Why I love beauty contests

Some people say why the fuzz over Shamcey Supsup’s victory (third runner-up in the Miss Universe 2011) and I say why not? Let me be personal. I love beauty contests. There’s something about beauty contests that makes me aspire to be better externally and intrinsically. I smile when I watch beauty contests.

I look forward to the yearly Ms. Universe. Every year, I would sleep early the night before the contest so I would wake up not missing a second of the international pageant. I pray to my favorite saints St. Jude and Padre Pio to take care of the Philippine representative. “Please don’t make her trip during the evening gown competition. And if she does, please make it a winning moment. Please intercede for her during the Q&A portion, make her listen and draw her answer from the heart. Please pray for her presence of mind.” And I would go straight to Jesus, “Lord please, please make her win.”

Why am I so into beauty contests? Because I want to be proud of anything good that can happen to a Filipino. I pray for the Azkals. I pray for the volcanoes. I pray for Manny Pacquiao. I pray for anybody who brings honor to this country. I love contests because they open opportunities for us to be proud of who we are as a country and as a people.

I finally met Shamcey Supsup on The Buzz last Sunday. She is stunning. She is also quick and smart. What a massive pressure it would be for whoever will represent the Philippines in 2012. Off cam we talked about architecture. She said that she didn’t go for designs that are too risqué. That she admires Zaha Hadid, the brilliant, tempestuous diva of architecture. I told her that Hadid is going back to Bagdhad to build the Central Bank of Iraq.

Shamcey said she wants to teach in school. I think her tsunami walk will be her beauty contest “legacy.” Amazing walk with the hips swaying without the body moving. Who said it is a walk in the park to walk like a beauty queen?

How badly did you want to win? I asked. “I didn’t want to win for myself. I wanted to win for the country.” Talk about nationalism in beauty contests. “Some people say that beauty contests commodify women, your take,” I probed. “It’s perspective,” she shot back.

If she were a flower, she would be a Sampaguita. If she were a Filipino dish, adobo.

If I were a beauty queen, I will be Shamcey Supsup.

And I wouldn’t mind changing my religious beliefs to marry the one I love. Because God is love and love is God.

That’s all, I thank you.

Libera

Libera returns for Christmas concert

Angelic voices coming from heaven. This is an apt word to describe Libera, one of the most popular voices in music land. Libera, who enthralled local audiences last year, is coming back to Manila for a Christmas concert. The world-renowned vocal band will be performing on Oct. 25 at the PICC Plenary Hall and in Cebu on Oct. 28 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

Doy Tan, of iFire Events and iFire System (who has lighted Singapore skies with fireworks during its National Day), said, “Watching Libera is like seeing angels sing. It is just the best,” after watching the show in 2009. Doy enthused that he and his wife Rio could not get enough of Libera, whose distinct sound comes from the blending of voices of its members with some as young as seven.

Libera has a varied repertoire that ranges from classical pieces of Beethoven, Debussy, Pachelbel and other masters to Gregorian chants and Latin rite liturgies. Among the group’s most popular renditions include Always With You, Far Away, Going Home, How Can I Keep From Singing, Sing Forever, Ave Maria, Sanctus and Adoramus, among others.

Libera boys are described by many as “normal” and “ordinary.” But their music is extraordinary. “Like angels from heaven cannot be ordinary. And these boys are like cherubims,” added Doy. “Hearing them sing is like something is lifting up your soul.”

With ages ranging from seven to 16, Libera boys attend different local schools in South London and come from a variety of backgrounds. And while many think of them as choir boys, Libera thinks of itself as an alternative boy band. It has performed with known artists like Bjork, Elton John and Lucianno Pavarotti.

Included in the repertoire for their Philippine performances are cuts from the album The Christmas Album like Joy To The World, O, Holy Night, White Christmas and The First Noel, which will be released worldwide in October.

All tickets are available at all TicketWorld outlets with tel. no. 891-9999.

Was Kuya Eddie overlooked?

Here’s a letter from reader Bert dela Rama in reaction to our column last Sept. 12.

Dear Mr. Abunda:

As an admirer and constant reader of your enjoyable column, permit me to comment on your Sept. 12 column, wherein you wrote about the Charter anniversary of our beloved Iriga City.

We are intrigued by the fact that every anniversary of the founding of the city, there is never a mention of the principal author of the law creating the city — former senator and congressman Eddie Ilarde who was born and raised in Iriga. As father of the city, we know as Kuya Eddie as humble enough not to make an issue of this kind of snub or unintentional “lapse in judgment” by the good mayor Maden Gasmen and the city council. But fair is fair and as a matter of elementary courtesy, he deserves, if not an invitation, a simple mention to honor what he has done for the town of his birth.

Many of our kabanwaan, Mr. Abunda, shall be very thankful if you can add this information to your column. It is not only Nora Aunor, Mr. Abunda. We have many others such as Sen. Eddie Ilarde, Sec. Leila de Lima, etc. As a rejoinder to our respected local officials: “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” Dios Mabalos!  — Bert dela Rama