December 24, 2012

Pinoys in Pageants: 10 Major Sucesses in 2012; Philippines Hailed Country of the Year

Pinoy Pageant winners this year; Philippines hailed country of the yearThe year 2012 has been a very successful one for the Philippines in the field of beauty pageants with Filipinos gaining recognition from several international pageants. With victories here and there, popular pageant website Missosology hailed the Philippines as the country of the year.

This year, our representatives to both male and female pageants did well, bringing home two crowns, six runner-up trophies, and two semifinals honors in major pageants and a handful in other pageants overseas.

Update: Rizzini Alexis Gomez won Miss Tourism International 2012 in New Years Eve, bringing the third crown for the Philippines in 2012.

Here's a run-down of the beauty kings and queens that made the Philippines proud in 2012:



June Macasaet


1. June Macasaet, winner, 16th Manhunt International
June is the first Filipino to win the Manhunt International title. This Batangueño commercial and ramp model bested 52 gorgeous men, including heavy favorite Mr. Sweden, Peter Bo Johnsson at the 16th edition of the male beauty pageant held on November 9 in Bangkok, Thailand.




Kevin Balot


2. Kevin Balot, winner, 8th Miss International Queen
Just like June Macasaet, Kevin Balot is the first Filipino to win the title of Miss International Queen. The Pinay transgender beauty beat 22 other transsexuals from different countries, including four other Filipinos at the pageant night held on November 2 in Pattaya, Thailand.




Janine Tugonon


3. Janine Tugonon, first runner-up, 61st Miss Universe
The second Filipina to be standing next to the eventual winner at a Miss Universe coronation night, Janine Tugonon has proven all her detractors wrong and made all Pinoys proud after her exemplary performance in the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant held in Las Vegas, USA which crowned the home girl, Olivia Culpo.




Stephany Stefanowitz


4. Stephany Stefanowitz, first runner-up, 12th Miss Earth
Armed with wit, beauty and concern for the environment, Stephany Stefanowitz was named Miss Earth Air (first runner-up) in the Miss Earth pageant held on November 24 at Alabang, Muntinlupa City. This Jinkee Pacquiao deadringer lost the crown to Czech Republic’s Tereza Fajksová.




Andrew Wolff


5. Andrew Wolff, first runner-up, 6th Mister World
Cory Quirino, the Miss and Mister World franchise holder in the country made the right choice when she sent Andrew James Wolff in the Mister World pageant in Kent, England. The Philippine Volcanoes member has what the male pageant demanded and has to lose only to Francisco Javier Escobar Parra of Colombia come the November 25 coronation night.




Clarisse Marie Obia


6. Clarisse Marie Obia, first runner-up, 1st Miss Teen Universe
This 19-year-old student from Lyceum of the Philippines emerged as first runner-up in the inaugural Miss Teen Universe pageant held in Managua, Nicaragua last April 30. The crown went to Panama's Sasha Nikyta Kam. The 5-foot-6 beauty from Biñan, Laguna was chosen by the Bb. Unibersidad organization to represent the country.




Ayelee Marie Dasalla


7. Ayelee Marie Dasalla, second runner-up, 2nd Miss Humanity International
Ayelee Marie Dasalla followed the footsteps of Czarina Gatbonton who also emerged as 2nd runner-up in the very first Miss Humanity International. Ayelee Marie beat Bb. Pilipinas batchmate Marie Molo Peter (who represented Norway) in the pageant's coronation night held in Barbados last October 20. The crown went to Lesa Gayle Wee Tom of Jamaica.




Elaine Kay Moll


8. Elaine Kay Moll, third runner-up, 4th Miss Supranational
Elaine Kay Moll may not be given a title in Bb. Pilipinas 2012 but the local pageant’s first runner-up was sent by BPCI to represent the country in the Miss Supranational pageant held in Warsaw, Poland on September 15. The Philippines’ debut in the said pageant was met with Elaine’s third runner-up finish, with Ekaterina Buraya of Belarus winning the crown.




Queenierich Rehman


9. Queenierich Rehman, Top 15, 62nd Miss World
Queenie Rehman made world headlines not by winning the Miss World pageant but by showcasing a talent not usual for beauty queens–beatboxing. Unfortunately, she was not hailed Best in Talent but the winner, Yu Wenxia of China who was crowned at her home turf in a coronation night held August 18 in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China.




Nicole Schmitz


10. Nicole Schmitz, Top 15, 52nd Miss International
Just when Miss China was crowned in China, the Miss International 2012 winner, Miss Japan Ikumi Yoshimatsu, was also crowned in Japan at the October 21 pageant night in Okinawa. The country’s delegate, Nicole Schmitz finished in the Top 15. A seasoned pageant competitor, Nicole is the third Filipina with German blood to represent the country in the said pageant.



Aside from these ten, other notable pageant victories of the Philippines this year include Top Model awards won by Joy Marie Gangan (Best Asian Model) at the Best Model of the World held last December 8 in Istanbul, Turkey and Joy Castillo-Pasidis at the Mrs. Universe pageant held August 12 in Rostov, Russia. Other Philippine representatives to gain semifinals slots: Janicel Lubina (Top 5 – Miss Scuba International held in Bali, Indonesia on November 30); Angelee Claudette Delos Reyes (Top 10 – Supermodel International held in Bangkok, Thailand on September 5); Bea Rose Santiago (Top 10 – Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International held in Nanjing China on December 3); Grendel Alvarado (Top 15 – Miss Asia Pacific World held in Seoul, South Korea last June 16).

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