The history of Miss Asia Quest
A few issues ago, Funfare announced the comeback of the Miss Asia after 10 years. The search was organized by Miss Asia Quest, Inc. (MAQI) headed by Dr. Vicente Ocampo Jr. in 1968. The Coronation Night was held on Dec. 8 at the Araneta Coliseum with Macy Shih of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as winner. Macy’s runners-up were Cassandra Stiles of Australia (also named Miss Photogenic), Atsumi Ikeno of Japan, Jane de Joya of the Philippines and Valisra Trungvachirachi of Thailand. Shih received P10,000 cash prize (approximately $2,300 at that time), a complete wardrobe, Asian cities tour, gifts ranging from camera to toothpaste. Her court received P1,000 each and prizes in kind.
The pageant was renamed Miss Asia Pacific Quest in 1984 after accepting participants from the Americas within Pacific Ocean shores. In 2005, it was again renamed Miss Asia Pacific International (MAPI). The pageant was not held in 1990 due to Luzon earthquake and in 1991 due to Mt. Pinatubo eruption; also in 2004 and from 2006 to 2015.
As Funfare reported, 44 foreign beauties are competing in the revived search including host delegate Ganiel Akrisha Krishnan. The MAPI headed by Jacqueline Tan-Sainz will present them to the press on Nov. 17 and the Coronation Night is set for Nov. 23 at the Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
Here is the roster of winners and runners-up in the pageant:
• 1968 Macy Shih, Taiwan; 1969 Seo Won-kyoung, Korea; 1970 Zeenat Aman, India (also Miss Photogenic); 1971 Flora Baza, Guam; 1972 Janet Coutts, Australia; 1973 Tara Anne Fonseca, India; 1974 Susie Currie, Australia; 1975 Eva Arni, Papua New Guinea; 1976 Jacqueline Stuart, Singapore; 1977 Linda Emran, Indonesia; 1978 Siriporn Savanglum, Thailand (also Miss Photogenic); 1979 Ayla Altas, Turkey (also Best Talent); 1980 Lorraine Gaye McGrady, Australia; 1981 Bernadine Rosemarie “Rosy” Fernando Ramanayake, Sri Lanka; 1982 Maria “Carines” Zaragoza, Philippines; 1983 Gloria “Bong” Dimayacyac, Philippines (also Best in Swimwear); 1984 Melek Gurkan, Turkey; 1985 Nurit Mizrachi, Israel (also Best in Swimwear); 1986 Helen Crawford, New Zealand; 1987 Cilinia Acosta, Panama; 1988 Preeyanuch Panpradub, Thailand (also Best National Costume); 1989 Lorna Legaspi, Philippines (also Best Talent); 1992 Tali Ben-Harush, Israel; 1993 Michelle Aldana, Philippines (also Miss Photogenic and Miss Friendship); 1994 Jessica Guiulfo Tapia, Peru (also Best in Swimwear); 1995 Yoon Mi-jung, Korea; 1996 Gabriela Chavarría, Costa Rica (also Miss Photogenic and Best in Swimwear); 1997 Worarat Suwannarat, Thailand; 1998 Kisha Murillo, Costa Rica (also Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimwear and Best in Long Gown); 1999 Juliana Londoño, Colombia; 2000 Diya Mirza Handrich, India; 2001 Luciana Vargas, Peru (also Best in Long Gown); 2002 Kim So-yoon, Korea (also Miss Friendship and Miss Photogenic); 2003 Tatyana Nikitina, Russia (also Best in Swimwear and Best in Long Gown); and 2005 Leonora Monge, Costa Rica (also Best in Swimsuit and Best National Costume).
Aside from De Joya, Zaragoza, Dimayacyac, Legaspi and Aldana, other Philippine representatives were: Lourdes Muñoz (1969); Alice Crisostomo (1970, first runner-up); Carolyn Masibay (1971, first runner-up); Yvette Marie Alfon (1972, first runner-up); Maria Lourdes Atienza (1973); Polly Penson (1974, second runner-up); Maricel Fortuno (1975); Baby Delgado (1976, third runner-up); Rio Diaz (1977, fourth runner-up); Epifania Lagman (1978, first runner-up); Lorraine Schuck (1979, second runner-up); Rosemarie de Vera (1980, first runner-up); Marilou Bendigo (1981); Aurora Mandanas (1984, Top 10 semi-finalist); Millicent Bautista (1985, Top 12 semi-finalist); Glena Marie Slaton (1986, Top 16 semi-finalist); Gina Vinluan (1987, Top 15 semi-finalist); Maria Hyacinth Lotuaco (1988); Mutya Laxa (1992, second runner-up); Jasmine Reyes (1994, Top 12 semi-finalist); Maricel Morales (1995, Top 12 semi-finalist and Miss Photogenic); Marilyn Maristela (1996, first runner-up); Sheryll Moraga (1997, Top 10 semi-finalist, Miss Photogenic, Miss Friendship and Best Talent); Rochelle Ong (1998, Miss Friendship); Ritchie Ocampo (1999, Top 10 semi-finalist and Miss Photogenic); Joy Canonizado (2000, Best in Long Gown); Darlene Carbungco (2001, fourth runner-up); Miriam Chui (2002, third runner-up); Jamie Liz Castillo (2003, Top 10 semi-finalist and People’s Choice); and Jedah Hernandez (2005, fourth runner-up and Best in Long Gown). — With a report from Celso de Guzman Caparas
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