MICHELLE DEE MAKES IT
It was not a big surprise that the daughter of Miss International 1979 Mimilanie “Melanie” Marquez is the new Miss World Philippines 2019.
The 24-year-old model and De La Salle University Psychology degree holder Michelle Dee beat 39 other contenders during the coronation on Sunday evening, 15 September, held at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, becoming the third winner under Arnold Vegafria’s directorship and the winner of the ninth edition of Miss World Philippines (MWP).
Dee is the daughter of a former beauty queen and supermodel Melanie to businessman Frederick Lee, who was seated beside designer and mentor Renee Salud as she witnessed the crowning of her daughter.
The ladies opened the show with a dance number and sashayed wearing Louis Pangilinan glittering dress creations. The event was hosted by actors Victor Basa and Edgar Allan Guzman and former beauty queens Laura Lehmann (Miss World Philippines 2017) and Dee’s cousin Teresita Ssen “WinWyn” Marquez (Reina Hispanoamericana 2017), the first Asian delegate to win the title dominated by the Latinas in a pageant held annually in Bolivia.
The competition started with the ladies showing their physique in the swimsuit competition wearing fuschia pink and blue swimwear provided by Bench. Then they showed glamour and sophistication in the evening gown competition wearing creations made by their chosen designer. The MWP Charity Gala was held on Wednesday evening, 11 September, at the Monet Ballroom, Novotel Manila Araneta Center. “I am very pleased with the positive turnout of our candidates’ performances from their previous Fast Track challenges. All in all, there are a total of eight Fast Track Awards, and all of these will be announced during our coronation night,” announced Arnold Vegafria. The eight fast track events winners earned an automatic spot as semifinalists. They were 31 Sheila Marie Reyes (Talent), 38 Aura Shaznay (Multimedia), 21 Michelle Dee (Sports), 23 Vanessa Mae Walters (Beach Beauty), 30 Katrina Llegado (Top Model), 26 Michelle Thorlund and 40 Shannon Christie Kerver (Charity) and 4 Glyssa Perez (Beauty With A Purpose).
The remaining ladies who completed the top 22 semifinalists were 20 Ilene De Vera, 11 Kayesha Chua, 37 Casie Banks, 10 Jacqueline Diamzon Hammoude, 27 Patrixia Santos, 35 Louise Theunis, 12 Trisha Gutierrez, 14 Billie Hakenson, 9 Tracy Maureen Perez, 6 Michelle Arceo, 1 Isabelle de Leon, 24 Kelley Day, 8 Kalea Rivero
Pitel and 18 Ruffa Nava. The semifinalists had a casual interview to determine who would make it to the top 12. They were serenaded by David Licauco, Derrick Monasterio, TJ Marquez, Enzo Pineda, Kiko Estrada and Ruru Madrid. The top 12 finalists were 4 Glyssa Perez, 40 Shannon Christie Kerver, 9 Tracy Maureen Perez, 14 Billie Hakenson, 30 Katrina Llegado, 1 Isabelle De Leon, 6 Michelle Arceo, 23 Vanessa Mae Walters, 37 Casie Banks, 26 Michelle Thorlund, 21 Michelle Dee and 24 Kelley Day.
These finalists were asked to pick the name of the judges who will ask their questions. The board of judges are Bryce Ramos (Actor and Commercial Model), Nancy Go (Operations Manager, Blue Water Day Spa), Sean Wong (National Director, Miss World Singapore and Miss World Malaysia), Jun Omar Ebdane (Provincial Administrator, Zambales), Sunshine Cruz (Actress), Jeffrey Lin (CEO, GCOX Singapore), Roselle Monteverde (Vice President and Executive Producer, Regal Films), Maritel Nievera (President and CEO, Cabalen), Sean Michael Afable (Hollywoord Actor, Writer and Director), Kristine Lim (Assistant Vice President for Marketing, Suyen Corporation), Raymond Bagatsing (Actor), Nikki Coseteng (Former senator), Amaal Rezk (Chairman and CEO, Miss Eco International), San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso as chairman of the Board of Judges.
