RP only Asian country with Miss Int'l winners

The Philippines doesn’t have a Miss World winner (but could have had one in 1973 but first runner-up Evangeline Pascual refused to take over after USA’s Marjorie Wallace was dethroned), although it has two Misses Universe (Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973).

But did you know that the Philippines is the only Asian country with not just one but four Misses International in the pageant’s 50-year history (first winner was Stella Marquez of Colombia, now Mrs. Jorge Araneta)? Which means that the Philippines is a suki of the contest which will hold its 50th edition on Nov. 7 at the Sichuan Province Gymnasium in Chengdu, China, just like how Venezuela is positioned in the Miss U pageant in which it has several winners. Reigning Miss International is Mexico’s Anagabriela Espinosa Marroquin.

There are suggestions not to send the country’s Miss International bet Krista Mae Arrieta Kleiner in the wake of the Rizal Park hostage-taking incident because she might get the ire of the Chinese. It’s a good thing Krista did go; she left last Wednesday. She should prove to the Chinese that Filipinos are really good and kind-hearted people and the hostage-taker was an exception. More than 80 beauties from the same number of countries are competing.

Funfare’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas made a list of how the Philippines and other Asian countries have fared so far in the Miss International contest as a nod to the contest’s current search.

• Philippines, four winners: Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979, also Best National Costume) and Precious Lara Quigaman (2005).

Runners-up: Evelyn Camus, second (1971); Yogi Dominguez, second (1972, also Best National Costume); and Marilen Ojeda, fourth (1973).

Semi-finalists (18): Edita Vital (1960), Monina Yllana (1963), Nini Ramos (1968), Binky Montinola (1969), Jaye Murphy (1975), Dolly Ascalon (1976, also Best National Costume), Dianne Jeanne Chiong (1980), Peachy Sacasas (1981), Alice Dixson (1986), Patti Betita (1991), Alma Concepcion (1994, also Miss Friendship), Gladys Dueñas (1995), Yedda Marie Mendoza (1996), Susan Jane Ritter (1997), Colette Centeno (1998), Maan Bayot (2004), Patricia Fernandez (2008) and Melody Adelheid Gersbach (2009).

Special Awards: Cynthia Ugalde, Miss Photogenic fourth runner-up (1962); and Lia Andanar, Miss Friendship (1989).

•  India, Runners-up: Iona Pinto, first (1960); Indira Maria Bredemeyer, second (1975); Nafisa Ali, second (1976); Diya Abraham, first (1997); Shvetha Jaishankar, second (1998); and Shonali Nograni, first (2003).

Semi-finalists: Sumita Sen (1968), Patricia D’Souza (1970), Nalanda Ravindra Bhandari (1984), Erika Maria de Souza (1987), Preeti Mankotia (1991), Pooja Batra (1993), Gayatri Anilkumar Joshi (2000), Kanwal Toor (2001), Mihika Varma (2004) and Sonali Sehgal (2006).

•  Korea, Runners-up: Choi Yoo-Mi, fourth (1963); Yeum Jung-ah, second (1992); Tae-young Shon, first (2000, also Miss Photogenic); Jang Yoon-seo, second (2006); and Seo Eun-mi, first (2009, also Miss Photogenic).

Semi-finalists: Lee Hye-jin (1964), Kim Min-jin (1965), Kim Hee-ja (1968), Kang Young-sook (1974), Lee Hyang-mok (1975), Chung Young-soon (1983, also Best National Costume), Yoon Hee-lee (1988), Kim Hee-jung (1989, also Best National Costume), Kwon Jung-joo (1991), Chang Eun-Young (1993), Sung Hyun-ah (1994, also Miss Photogenic), Lee Yoo-ree (1995), Kim Jung-hwa (1996, also Miss Photogenic), Kim Ryang-hee (1997), Cho Hye-young (1998), Myong-hee Baek (2001, also Best National Costume), Yoon-joo Gi (2002, also Best National Costume), Ji –Soo Shin (2003), In-ha Kim (2004) and Park Ga-won (2007).

•  Japan, Runners-up: Toshie Suda, third (1970); Kumei Nakamura, fourth (1976); Hideko Haba, fourth (1979); and Hana Urushima, second (2002).

