Who among the Mutya will end up in showbiz?

Besides the Bb. Pilipinas pageant, the Mutya ng Pilipinas contest is also a rich source of showbiz material. Offhand, I can name a dozen Mutya winners, namely: Alice Crisostomo and daughter Mutya, the late Rio Diaz, Baby Delgado, Marilou Sadiwa, Malou Bendigo, Bong Dimayacyac, Michelle Aldana, Aurora Sevilla, Emma Yuhico, Lyka Ugarte and Tetchie Agbayani.

Three new winners (Mutya ng Pilipinas-International, Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism-Puerto Princesa and Mutya ng Pilipinas-Overseas Communities) will be chosen tomorrow, Dec. 7, at the grand coronation night to be held at the Amazing City in the Forest in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and they will represent the country in international contests — Miss Asia-Pacific International, Miss Tourism International and Tourism Queen of the Year and Miss Intercontinental.

As usual, Funfare’s “beauty experts” Francis Calubaquib, Gery Yumping, Joey Cezeare and Felix Manuel (“on leave,” working as a nurse in New York) met the contestants up close during the press presentation last Nov. 26 at the Grand Terrace in Quezon City.

Here are their “most likely” picks:

• Candidate # 1 Katrina Rigets, 23, from Quezon City, 2007 Miss Philippines-Water;

• Candidate #2 Loren Andre Fermin Burgos, 21, a junior at the California State University and semi-finalist in the 2004 Miss Philippine Press;

• Candidate #5 Cresta Mendez, 19, from Palawan, reigning Miss Puerto Prinsesa 2007 and Mutya ng Palawan;

• Candidate #7 Pia Burgos, 19, a college student representing the Filipino community of Norway;

• Candidate #8 Arline Nicolas, 22, a marketing manager from San Pedro, Laguna;

• Candidate #9 Lizl Rosoles, 18, from Iriga City, 2008 Miss Iriga;

• Candidate #12 Ellaine Esteban, 21, from Marikina City, 2008 Hiyas ng Marikina first runner-up;

• Candidate #13 Queency Benaldez, 18, representing Southern Leyte;

• Candidate #16 Jonavi Quiray, 21, also from Palawan, 2004 Mutya ng Palawan;

• Candidate #17 Kathleen Jebulan, 23, from Sorsogon, whose previous titles include 2006 Miss University of the East, 2005 Miss Kasangayahan and 2005 Miss AMA;

• Candidate #18 Frances Urrutia, 19, from Quezon City, finalist in the Miss Trendsetter Model Search; and

• Candidate #24 Nerissa Dimaculangan, 20, a native of San Juan, Batangas, at 5’9" the tallest among the candidates, was crowned 2006 Bb. San Juan.

The other finalists are: Nadia Holloway, Venice Acuna, Jamie Jean dela Rosa, Maria Rebeta, Jam Libatong, Karen O’Hara, Rhea Niones, Laica Jimenez, Angelica Damian, Jessica Paciente and Riza Selva.

The two major winners (Mutya ng Pilipinas–International and Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism) will each receive P200,000, while Mutya ng Pilipinas-Overseas Communities will receive $2,000.

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