MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz knows beauty pageants today are worlds apart from the time she won people’s hearts with her smart answer to the question on the first man on the moon.
But she is happy with what she sees.
“Today’s beauty queens know what they’re doing. They’re even better (than us),” she observed.
So, her advice to Bb. Pilipinas Universe Rachel Peters and other reigning beauty queens sounds more like the words of wisdom a mother gives her child: “Enjoy! Takes lots of photos. Don’t eat too much because the food is usually good. Have lots of sense of humor and don’t let anybody put you down.”
Superlatives tumble out of Gloria’s mouth when she talks about Rachel.
The star of Cinema One’s dark comedy “Si Chedeng At Si Apple” also thinks Rachel and her colleagues are more blessed because they have a lot more going for them.
Globalization raised the number of mixed marriages and made the Philippines a melting pot of various races. Now, Filipinos have more beautiful, taller “mestizas” who wow international beauty pageant judges.
Gloria adds that shrinking violets can join the pageant more than once and develop more confidence. This was unheard of in her time, she pointed out.
“Today’s candidates are well-trained. And those who don’t have ample boobs can have them augmented. Those with flat noses can have them fixed.”
Ask her, however, if she will go under the knife to modify her looks, and Gloria will shake her head.
“I’ll just get married,” she replied.
Gloria has not remarried since her husband, Bong Daza, passed away. But she has not remained loveless. The former beauty queen and a bachelor banker who lives five minutes away from each other have been making beautiful music together for years.
What is keeping Gloria from tying the knot again?
“We’re enjoying ourselves. We go on a vacation together. We see each other every single day. For me, marriage is a piece of paper,” she quipped.
Impending motherhood is another source of joy. Gloria’s daughter Isabelle (who married Adrien Semblat in September 2016) is four months pregnant. This early, Gloria decided against being referred to as “lola” once Isabelle gives birth.
“It’s too long. Gloria is my name!”
Meanwhile, she has her hands full while waiting for her brand new grandchild. She dotes on her other children and her pet dog.
The challenge of playing a lesbian for the first time in “Si Chedeng at Si Apple” excites her. Gloria stars with another veteran actress, Elizabeth Oropesa. Together, the two friends embark on a road trip and turn into accidental criminals.
“Si Chedeng at Si Apple” is just one of the seven full-length narrative films in the 13th edition of Cinema One. The others are “Paki”; “Nervous Translation;” “Historiographika Errata;” “Changing Partners;” “Nay” and “Throwback Today.”
All films are alternative. The story, not the stars, drives the films. The plots are unpredictable; characters out of the box. No wonder this year’s lineup bears the tagline #WalangTakot.
Cinema One films are being screened in Trinoma, Glorietta, Gateway, UP Cine Adarna, Cinema 76 and Cinematheque until November 21, and at Power Plant Mall from November 22 to 28.
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