A new way of looking at beauty contests
May 2, 2004 | 12:00am
Beauty contests have come a long way from the time when they were perceived simply as just that: about beauty. Today, the best ones have taken on relevance and pushed contestants to play a bigger role in their communities.
Such was the first beauty competition ever put up by the Quezon City government – the recently-held Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon beauty pageant, which registered many firsts that may significantly improve the way beauty tilts in the Philippines are perceived and organized.
The Mutya ng QC was the first city-wide beauty competition where tourism and investment-oriented goals played a large part in the planning and implementation.
Organized in line with Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte’s city facelift program, the seven-event pageant led by project director Manny Sabalza, the city’s assistant administrator and head for public order and safety, and overall chairperson Renee Salud, received tremendous support from all the barangays and the private sector.
"I can help promote culture and tourism by showing people what Quezon City has to offer, beginning with the Quezon Museum at the Quezon Memorial Circle," said one candidate when asked at the finals how she could help the city.
During the closed-door interviews the common question was: "What can you say of Quezon City?"
The common answer was: "It is a much nicer place to live in. It is much more beautiful now. The roads are cemented and unlike in the past, they are more brightly lit that you feel safe moving about in the city."
The competition was also the first city-wide beauty contest to hold district competitions to select six representatives each in the final competition.
Even at the district level, the contests were well presented with the production team led by executive producer Gladys Dueñas, young director Con-con Siñel, and stage manager and choreographer Annvi Noval.
The productions highlighted the dancing prowess of students of Jose P. Laurel High School and Flora Ylagan Elementary School as well as the QC Cultural Foundation Dance Troupe under Tony Fabella.
The audiences in each of the four districts were happy to see and hear GMA 7’s Search for a Star grand finalist Melo Valeña and semi-finalist Dexter Nicolau, ABS-CBN’s Star in a Million finalist OJ Mariano and IBC 13’s Star for a Night grand finalist Carlo San Jose. Starstruck winner Mark Herras and "survivor" Christian Esteban also participated.
Mutya ng QC also gave Voice Image Awards at both district and city levels with the JC Gomez Voice Clinic – a pioneer center for voice image, therapy and rehabilitation – in line with promoting voice consciousness. Anne Marie Charisse Agoncillo bested others in vocal quality and voice use in speaking.
The candidates exhibited poise, personality, confidence and intelligence during the Q&A portion. The pageant had enlisted the help of The Corporate Mind (TCM) team of training consultants consisting of Carl Perion, Dr. Gil M. Vicente and yours truly to provide them training aimed at increasing their level of confidence.
Despite my having authored and presented over a hundred seminars and workshops on negotiation, sales, communication and personal development for corporate executives in the past 14 years, this was a different kind of challenge.
In designing the training program for the 24 candidates, my chief aim was to mold their thinking such that they do not get nervous, but rather answer confidently and intelligently during the closed-door interviews and, most especially, on stage. Our TCM team conducted a customized program that consisted of lectures on personality, self-esteem, self-image and self-knowledge, etiquette, refinement, professional voice use, as well as face and body language to give them confidence during the final judging.
Beauty queen and fashion model Patty Betita gave lectures on poise and how to walk in swimsuit and evening gown while Fanny Serrano talked about inner beauty and makeup.
The speakers highlighted the need to espouse values in everything one does. A good opportunity to practice this was the community immersion which was an integral part of the whole pageant.
The pageant’s seven events were held on different dates and places in QC. This was no easy task for chairperson Renee Salud, or Mama Renee as he is fondly called, yet he was always ready to burst a bag of witty and humorous repartee.
The ladies wore gowns that displayed the artistry of designers Bumbee Ramos, Boying Eustaquio, Vivo Nazareth, Edgar San Diego, Edgar Madamba, Eddie Baddeo and Fanny Serrano in the evening gown competition and again during the finals and coronation night last April 24.
Just as exciting to see were the creations of younger designers Arielle Agasang (who designed the gown of Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon), Frederick Alba, Paola Angela, Ronaldo Arnaldo, Paul Cabral, Eddie Castro, Ramon Depositario, Larry Espinosa, Jun Halili, Peter Lim, Jontie Martinez, Dennis Martin, Shanon Pamaong, Joel Pros, Jay Sustiger, Edwin Uy, and Francis Calaquian who won the award for Best Design using abel Iloco.
Executive producer Gladys Dueñas, 1995 Bb. Pilipinas International, showed laudable organizational skills. Cool at most times even with little sleep for some weeks, she managed to put together the show for all the events (assisting her were project coordinators Jovelyn Balang and Iris Dueñas).
