Queen of all trades
MANILA, Philippines - Although she didn’t win Miss Universe in 1999, Miriam Quiambao could very well be Miss Universal. Other than winning runner-up in the 1999 Miss Universe pageant, this jack (or should I say queen) of all trades has accomplished so many things in her life, in surprisingly very varied fields.
Before Miss Universe, Quiambao graduated with a degree in physicall therapy, and was preparing for the board exams in the US. “If I hadn’t joined the pageants, I would’ve probably already been in the US practicing physical therapy,” she says.
She was also a gym and aerobics instructor, where she met the make-up artist who marked the beginning of her journey towards the world of beauty pageants. And although she never had plans of becoming a beauty queen, she had a hunch early in life that she would one day represent the country in a pageant: “When I was five years old, I shouted, ‘Miss Philippines!’” Little did she know that nearly 20 years later, she would be declaring that phrase once more — only to a larger audience.
Quiambao always dreamed of one day bringing pride to the Philippines, possibly through her planned profession. But in reality, destiny, and not planning, came into play. “It was only later that I realized that pageants led me to the path that I was contemplating,” she says, of her patriotic dream. Not only did she represent the Philippines in the Miss Universe beauty pageant, but she also almost took home the crown. More than this, she embodied strength of a woman, with her famous fall and even more famous quick recovery, during the pageant.
Since Miss Universe, Quiambao decided to enter showbiz, taking jobs such as anchoring a morning show, hosting other shows, and acting in movies. Again, although she hadn’t planned on doing this, she recalls a moment in her childhood where she felt she would eventually enter this business. She narrates, “When I was eight years old, I was watching Lunch Date, and the host was interviewing this action star, and I just had a sense that I was going to work in showbiz.” Other than her showbiz life, Quiambao is also now a businesswoman-cum-entrepreneur. She’s an investor and developer, and has put up her own company, 3Win Realty & Development.
So what more could this overachieving beauty queen possibly want in life? The answer to that is: A lot. And a lot includes (Quiambao enumerating off the top of her head) “building houses, managing a boutique hotel, traveling the world, becoming more recognized as an actress both locally and internationally, and eventually getting remarried and building a family.”
This isn’t surprising; after all, her past accomplishments prove that more is more in this winner’s trophy shelf. She is not one to close her doors to any opportunities. In fact, on the question of whether she would ever do beauty pageants again, she said, “If somebody asks me, and if God wills it, why not?”
Question-And-Answer Portion
We put the former beauty queen on the spot, with Miss Universe-worthy questions:
SUPREME: What would you tell our new President, if you had the chance to meet him?
QUIAMBAO: I believe that he has good intentions. I would suggest that he focuses on what he wants, and what is for the common good. The world works this way: what you focus on, you get. So if you focus on corruption, you get more corruption. But if you focus on progress, you get more of that.
If Donald Trump came to the Philippines, what would you do as his host?
I would entertain him and bring him to the beautiful, exotic destinations in the Philippines. Like Palawan, Boracay, Batanes, Intramuros. But then we’ll have to ride his plane, ‘cause I don’t think he’s willing to ride a commercial plane.
What is the essence of the Miss Universe beauty pageant?
The Miss Universe beauty pageant allows women to present themselves to the world, to show the beauty and the goodness in them and the nations they represent. What’s great about Miss Universe is that those who win, when given the gift of influence, can actually use that gift to support worthy causes and make a positive change in the community and the rest of the world.
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Get ready for an evening of pure glamour, elegance and grace in the 59th Miss Universe beauty pageant. Mark your calendars on August 24 for the double primetime telecast at 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. The first cable encore telecast airs August 27 (Friday) at 9:30 p.m. Weekend primetime replays are set on August 28 (Saturday) and August 29 (Sunday) at 10 p.m. and noon, respectively. The pageant will also be aired on ABS-CBN via satellite on August 24 (Tuesday) at 9:30am and on Studio 23.
For more details, tune in to Velvet SkyCable Channel 53 and log on to http://www.velvetchannel.multiply.com. Velvet is now available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide.
