Philippine Trends Pictorial Monthly featured in September 1947 Miss Philippines and her court of honor. Philippine Airlines sponsored the pageant which attracted contestants all over the country.
1947 Miss Philippines was Evangeline de Castro, with Pacita Francisco as Miss Luzon, Matilde Salgado as Miss Visayas and Gloria Maigue as Miss Mindanao. Accompanying photos were taken by Bob Razon.
A distinguished board of jurors selected Miss Philippines and her court, noted names coming from the arts, government and business. Fernando Amorsolo, Guillermo Tolentino, Manny de Leon, Vicente Rufino, Manuel Nieto, Benito Prieto and Doña Aurora Recto.
Needless to say, there was no swimsuit (much less bikini) competition. Coronation night was held at the Manila Hotel.
Miss De Castro was from Baguio, one of the nine siblings and student of Brent International School in Baguio.
Miss Francisco of Batangas joined the movies and starred in a few films, two of them A La Viva with Fernando Poe, Carlos Padilla and Patricia Mijares and Kumakaway Ka Pa, Irog opposite Victor Sevilla. After which, she joined Pan-Am as stewardess and married the head of Associated Press of Hong Kong, where she resided for many years and headed the Spanish Club. Miss Francisco also took up a course in art at Yale University. She and her husband retired in Manila.
Miss Maigue, a school teacher from Cavite, became more popular as Olivia Cenizal when she joined the movies, then already the wife of composer Josefino Cenizal. He wrote the unforgettable song Hindi Kita Malimot.
Remember When? has no information on the whereabouts or what happened to Miss De Castro and Miss Salgado. Perhaps readers could update this column on the latest about them. — RKC