Bb. Pilipinas vows to be ‘People’s Queen’
A Filipino- German model, who was crowned 2015 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Sunday night, vowed to be a ‘People’s Queen’, while a former housemaid who was named Bb. Pilipinas-International in the same beauty pageant ceremony, happily took the honor which she had said “would open doors for her and her family.”
The two beautiful ladies were crowned winners at the 2015 Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City Sunday night. Other winners were: Rogelie Catacutan, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational; Christi Lynn McGarry, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental and Ann Collins, Bb. Pilipinas Tourism.
Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, 25, of Cagayan de
Oro, who stands 5’8, promised to become the People’s Queen, not just a regular beauty queen.
‘People’s Queen’
“I want to show the people that beauty queens are accessible. I’m not going to stop working. I’m going to do everything that I can during my reign. I already have a few organizations in mind. My advocacy is prevention of violence against women and children,’’ said Wurtzbach, former contract star of Star Magic under ABS-CBN, and fashion model, after winning the pageant.
Third try
This is Ms. Wurtzbach’s third try for the Binibining Pilipinas title. She placed first runner-up in 2013, and Top 15 in 2014.
A week before, Ms. Wurtzbach radiated her feelings about the contest: “I have a very good feeling about this year. I hope I’m right. I’m very comfortable now but not to the point of being complacent. Lumalaban pa rin ako (I’m still competitive). I think I’m more prepared now in all aspects,’’ she said. “Gusto kong malaman nila na tatlong beses ako sumali and eto na ako ngayon (I want them to know that this is my third try). ‘’
She admitted that she had many times felt down, sometimes even crying, particularly when she did not win on her second year in Binibining Pilipinas.
“After the pageant in 2014, I cried. One time, a week after the pageant, while I was driving to a photo shoot with my mom, bigla na lang ako naiyak (suddenly, I cried). She was quiet. I think was better to let it out,’’ she confessed.
“It took me a while to decide if I should join again. So I went back to London where my sister had just delivered a baby. She really encouraged me to try again. So I’m dedicating this victory in Binibining Pilipinas to her,’’ said Ms. Wurtzbach.
So far, the Miss Universe Organization has not announced the venue for the 2015 Miss Universe contest. But reigning Miss Universe Paulina Vega said that it might be held in China.
Preparations
Months before the pageant, Ms. Wurtzbach kept herself busy with modeling jobs and writing articles for the lifestyle section of a daily newspaper. “I write about make-up. It’s really my forte,” she said offering “to do tutorials on make-up.” She also plans to start a blog, and make videos, she said.
Used to a life doing work, as she became a breadwinner when her parents divorced, Ms. Wurtzback also has television appearances in “Kapamilya” shows such as K2BU, Your Song, Aryana and ASAP.
For focusing on winning the pageant, the beauty queen admitted that she does not have a love life when she joined Binibining Pilipinas. “No boyfriend since 2013. I didn’t focus on my love life. I thought it would be easier to have one when I am a beauty queen pero mas mahirap pala (it’s more difficult).’’
Former maid
Sharing the stage during coronation night was Bb. Pilipinas-International Janicel Lubina, 19, whose past job as a housemaid had captured people’s hearts.
When she was younger, she said she worked as a housemaid in Palawan with her mother. “Grade 6 po ako nun nang maging kasambahay po ako. Hindi naman mabibigat ang ginagawa ko pero naglilinis ako ng bakuran, nagma-mop, naglalaba, nagsasaing (I was in Grade 6 when I worked as a maid. My tasks were not heavy. I cleaned the yard, mopped, did the laundry, and cooked rice),’’ said Ms. Lubina, who won the “Best in Long Gown” and “Best in Swimsuit” awards of the pageant.
Until now, her mother still works as a housemaid, serving her employer for more than 20 years now, she said.
“From Palawan, dinala po siya ng employer namin dito sa Makati. Dinadalaw ko po lagi ang mother ko (From Palawan, her employer brought her to Makati. She now visits me often),’’ she said.
It is her mother’s employer who was so excited about her joining the contest. “Yung employer po ng mother ko, lagi nilang ina-update ang mother ko tungkol sa pagsali ko sa Bb. Pilipinas (My mother’s employer would update my mother on how I am doing in the Bb. Pilipinas pageant). ‘’
Lubina may be only 19 but she is already a pageant veteran. In 2013, she won first-runner up to Megan Lynne Young in the Miss World Philippines contest. Ms. Young eventually became the country’s first Miss World.
Her previous pageant credits include 2013 Slimmer’s World Miss Bikini Philippines, 2012 Mutya ng Palawan and 2013 Miss Scuba International second runner-up held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Open doors
To her, winning the pageant would open doors for her and her family. “Gusto kong makatulong sa family ko. Eldest po ako sa apat namagkakapatid and only girl. Sa pamamagitan ng Bb. Pilipinas, gusto ko rin ipag-patuloy ‘ yung advocacy ko na fashion show-for-a-cause. Nakapag-donate na po ako ng mga silya sa school ko sa Palawan (I want to help my family since I am the eldest and the only girl. I also want to continue my advocacy to push fashion show-for-a-cause. I’ve already donated chairs to my school in Palawan),’’ she added.
Speech class
Lubina, who stands 5’ 8 1/ 2 and measures 34-21-34, enrolled in a speech class to prepare for the pageant.
“Madali na lang po ang ramp at modelling. That’s why talagang pinagiigihan ko po is communication skills. Part of my training, sa gabi, I watch English movies para mahasa rin ako (Ramp modeling comes easy. That’s why I focused on my communication skills. I watch English movies at night as part of my training),’’ she said.
School on hold
For now, school has to take a back seat after she won in Bb. Pilipinas. She is a first year college student at STI Ortigas where she is taking up tourism management.
“Gusto ko po tapusin ang pag-aaral ko sa school na yun kasi nasa scholarship program po ako nila. Tatapusin ko po talaga ang pag-aaral ko (I want to finish my schooling because I have a scholarship),’’ Lubina said.