The 7 shortlisted Metro Manila candidates are L-R Cristine Racel, Analita Vizcarra, Yesly Cabanos, Rosette K. Pablo, Sheryl Chen, Nikka dela Cruz and Glennifer Perido
Last Friday, June 27, 2014, Mutya ng Pilipinas held it’s final screening for Metro Manila candidates at the Sequioa Hotel in Quezon City. Seven girls (out of a total 46 who came to all 3 days of screenings) were proclaimed shortlist candidates and they are in the photo above.
Looks like tall girls ruled in the Metro Manila screening of Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014. None of the less tall girls I favored made it into the 7 shortlist candidates. But overall, I am pleased with the seven choices in the photo above!
Pageant organizers explained that five of the girls in the shortlist are already official candidates with the other 2 being reserve candidates just in case one of the contestants from the overseas or the regional categories back out. The target is to have 30 official candidates – 11 from overseas, 14 from the provinces and 5 from Metro Manila.
Lets get to know each of the 7 girls in the shortlist:
Cristine “Cheeny” Racel
Cristine Racel at the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014 screening
Cristine ‘Cheeny Racel’ competed and placed in Miss Bikini Philippines 2013 (top right) and Miss Tourism Queen Asia 2013 (bottom right).
Cristine “Cheeny” Racel is a Fil-Am lass from Olongapo and a pageant junkie. She has joined (and won) several pageants and admits being addicted to joining beauty pageants. She is Miss Silka Zambales 2011, Bb. Olongapo 2012 and Bb. Zambales 2013 2nd Runner-up and is best remembered for being the first runner-up of Janicel Lubina in Miss Bikini Philippines 2013.
But her biggest achievement in pageant competition is placing 3rd Runner-up at the Miss Tourism Queen Asia 2013 held in Xitang, China. She represented Cebu (odd don’t you think?) in that international pageant.
She works as a model and is currently one of the A-Plus All Weather Paint Girls.
During our Q&A , I found Cheeny to be a good conversationalist, ready to answer even our craziest questions! Her strong personality will take her far in Mutya ng Pilipinas.
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Annalita Vizcarra
Annalita Vizcarra
Annalita Vizcarra… belongs on the pages of a fashion magazine… ty to Jear de Mc Cuttac for the purple gown photo
The one thing Annalita Vizcarra loves to boast about is that she is a self-supporting professional model… with major emphasis on ‘self-supporting’. The Negros Occidental beauty was a Top 10 placer in the Lin-ay sang Negros 2014 pageant but has transplanted herself to Cavite and calls it her current home.
Annalita was an early bird at the screening, arriving on Day 1 and was the second girl the judges met. She’s done a lot of work as a ramp and print model mostly for high fashion projects.
I really adore her fierce temptress and think she’s hotter when she’s not smiling.
Her most recent victory is placing in the Top 8 of Bodyshots 2014. Hoping this stunner makes it as an official Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014 contestant!
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Yesley Cabanos
Yesley Cabanos
Yesley Cabanos seems much taller than the male winner (bottom right) in the Mr and Miss Hataw Tabloid contest.
If the judges at the screening panel had to give out a best swimsuit award to one of the 7 shortlisted Mutya 2014 contestants, it would most likely go to Yesley Cabanos. The head-snapping beauty seems born for the bikini with her guitar-shaped figure and long lean legs.
With a body like that it’s no surprise that she qualified for the Miss Bikini Philippines 2014 and placed in the Top 10. I saw her compete in that pageant and she’s improved her catwalk skills but has room for growth. The Maxene Magalona look-alike is a Miss Hataw Tabloid winner and a Tourism student.
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Rozette Kaey Pablo
Rozette Kaey Pablo
Rozette Kaey Pablo. The top right photo is from her stint at Mutya ng Gerona 2013
Rozette Kaey Pablo who describes herself as a singer is a welcome addition to this shortlist of semi-official candidates. The dusky Filipina beauty is from Gerona, Tarlac and is a Runner-up of Mutya ng Gerona 2013.
Rozette tried her luck at the Slimmer’s World Miss Bikini Philippines earlier this year but fate left her empty-handed on coronation night. This did not prevent her though from moving on and trying out for Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014. Now that she’s shortlisted, lets see if she will make the cut as an official candidate!
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Sheryl Chen
Cheryl Chen
Cheryl Chen wants to win! Photo on the left by Josef Karl Lopez…
Cheryl Chen made it clear and simple when she came up to the microphone to introduce herself. She said, “I want to win!” And if its any indication that she will fight tooth and nail for the crown, the Youtube video of her talent presentation when she competed in Miss Moncada 2010, shows she will go the distance to get what she wants.
Aside from Miss Moncada 2010, the Fil-Chinese stunner competed in Miss Silka Tarlac 2012 (I’m not so sure but I think she was unplaced) and won Miss SABM Naturale in 2012, an online competition for girls who looks great with little or no makeup. Indeed, her Facebook photos show that even without cosmetic help, Cheryl Chen has gorgeous features and glowing skin!
I wonder if you’ve noticed that she’s also a dead-ringer for last year’s Mutya ng Pilipinas Intercontinental winner Koreen Medina?!
As for her profession, Cheryl Chen studied Hospitality and Tourism Management and worked for Emirates as a check-in counter agent.
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Nikka dela Cruz
Nikka dela Cruz
The photos at the bottom were taken when Nickah dela Cruz was competing in Miss Philippines Earth 2009. She was only 18 years old then.
During the one-on-one we had with Nickah dela Cruz, I discovered that she is no stranger to pageants. She mentioned joining Lakan at Lakambini ng Bulacan in 2006 (unplaced), Bb. Bulacan in 2008 (she holds the winning title) and Miss Philippines Earth 2009 (unplaced) where she represented Meycauayan, Bulacan.
Nickah, who is quite fluent in English, is most proud of being an OFW. She worked in Kuwait as an outpatient nurse in one of the big hospitals there. But since she is currently unemployed, she is seeking a change of pace by joining Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014.
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Glennifer Perido
Glennifer Perido
Glennifer Perido… made up of beuaty queen stardust…
Looking at Glennifer Perido, you can’t help but hear her DNA screaming “BEAUTY QUEEN” through and through which is why it is a pity that she was relatively ignored during the Bb. Pilipinas 2011 beauty pageant. But that was a tough year. The year when Shamcey Supsup won. The year that included three Bb. Pilipinas Universe winners – Shamcey, Janine Tugonon (2012) and MJ Lastimosa (2014).
But enough of other girls, Glennifer is, for me, the prettiest face on this shortlist! And this is the third attempt of the Tabuk, Kalinga native at a national pageant. After Bb. Pilipinas 2011, she tried out for Miss Philippines Earth 2012 and almost won the title. She instead received the Miss Air Elemental title which is considered by fans to be equivalent to the 1st Runner-up position.
Apart from those attempts, the registered nurse has competed abroad in the Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2011 in Yingtan, China where she was unfortunately unplaced.
But instead of bringing her down, such frustrations seem to have sharpened Glennifer. She’s blooming like never before so perhaps this is her year and Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014 is her pageant to rule. However, she’s got one more hurdle to make since she’s only on the shortlist. Lets all hope makes it as an official candidate!