The Q& A
Miss World Philippines 2019 Michelle Dee answered, “If I were to choose one invention from the last century, it would be Polaroid film. I am an avid lover of art. I love photography. I love the kind of energy and feels that Polaroids give me. Being able to lay everything out and to go through memory lane is such a different feeling,” when asked what invention from the last century she thinks should make a comeback. Asked if social media is a good or bad thing, Miss World Philippines 2019 (Second Princess) Cassie Banks said, “Social media is still a positive thing. I would like to look at it in a more positive way because we are able to reach our message to a wider audience. We are able to connect and really send the voice and message out there. Sometimes, I admit, we do abuse social media, especially with cyber-bullying and bashing. But at the end of the day, we should always be conscious of what we do post.” Banks also won as Miss Blue Water Day Spa. Miss World Philippines 2019 (First Princess) Shannon Christie Kerver was asked, “If the President were to appoint you to a position in the cabinet, which position would you choose and why?” Kerver responded, “I would choose the position that would involve the promotion of Filipino culture. I think it’s important to promote our culture, especially with diplomatic relations. Since we’re expanding our diplomatic relations and modernizing, I think putting Filipino culture at the center is a very important thing.” Asked what very important life lesson she learned the hard way, Miss Teen Eco International Philippines 2019 Vanessa Mae Walters said, “The hardest lesson in life is being true to myself. Learning to be less authentic than I ever thought I should and would ever be. The more valuable and sensitive that I have become into being in this society is the hardest lesson I’ve learned in today’s generation.”
Walters was awarded as Best in Swimsuit and was Miss Teen Earth 2014 winner. Miss Tourism Philippines 2019 Glyssa Leiann Perez was asked what was the most sad environmental problem that happened this year and why. She answered, “It was the most recent Amazon. Everyone knows that the Amazon happened and I feel like the awareness is still there but there should me more than just awareness. There should be action. I believe as a community we should be united together. If we work together as one, we will be able to cooperate and make a change in our environment.” Perez is the cousin of Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina and was Miss World Philippines 2017 (First Princess). Miss Multinational Philippines 2019 Isabelle de Leon is the lady who nailed the question and answer portion.
She was asked, “If the eyes are the windows to the soul, what would we see if we looked into your eyes?”
She expressed, “That is a beautiful question. What they will see in my eyes is love ---- eyes that see the good in people. My lips that seek to speak words of kindness, ears that listen to the needs of other people, and hands that nurture and build other people’s dreams. That’s the kind of beauty and light that shines from within.”
She is known to many as Duday in GMA-7’s sitcom ‘Daddy Di Do Du’ (2001) and earned a FAMAS Best Child Actress award for her role in ‘Magnifico’ (2003). Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2019 Maria Katrina Llegado was asked if she would advise divorce to a couple having a troubled relationship.
She said, “That’s a very hard question. But I must say, if the two agree to have a better life for their children, we should respect and understand the two. No matter how hard it is, we should have proper communication to resolve conflict. That is the most important thing that couples should know.”
Llegado also won two special awards, Miss Photogenic and Best in Evening Gown and one special award, Miss Cabalen, the official food provider of this year’s pageant. Miss Eco Philippines 2019 Kelley Day’s question came from Maritel Nievera, Cabalen president and CEO: “Filipino food is among the best in the world. Which Filipino dishes would you showcase in a dinner, from the appetizer, main course, to dessert?”
Day delightfully answered, “The appetizer would definitely be tokwa’t baboy, because it’s my favorite. And it’s healthy, too. The starter would be sizzling sinigang. My main course would be adobo and rice and dessert would be caramel… it’s my favorite one.”
Day was also the recipient of two sponsors’ awards, Best Skin and Miss Big Chill.