Misses U on stamps

Another Girl For Sharon

FLASH: It’s another girl for Sharon Cuneta and husband, Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, coming after their first-born Frankie and KC. Sharon broke the good news to Funfare yesterday afternoon after an ultrasound. Her OB Gyne is Dr. Greg Pastorfide.

Due to give birth either first or second week of September, Sharon has been getting congratulatory text messages after she was quoted in the Globe TV commercial as saying, "I think it’s a boy!" Her "sixth sense" proved wrong.

The girl’s first name is Mariel which happens to be short for Marie Elaine, name of Sharon’s mom. Mariel was Sharon’s character’s name in Star Cinema’s Madrasta (1996) for which she won a Best Actress grand slam.

"We’re still thinking of a second and third name," said Sharon who has gone on maternity leave from showbiz.

Sharon said that among Mariel’s ninongs are Aga Muhlach, Rowell Santiago and Martin Nievera.

* * *

Late last year, Funfare published the list of Misses World on stamps. With the 2004 Miss Universe Pageant slated in Quito, Ecuador, on Wednesday morning, June 2 (Manila Time, telecast "live" by Star World, Channel 25 on SkyCable), Funfare’s "other beauty expert" Celso de Guzman Caparas has drawn up the list of Misses U on stamps. Here they are:

• Luz Marina Zuluaga has been thought of as the Grace Kelly of Colombia since she bested 35 other delegates and crowned as Miss Universe 1958 in Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, California, USA on July 25, 1958.

Issued on June 26, 1959, the three stamps were printed on unwatermarked paper through photogravure process by Courvoisier and designed by I. Mosdossy.

• Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz won the 18th Miss Universe crown, beating 60 other delegates, held in Miami, Florida, on July 19, 1969. She was also voted as one of the Ten Best in Swimsuit.

Issued on May 5, 1994, the two stamps and souvenir sheets were printed on imported unwatermarked paper through litho-offset process by Amstar Company, Inc. and designed by Alfonso V. Divina and Ruperto N. Nava.

• The second Filipina to wear the Miss Universe crown was Maria Margarita Roxas Moran who bested 60 other delegates, in Athens, Greece, on July 21, 1973. She also won the Best in Swimsuit and Miss Photogenic Awards, the second among the four Misses Universe (Margareta Arvidsson of Sweden, 1966, and Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago , 1977 and Denise Quiñones of Puerto Rico, 2001) to achieve this rare feat.

Issued on May 5, 1994, the two stamps and souvenir sheets were printed on imported unwatermarked paper through litho-offset process by Amstar Company, Inc. and designed by Alfonso V. Divina and Ruperto N. Nava.

• Janelle ‘Penny’ Commissiong of Trinidad and Tobago made history as the first black to wear the Miss Universe crown when she won over 77 other delegates during the 26th Miss Universe Pageant in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 16, 1977. She was also the lensmen’s choice, the third of the four title-holders to bag the Miss Photogenic Award.

Issued on Aug. 2, 1978, the three stamps and souvenir sheet were printed through lithography process by Questa and designed by BG Studio.

• Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago beat 80 other delegates during the Miss Universe 1998 Pageant in Hawaii, on May 12, 1998.

Issued on May 3, 1999, the four stamps and souvenir sheet were printed on watermarked paper through lithography process by COT Printery.

• Mpule Keneilwe Kwelagobe, Miss Universe 1999, was the first delegate ever from Botswana to the Miss Universe Pageant, in Trinidad and Tobago on May 26, 1999. She won in a field of 84 delegates. Philippine bet Miriam Redito Quiambao was her first runner-up.

Issued on Dec. 1, 1999, the five stamps and souvenir sheet were printed through lithography process by Southern Print of Dunedin, New Zealand and designed by Seasky Design Studio.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])