Kathleen Phyllis Guerrero, Arlene Buenaventura, Katrina Rigets and Elizabeth Jacqueline Nacuspag emerged as Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon, Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Turismo, Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Kalinangan and Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Kalikasan, respectively. They are all beautiful women who radiate warmth aside from having an understanding of issues and the ability to articulate on them. For certain the panel of judges put a high premium on intelligence and personality.
The panel of judges consisted of Miss International Melanie Marquez, Miss Philippines Patty Betita, Air Philippines senior vice president Patty Chiong, renowned designer Aureo Alonzo, Manila Bulletin entertainment editor Crispina Belen, cosmetic surgeon Manuel Calayan, fashion director and choreographer Ogee Atos, ABC-5 VP for production Vivian Recio and creative head Dodge Dillague, Philippine STAR’s YoungStar columnist and sports anchor Marc Nelson, and yours truly.
City Administrator Atty. Jojo Ochoa and project director Manny Sabalza were assisted by Charo Yara, Marivic Tolentino, Ellen Reyes and Mayette Salcedo in doing a wonderful job at making sure everything needed – from manpower to mineral water – was available.
The Quezon City Hall IT team led by Joem Salazar was tasked to do all computer-related concerns, including tabulating the results.
Companies from the private sector that threw their support to the tourism-oriented undertaking included Ilocos Sur Gov. DV Savellano for the abel Iloco of Ilocos Sur, SEAMEO INNOTECH Foundation Inc., which housed the 24 semi-finalists for the two weeks preceding the finals and coronation night, the Corporate Mind Management Consultancy and Executive Training, IBM Philippines, Wild Vines Wines, Colorpoint, Gateway Mall, and Antonia Ong, general manager of Nippon Restaurant on Tomas Morato Ave., and Fanny Serrano who did the hair and makeup of the candidates.
Being a judge in a beauty contest exposed me to the arduous processes candidates go through in a beauty competition. It also made me see for the first time the transformation of Quezon Memorial Circle and barangay covered courts into performance venues worth the attention of lovers of the performing arts.
The QC government stepped up to the plate in turning a beauty pageant into a tourism potential and, possibly in the future, a top dollar earner.
Beauty contests, after all, can drive across the point that beauty comes not just from one’s physical attributes but also from one’s intelligence, personality, compassion and social awareness.
Such was the first beauty competition ever put up by the Quezon City government – the recently-held Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon beauty pageant, which registered many firsts that may significantly improve the way beauty tilts in the Philippines are perceived and organized.
The Mutya ng QC was the first city-wide beauty competition where tourism and investment-oriented goals played a large part in the planning and implementation.
Organized in line with Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte’s city facelift program, the seven-event pageant led by project director Manny Sabalza, the city’s assistant administrator and head for public order and safety, and overall chairperson Renee Salud, received tremendous support from all the barangays and the private sector.
"I can help promote culture and tourism by showing people what Quezon City has to offer, beginning with the Quezon Museum at the Quezon Memorial Circle," said one candidate when asked at the finals how she could help the city.
During the closed-door interviews the common question was: "What can you say of Quezon City?"
The common answer was: "It is a much nicer place to live in. It is much more beautiful now. The roads are cemented and unlike in the past, they are more brightly lit that you feel safe moving about in the city."
The competition was also the first city-wide beauty contest to hold district competitions to select six representatives each in the final competition.
Even at the district level, the contests were well presented with the production team led by executive producer Gladys Dueñas, young director Con-con Siñel, and stage manager and choreographer Annvi Noval.
The productions highlighted the dancing prowess of students of Jose P. Laurel High School and Flora Ylagan Elementary School as well as the QC Cultural Foundation Dance Troupe under Tony Fabella.
The audiences in each of the four districts were happy to see and hear GMA 7’s Search for a Star grand finalist Melo Valeña and semi-finalist Dexter Nicolau, ABS-CBN’s Star in a Million finalist OJ Mariano and IBC 13’s Star for a Night grand finalist Carlo San Jose. Starstruck winner Mark Herras and "survivor" Christian Esteban also participated.
Mutya ng QC also gave Voice Image Awards at both district and city levels with the JC Gomez Voice Clinic – a pioneer center for voice image, therapy and rehabilitation – in line with promoting voice consciousness. Anne Marie Charisse Agoncillo bested others in vocal quality and voice use in speaking.
The candidates exhibited poise, personality, confidence and intelligence during the Q&A portion. The pageant had enlisted the help of The Corporate Mind (TCM) team of training consultants consisting of Carl Perion, Dr. Gil M. Vicente and yours truly to provide them training aimed at increasing their level of confidence.
