971), two Misses Asia (Inez Zaragoza, 1982; and Bong Dimayacyac, 1983), two Misses Asia-Pacific (Lorna Legaspi, 1989; and Michelle Aldana, 1993), two Misses Tourism World (Susan Fahling, 1995; and Michelle Reyes, 2002), two Queens of the Year (Sherylle Santarin, 1996; and Racquel Uy, 1999), two Misses University International (Cecille Detlette, 1986; and Mimilanie Lisondra, 2001), two Misses Southeast Asian Queens (Amelia dela Cruz, 1992; and Maria Asuncion Lopez, 1998), a Miss Model of the World (Gemith Gemparo, 1993), a Miss Cyberspace International (Janelle Bautista, 1999), a Miss Global International (Maricar Balagtas, 2001), a Miss Global Queen (Joanna Paula Abinuman, 2001), a Queen of Tourism International (Noemi Mae Evangelista, 2003), a Miss ASEAN (Jhezarie Javier, 2005), a Miss Model of the Year (Bridget Inoferio, 2005), a Miss Italia nel Mondo (Mara Morelli, 2005), a Miss Tourism Queen International (Justine Gabionza, 2006) and a Miss Internet WWW (Carlene Aguilar, 2006).

Whew!!!

Have you had enough?

Brace yourselves.

Did you know that the reigning Miss Doll Universe is a Filipina?

Yes, reports Celso Caparas, she’s none other than Melinda "Dindi" Gallardo who bested 27 other doll delegates from the same number of countries in Bangkok in April last year. Doll Dindi is named after the 1993 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe title-holder (one-time actress now based in the US), just like other doll contestants who are namesakes of their respective countries’ Miss U candidates (or winners). Dindi’s runners-up were: Miss Doll Aruba (first), Miss Doll Colombia (second), Miss Doll China (third) and Miss Doll USA (fourth). Semi-finalists include Misses Dolls Puerto Rico, Italy, Guam, Spain, Equatorial Guinea, Dominican Republic, Germany, Cuba, Australia and Venezuela (winner of the Miss Internet special award).

Here’s the rest of Celso’s report:

The 2006 edition was hosted (dolls also) by Ru Paul and Carlos Ponce. Dindi will relinquish her crown in a grand coronation night to be held in Cartagena, Colombia on April 7, where 33 doll delegates will vie for the coveted title. If luck will strike twice, a back-to-back win is in the offing. After all, our doll delegate this year is equally ravishing and beautiful Miss Doll Philippines 2007 "Ruffa Gutierrez."

Now on its fifth year, the annual Miss Doll Universe Pageant was conceptualized and first staged in 2003 by pageant aficionado Leandro Giovanni Romero in honor of his special friend’s memory, Gilverto Crespo, who died from AIDS and whose wish was to hold a pageant using fashion dolls. Since the first pageant was an overwhelming overnight success, it has evolved into an annual tradition with a mission to assist various organizations to raise funds for programs aimed at HIV/AIDS cure and prevention.

Doll delegates must stand 11" or 12" tall (fashion royalty Barbie dolls). They must be shipped to the host country before the deadline set by the organization and must have a set of wardrobe (original casual wear, party/cocktail dresses, national costume, swimwear and evening gown). Like any other beauty pageants, Miss Doll Universe Pageant has its own set of rules (i.e. if for any reason the winner cannot fulfill her duties, the first runner-up will take over the crown and assume the remaining duties of her reign), calendar of events (i.e. arrival, press presentation, photo shoots, charity events, preliminary competition and finals) and national directors. After the pageant, national directors may opt not to ship their respective dolls, they will be auctioned off by the Miss Doll Universe Organization and all proceeds will go to charities. As of last year, franchise fees were discontinued; instead participating countries give a donation to one of the pageant’s beneficiaries, the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation.

Past Miss Doll Universe titleholders were "Jannelle Commissiong" of Trinidad & Tobago (2003), "Diosa Bisbal" of Spain (2004) and "Bianca Moore" of USA (2005).

The Miss Doll Universe Pageant has spawned other doll pageants like Miss Doll World, Miss Doll International, Miss Doll Earth, Miss Doll Asia-Pacific International, Miss Doll Intercontinental, Miss Doll Top Model of the World, Miss Doll Global Beauty, Miss Doll Atlantico, Miss Doll Universo and Miss Unibarse.

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