Second runner-up Yogi Dominguez (second from left) with the 1972 Miss International court

Semi-finalists: Michiko Tagaki (1960), Kaoru Iwasaki (1962), Naoko Matsui (1964), Hiroko Sasaki (1967, also Miss Photogenic), Yoko Sunami (1968), Akemi Okamoto (1969), Reiko Yoneyama (1971), Yoko Tameshisa (1972), Miki Yaita (1973), Hideko Shigekawa (1974), Sumiko Kumagai (1975), Mayumi Kanbara (1980, also Miss Friendship), Rita Moriwaki (1981), Akemi Fujita (1983), Junko Oeno (1984), Makiko Matsumoto (1985), Rika Kobayashi (1986, also Miss Friendship), Yayoi Morita (1987), Yuki Egami (1988), Hiroko Ohnishi (1990), Miho Takata (1991), Masayo Shibasaki (1993), Tomomi Hanamura (1994), Yuka Kondo (1995, also Miss Friendship), Akiko Sugano (1996), Sayuri Seki (1997), Megumi Taira (1998), Kana Onada (1999), Kanako Shibata (2000), Hanako Suzuki (2001), Saeko Matsumi (2003, also Miss Friendship), Tamiko Kawahara (2004), Naomi Ishizaka (2005), Mami Sakurai (2006), Hisako Shirata (2007, also Miss Photogenic), Kyoko Sugiyama (2008) and Yuka Nakayama (2009).

Special Award: Tomoko Nishiki, Miss Friendship (1992).

•  Thailand, Runners-up: Rhungtip Pinyo, fourth (1968, also Miss Photogenic); Usanee Phenphimol, fourth (1969); and Supuk Likitkul, first (1971).

Semi-finalists: Panarat Pisutthisak (1970), Jintana Te-chamaneewat (1973), Seenuan Attasara (1981), Kanda Thae-chaprateep (1982), Piyanuch Khamboon (2002), Pawina Bamrungrot (2003) and Vasana Wongbuntree (2006, also Miss Photogenic).

Special Award: Passorn Boonyakiat, Miss Photogenic (1988).

•  Hong Kong: Runner-up: Gisella Ma Ka-wai, fourth (1967).

Semi-finalists: Ellen Wong Ai-Lane (1985, also 21st Century Fashion winner) and Grace Wong Kwan-Hing (2007, also Miss Friendship). 

Special Awards: Debora Carol Moore, Miss Friendship (1981); Lam Wing-Han, Miss Photogenic (1987); Cathy Wu Kar-Wai, Miss Friendship (2002); Fu Sze-Sze, Miss Friendship (2004); Queenie Chu Wai-Man, Miss Friendship (2005); and Koni Liu Wai-Yee, Miss Friendship (2006).

•  China, Runner-up: Liu Changwei, third (2008).

Semi-finalists: Wang Chan (2003, also Best National Costume), Sun Yue (2004, also Best National Costume) and Chen Qian (2006).

Special Awards: Amy Yan Wei, Miss Photogenic (2002); Yang Li, Miss Photogenic (2005); and Wang Qian, Miss Friendship (2009).

•  Indonesia, Runner-up: Indri Hapsari Soeharto, second (1977).

Semi-finalist: Rahma Landhi (2007).

• Sri Lanka, Semi-finalists: Kamala Athauda (1961), Kathleen Antoinette Foenander (1964) and Aruni Madusha Rajapakse (2007).

Special Award: Yvonne Eileen Gunawardene, Best National Costume (1960, preliminary).

• Malaysia, Semi-finalists: Helen Tan Hong Lean (1961, also Best National Costume, preliminary) and Linda Lim Hong Eng (1965).

Special Award: Jennifer Foong Sim Yong, Miss Friendship (1984).

• Mongolia, Semi-finalists: Sansaramaa Luvsandoo (2001) and Sodtuya Chadraabal (2004, also Miss Photogenic).

•  Taiwan, Semi-finalists: Dolly Ma (1961) and Anne Yui Fang (1962, also Best National Costume, preliminary).

• Vietnam: Truong Quynh Mai, semi-finalist (1995, also Best National Costume).

•  Singapore: Chriztl D’Cruz, semi-finalist (1960).

(E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])