It’s Binibini season again, or haven’t you noticed?
In two weeks, five Bb. Pilipinas will be chosen: for International, Supranational, Intercontinental, Tourism International and Universe. Whoever wins Bb. Pilipinas-Universe will bear with the added pressure when she goes to the 2016 Miss Universe pageant since the current title-holder, Pia Wurtzbach, is a Filipina — unless, of course, she is good enough to duplicate the feat of Venezuela which scored the first-ever back-to-back win in the pageant (2008 Miss U Dayana Mendoza relinquishing her crown to 2009 Miss U Stefania Fernandez).
Flashback:
- The first Miss World pageant, founded by the late Eric Morley, was held on July 29, 1951 at Lyceum Ballroom in London won by Kerstin Hakansson of Sweden.
- Founded by Pacific Mills, a California-based clothing company, the maiden Miss Universe finals was staged on June 28, 1952 at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, USA, won by Armi Kuusela of Finland.
- The first Miss International pageant was held also in Long Beach, California, USA, after the Miss Universe pageant moved to Miami Beach, Florida, that year. Winner was Colombia’s Maria Stella Marquez.
- Organized by Carousel Productions, headed by Ramon Monzon, Lorraine Schuck and Peachy Veneracion, the Miss Earth pageant started in 2001 with the first finals staged on Oct. 21 that year at the UP Theater, Diliman, Quezon City, won by Catharina Svensen of Denmark.
Here are the 11 “winningest” countries in those four pageants:
1. Venezuela (22 titles)
- Six Misses World: 1955 Carmen Zubillaga; 1981 Carmen Josefina Crespo; 1984 Astrid Irrazábal; 1991 Ninibeth Jiménez; 1995 Jacqueline Marcano; and 2011 Ivian Colmenares.
- Seven Misses Universe: 1979 Maritza Sayalero; 1981 Irene Sáez; 1986 Bárbara Palacios; 1996 Alicia Machado; 2008 Dayana Mendoza; 2009 Stefanía Fernández ; and 2013 María Gabriela Isler.
- Seven Misses International: 1985 Alejandrina “Nina” Sicilia Hernández; 1997 Consuelo Adler Hernández; 2000 Vivian Ines Urdaneta Rincón; 2003 Goizeder Victoria Azua Barrios; 2006 Daniela Anette Di Giacomo Di Giovanni; 2010 Ana Elizabeth Mosquera Gómez; and 2015 Edymar Martínez Blanco.
- Two Misses Earth: 2005 Alexandra Braun Waldeck and 2013 Alyz Sabimar Henrich Ocando.
* * *
2. USA (14 titles)
- Three Misses World: 1973 Marjorie Wallace; 1990 Gina Marie Tolleson; and 2010 Alexandria Nichole Mills.
- Eight Misses Universe: 1954 Miriam Stevenson; 1956 Carol Morris; 1960 Linda Bement; 1967 Sylvia Hitchcock; 1980 Shawn Weatherly; 1995 Chelsi Smith; 1997 Brook Lee and 2012 Olivia Culpo.
- Three Misses International: 1974 Karen Brucene Smith, 1978 Katherine Patricia Ruth and 1982 Christie Ellen Claridge.
* * *
3. Philippines (12 titles)
- One Miss World: 2013 Megan Young.
- Three Misses Universe: 1969 Gloria Diaz, 1973 Margie Moran and 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.
- Five Misses International: 1964 Gemma Cruz; 1970 Aurora Pijuan; 1979 Melanie Marquez; 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman; and 2013 Bea Rose Santiago.
- Three Misses Earth: 2008 Karla Henry; 2014 Jamie Herrell; and 2015 Angelia Ong.
* * *
4. India (8 titles)
- Five Misses World: 1966 Reita Faria; 1994 Aishwarya Rai; 1997 Diana Hayden; 1999 Yukta Mookhey; and 2000 Priyanka Chopra.
- Two Misses Universe: 1994 Sushmita Sen and 2000 Lara Dutta.
- One Miss Earth: 2010 Nicole Faria.
* * *
5. Puerto Rico (8 titles)
- One Miss World: 1975 Wilnelia Merced.
- Five Misses Universe: 1970 Marisol Malaret; 1985 Deborah Carthy-Deu; 1993 Dayanara Torres; 2001 Denisse Quiñones August; and 2006 Zuleyka Mendoza.
- Two Misses International: 1987 Laurie Rivera and 2014 Valerie Matias.
* * *
6. United Kingdom (7 titles)
- Four Misses World:1961 Rosemarie Frankland; 1964 Ann Sidney; 1965 Lesley Langley; and 1983 Sarah-Jane Hutt.
- Three Misses International: 1969 Valerie Susan Holmes, 1972 Linda Hooks; and 1986 Helen Fairbrother. (Note: Elizabeth Helen Morgan won 1974 Miss World but resigned after four days when it was revealed that she’s an unmarried mother. South Africa’s Anneline Kriel took over.)
* * *
7. Australia (7 titles)
- Two Misses World: 1968 Penelope Plummer and 1972 Belinda Roma Green.
- Two Misses Universe: 1972 Kerry Anne Wells and 2004 Jennifer Hawkins.
- Three Misses International: 1962 Tania Verstak; 1981 Jenny Annette Derek; and 1992 Kirsten Marise Davidson.
* * *
8. Sweden (6 titles)
- Three Misses World: 1951 Kerstin Håkansson; 1952 May Louise Flodin; and 1977 Mary Ann-Catrin Stävin.
- Three Misses Universe: 1955 Hillevi Rombin; 1966 Margareta Arvidsson; and 1984 Yvonne Ryding.
* * *
9. Brazil (6 titles)
- One Miss World: 1971 Lúcia Tavares Petterle
- Two Misses Universe: 1963 Iêda Maria Vargas and 1968 Marta Vasconcellos.
- One Miss International: 1968 Maria da Glória Carvalho.
- Two Misses Earth: 2004 Priscilla Meirelles and 2009 Larissa Tramontin.
* * *
10. Colombia (5 titles)
- Two Misses Universe: 1958 Luz Marina Zuluaga and 2014 Paulina Vega.
- Three Misses International: 1960 Stella Márquez; 1999 Paulina Piñeda; and 2004 Yeymmy Gómez.
* * *
11. Spain (5 titles)
- One Miss World: 2015 Mireia Lalaguna Royo.
- One Miss Universe: 1974 Amparo Muñoz Quesada.
- Three Misses International: 1977 Pilar Canadell; 1990 Silvia Niubó; and 2008 Alejandra Santamarta. — With a research by Celso de Guzman Caparas
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com.)