Will being ‘summa’ help Theresa win Miss U crown?

Curtain-raiser:

• No, you won’t see Lolit Solis in this afternoon’s edition of the GMA show Startalk. Yes, she has been suspended for one episode by the GMA management after its attention was called by the MTRCB for mentioning the word "puerta" in last week’s show. She and co-hosts Lorna Tolentino and Butch Francisco were discussing the plan of Eat, Bulaga! to cover "live" the child-bearing of Julia Clarete when Lolit asked if the coverage would include the showing of Julia’s... yes, that word. Offensive, according to the MTRCB. Lolit promptly apologized for that, uh, slip of the tongue.

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If memory serves me right, in the more than 43-year-history of the Bb. Pilipinas pageant, it has so far sent only one summa cum laude and one law student to represent the country in the Miss Universe contest, respectively Lizbeth de Padua (1976) who became a doctor and Zorayda Ruth Andam (2001) who became a militant lawyer.

This year, the country is represented in the Miss U contest, which will be held in Mexico on May 28, by Anna Theresa Licaros, described as a "real woman of substance" who is both a summa cum laude and a law student.

As a fitting send-off for Theresa who left last night, here’s Funfare’s "other beauty expert" Celso de Guzman Caparas on Theresa’s academic achievements:

Licaros joined 19 other students (two each from the top universities of each ASEAN nation) who were pitted against each other on the theme ASEAN in the 21st Century, The Road Ahead during the First ASEAN Young Speakers’ Forum in Jakarta in Oct. 22, 2002. They were judged on their knowledge of ASEAN, their vision of the organization and presentation skills. Licaros was declared one of the top five speakers and brought home $750 (special consolation prize).

In 2005, Theresa was named one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 2003. (Trivia: The search has produced winners who became national figures like the late Sen. Raul Roco, an awardee in 19; TV personality and The Philippine Star columnist Ricardo "Dong" Puno Jr.; and Ayala Foundation president Vicky Garchitorena, to name just a few.)

With a general waited average (GWA) of 1.161, Theresa graduated summa cum laude with a degree of BA Broadcast Communications. Despite being third among the 10 summa cum laude graduates (first and second have a GWA of 1.14 and 1.158, respectively), Theresa delivered the class’ valedictory address and led around 4,000 graduates during the UP’s 94th commencement exercises in 2005.

A Dean’s Lister Law sophomore, also at UP (Batch 2009), will Theresa duplicate the feat of UP alumnae who topped the bar exams and became some of our country’s best legal minds, including Tecla San Andres (1930 with a grade of 89.4), Cecilia Muñoz (1937, 92.6, the first woman Supreme Court Justice), Gregoria Cruz (1946, 92.25) and Ameurfina Melencio (1947, 93.85)? (Trivia: UP has produced two bar topnotchers who eventually became Presidents of the Philippines: Manuel A. Roxas, 1913, with a grade of 92; and Ferdinand E. Marcos, 1939, 92.35).

Prayer to St. Peregrine for cancer patients

Since three Sundays ago, when The STAR published the "scoop" about Rudy Fernandez’s fourth-stage cancer (peri-ampullary which has metastasized to his liver), letters of sympathy and prayers haven’t stopped pouring in from all corners of the world.

Reader Katrina Lumas sent a Prayer to St. Peregrine, Patron Saint of Cancer Patients (somewhere on this page), for Rudy and other people suffering from the same illness. "Although I don’t know Mr. Fernandez personally," wrote Katrina, "I hope that he would keep up the fight and the faith."

Fr. Corsie’s healing sked

Meanwhile, here’s Fr. Corsie Legaspi’s healing schedule for the rest of April:

• Today, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite;

• April 16, Monday, 1 to 6 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Parish, Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila;

• April 17, Tuesday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite;

• April 19 to 27, healing sessions abroad (details available by phone); and

• April 30, Monday, 1 to 6 p.m., at San Nicolas Parish, Capas, Tarlac.

(Note: For further information, call Gilbert or Andy at 046-434-8759 or 046-878-0069, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.)

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