Here’s a report from Funfare’s "beauty experts" Joey Cezare, Felix Manuel, Francis Calubaquib and Gery Yumping:
All our eyes are set on the Philippines’ bet Carla Gay Sunga Balingit, Binibining Pilipinas-Universe crowned just last March at the Araneta Coliseum. A native Pampangueña, she was born in Mexico City on Sept. 25, 19 years ago. She was a BS Tourism junior at the Holy Angel University in San Fernando, Pampanga, when she won her Binibining Pilipinas title. Right now, her studies are on hold.
Incidentally, Carla is the fifth Pampangueña to win a Bb. Pilipinas-Universe title. The very first was Myrna Sese Panlilio, the very first Bb. Pilipinas Universe title-holder crowned in1964. She competed in Miami Beach, Florida, where a Greek beauty Kiriaki Corinna Tsopei won the title. The second Kapampangan to compete in the Miss U contest was Violeta Asela Enriquez Naluz who went to Panama for the 35th edition of the pageant, which was won by Barbara Palacios Teyde of Venezuela.
In 1995, fashion model and movie actress Joanne Zapanta Santos represented the Philippines in the 1995 Miss Universe Pageant which was eventually won by Chelsi Smith of Deer Park, Texas, USA. Joanne also represented our country in the Macao edition of Miss Tourism International 1997. She won that title. She is presently preparing for the upcoming Mrs. World Pageant.
Supermodel Abbygale Williamson Arenas was the fourth Pampanga lass to compete in Miss Universe in 1997, also held in Miami Beach, Florida. She won as Miss Photogenic via Internet voting and placed 11th overall.
This year, it’s Carla’s turn. The eldest in a brood of five (three girls, Carol, Pia, Rose; and a boy named Al), she was brought up by loving parents Darni Balingit and the former Herminia Sunga. They felt very happy and proud of Carla’s winning streak. It is said that she won seven pageants in her native town before eventually bagging the biggest plum –the Bb. Pilipinas Universe.
Here are the top contenders for the Miss U crown:
• Miss Brazil – Gislaine Rodriguez Ferreira, 19-year-old journalism student from Tocanturi. She stands 5’9".
• Miss USA – Susie Castillo, 23 years old from Lawrence, Massachusetts. She’s part Puerta Rican and is 5’8".
• Miss Peru – Claudia Ortiz de Cevallos from Lima. She represented Peru in last year’s Miss Earth Pageant here in Manila. She was a semi-finalist.
• Miss Spain – Eva Gonzales, a 22-year-old model from Mareina del Alcor. She stands 5’9".
• Miss Greece – Marietta Chousala, a 20-year-old model from Edesxa. She stands 5’10".
• Miss Italy – Silvia Ceccon, 20, a student from Riovenne Rocchette. She is also 5’10".
• Miss Israel – Sivan Klein, an 18-year-old high school graduate from Jerusalem.
• Miss Namibia – Ndepewa Alfonso who competed in last year’s Miss World finals where our very own Kate Manalo was a finalist.
• Miss Dominican Republic – Amelia Vega, who just recently won the Best in National Costume award. Statuesque at 6 feet, she is one of the tallest candidates this year.
Other frontrunners are the candidates from Canada, China, South Africa, Puerto Rico, and homegrown favorite Panama.
This year’s pageant will be different. From 72 candidates, 15 semifinalists will be chosen and will compete in the evening-gown competition. The top 10 scorers will compete in the swimsuit competition. From the composite scores of the 10 in (evening gown and swimsuit) the top five will go on to the interview competition. From there the judges will select the four runners-up and the new Miss Universe.
(More Miss U trivia tomorrow, June 4.)