Despite my having authored and presented over a hundred seminars and workshops on negotiation, sales, communication and personal development for corporate executives in the past 14 years, this was a different kind of challenge.
In designing the training program for the 24 candidates, my chief aim was to mold their thinking such that they do not get nervous, but rather answer confidently and intelligently during the closed-door interviews and, most especially, on stage. Our TCM team conducted a customized program that consisted of lectures on personality, self-esteem, self-image and self-knowledge, etiquette, refinement, professional voice use, as well as face and body language to give them confidence during the final judging.
Beauty queen and fashion model Patty Betita gave lectures on poise and how to walk in swimsuit and evening gown while Fanny Serrano talked about inner beauty and makeup.
The speakers highlighted the need to espouse values in everything one does. A good opportunity to practice this was the community immersion which was an integral part of the whole pageant.
The pageant’s seven events were held on different dates and places in QC. This was no easy task for chairperson Renee Salud, or Mama Renee as he is fondly called, yet he was always ready to burst a bag of witty and humorous repartee.
The ladies wore gowns that displayed the artistry of designers Bumbee Ramos, Boying Eustaquio, Vivo Nazareth, Edgar San Diego, Edgar Madamba, Eddie Baddeo and Fanny Serrano in the evening gown competition and again during the finals and coronation night last April 24.
Just as exciting to see were the creations of younger designers Arielle Agasang (who designed the gown of Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon), Frederick Alba, Paola Angela, Ronaldo Arnaldo, Paul Cabral, Eddie Castro, Ramon Depositario, Larry Espinosa, Jun Halili, Peter Lim, Jontie Martinez, Dennis Martin, Shanon Pamaong, Joel Pros, Jay Sustiger, Edwin Uy, and Francis Calaquian who won the award for Best Design using abel Iloco.
Executive producer Gladys Dueñas, 1995 Bb. Pilipinas International, showed laudable organizational skills. Cool at most times even with little sleep for some weeks, she managed to put together the show for all the events (assisting her were project coordinators Jovelyn Balang and Iris Dueñas).
Kathleen Phyllis Guerrero, Arlene Buenaventura, Katrina Rigets and Elizabeth Jacqueline Nacuspag emerged as Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon, Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Turismo, Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Kalinangan and Mutya ng Lungsod Quezon-Kalikasan, respectively. They are all beautiful women who radiate warmth aside from having an understanding of issues and the ability to articulate on them. For certain the panel of judges put a high premium on intelligence and personality.
The panel of judges consisted of Miss International Melanie Marquez, Miss Philippines Patty Betita, Air Philippines senior vice president Patty Chiong, renowned designer Aureo Alonzo, Manila Bulletin entertainment editor Crispina Belen, cosmetic surgeon Manuel Calayan, fashion director and choreographer Ogee Atos, ABC-5 VP for production Vivian Recio and creative head Dodge Dillague, Philippine STAR’s YoungStar columnist and sports anchor Marc Nelson, and yours truly.
City Administrator Atty. Jojo Ochoa and project director Manny Sabalza were assisted by Charo Yara, Marivic Tolentino, Ellen Reyes and Mayette Salcedo in doing a wonderful job at making sure everything needed – from manpower to mineral water – was available.
The Quezon City Hall IT team led by Joem Salazar was tasked to do all computer-related concerns, including tabulating the results.
Companies from the private sector that threw their support to the tourism-oriented undertaking included Ilocos Sur Gov. DV Savellano for the abel Iloco of Ilocos Sur, SEAMEO INNOTECH Foundation Inc., which housed the 24 semi-finalists for the two weeks preceding the finals and coronation night, the Corporate Mind Management Consultancy and Executive Training, IBM Philippines, Wild Vines Wines, Colorpoint, Gateway Mall, and Antonia Ong, general manager of Nippon Restaurant on Tomas Morato Ave., and Fanny Serrano who did the hair and makeup of the candidates.
Being a judge in a beauty contest exposed me to the arduous processes candidates go through in a beauty competition. It also made me see for the first time the transformation of Quezon Memorial Circle and barangay covered courts into performance venues worth the attention of lovers of the performing arts.
The QC government stepped up to the plate in turning a beauty pageant into a tourism potential and, possibly in the future, a top dollar earner.
Beauty contests, after all, can drive across the point that beauty comes not just from one’s physical attributes but also from one’s intelligence, personality, compassion and social awareness.
BrandSpace Articles
<
>