Dear ABQ Readers:
The Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Press Presentation held at the ballroom of the Makati Shangril-La Hotel on March 18, 2013 was a blast! All 50 contestants have leveled up since the Talent show a week ago and I expect them to keep leveling-up as coronation night approaches!
But I am still having a hard time choosing my favorites for the 3 crowns that will be awarded come coronation night in mid-April. In the years of Venus and Shamcey, I spotted my winners fast. Specially with Shamcey – she was my winner the moment I set eyes on her. But in the year of Janine, it was not easy for me to pick my favorites and this 2013 is the same! Too many beautiful women to choose from!
Anyway, here are the 50 contestants in Bb. Pilipinas 2013 (in batches of 10) at the Press Presentation. Those highlighted in Red were the ones I liked the most. Unless specifically mentioned, they are not necessarily my Top Choices yet, but for me, they did outshine the others at the Press Presentation!
CONTESTANTS 31-40
Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Press Presentation, Contestants 31 – 40
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31. Maria Angelica de Leon – 19 years – Las Pinas
Okay, actors Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong really know how to make good-looking babies. This offspring of theirs, Maria Angelica de Leon (nicknamed Mariel) already caught my eye even before I discovered that she was their daughter. Her Opera singing is excellent and it’s too bad that the Miss Universe and Miss International don’t have talent competitions because she’d be a good candidate for either pageant and her singing would make her shine more. Although between the two pageants, mas-prefer ko ang International for her. Some have criticized this angel for being a little ma-bilbil with a squarish jaw. However, with time on her side, she can lose weight and firm up more. As for the jawline, I love it because it literally gives her beauty an edge to it. Another good nickname for Mariel would be ‘baby doll’, don’t you think?
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32. Cindy Abundabar – 24 years – Camarines Sur
Wunderbar! Cindy Abundabar’s beautiful abs and legs remind me of Queenie Rehman who won best in Swimsuit at the Bb. Pilipinas 2011. I wonder if this year’s set of judges will like her lean, athletic look as well? Perhaps a Best in Swimsuit award for Cindy Abundabar? Pwede! This Bicolana is a denizen of beauty pageants in her province but the Bb. Pilipinas is her first ever National pageant.
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33. Parul Shah – 24 years – Baguio City
Parul Shah so reminds me of actress Nanette Medved except she is the Morena version. Parul, like Miss Universe 4th RU 2010 Venus Raj is half-Indian, however she’s got this Dom Rep vibe that I think Donald Trump is going to love. I’m lining up this Nursing grad as one of my favorites for Bb. Pilipinas Universe. Best asset is her stunning smile. Plus, she looks gorgeous without make-up! I know she feels her legs aren’t long enough but from what I saw at the Press Presentation, Parul Shah has a competitive body and only needs some tweaking in the gym. Shah na kaya? Shah na nga!
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34. Grace Yann Apuad – 25 years old – Agusan del Sur
I’m not sure if you pageant fans are familiar with Julianne Tarroja, the girl-with-a-guitar singer, but Grace Yann Apuad reminds me of her. Grace comes to the Bb. Pilipinas with a few feathers in her cap – she’s the Miss Photogenic in Ford Supermodel of the World Philippines and a semi-finalist in a teen pageant. Grace Yann Apuad is also not new to the camera having acted in a movie with John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. She is one of the taller contestants in the Bb. Pilipinas 2013 golden batch – some websites say she’s 5’9″ tall!
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35. Theresa Marie Fenger – 25 years old – Quezon City
NOTE*** Bb. Pilipinas disqualified Theresa Marie Fenger one week after the Press Presentation, reportedly for a sexy photo spread she did for for a men’s magazine. She was replaced by KC Cahandig of General Santos City. See a photo of KC and an article on the disqualification here!
I first saw Theresa Marie Fenger when she competed at the Century Tuna Superbods 2009 contest. This half-German babe was one of my choices and she won! Although she looked thinner then, I prefer her slightly fuller look now. Many pageant fans are rooting for her to win Miss Talent in the Bb. Pilipinas 2013 after she gave a polished performance (she sang a couple Rihanna songs) at the Talent Show in Gateway last week. She is, after all, the lead singer of the all-girl group Eurasia where her ‘stage name’ is Lana Roi. To have someone who already has a career as a singer join the Bb. Pilipinas is a testament to the pageant’s prestige!
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36. Angel May Villafuerte – 21year – Naga City
Just look at the photo of Angel May Villafuerte on the left. She’s got these undulating long-ish legs and a slightly short torso – that combination, for me, is extremely attractive! I’d say that Angel May Villafuerte has one of the best, if not THE best proportions in the Bb. Pilipinas 2013 beauty pageant. Her smile is also another thing that I like – it sort of reminds me of Miss Universe 3rd RU 2011 Shamcey Supsup’s winning smile. After reading her bio, I discovered that she certainly lives up to her name – Angel May is a charity worker. She’s a volunteer teacher for the Kariton Movement and is involved in a weaving project for indigent women in Naga City. I am a FIRM believer that beauties should do charity work even before they join a pageant. Love you Angel May Villafuerte, MAY you always be an ANGEL!
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37. Ma. Teresita Alaine Baccay – 22 years – Cabanatuan City/Laguna
I first met Ma. Teresita Alaine Baccay at the Miss World Philippines 2012 final selection of candidates. I liked her immediately and even included her in my list of favorites. However, she did not place in that pageant, a disappointment for me, as I am sure it was for her. But, I am glad it did not stop her from pushing on and running the race again. She is looking more gorgeous now than ever and I have high hopes that this time around, Ma. Teresita Alaine Baccay will place in the semi-finals. At the very least. Click here to read the short bio I wrote on her when she was competing in Miss World Philippines 2012. Note* Alaine and contestant #39 Mutya Datul look like sisters!
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38. Mariz Ong – 21 years – Isabela
Mariz Ong is another familiar face for ABQ readers. We last saw her compete at the Miss World Philippines 2012 where she finished unplaced. But, I promise you, she looks fantastic now, what a level-up! While I found her cheek contouring to be a little too strong or ‘bronzy’ during the Press Presentation, I totally approve of the sexier look she carries now as opposed to the ‘sweet artista beauty‘ attack she had in MWP 2012. Mariz Ong also walked far more confidently – thanks to all the training she went through before trying out for Bb. Pilipinas 2013.
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39. Mutya Johanna Datul – 20 years – Isabela
Oooooh, this girl over-arches a little too much but DANG! It just makes her look sexier! I have been, admittedly, a fan of Mutya Johanna Datul from the time I laid my eyes on her at the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2012 beauty pageant. Unfortunately, Mutya Johanna Datul did not win a Mutya crown like I predicted. A major, major disappointment for me, I kid you not. In this article, I wrote down a few reasons why I felt she didn’t win. And I gave her some advice, one of which I think she followed – I told her to get more fit and judging by the collage above, she has far more shapely legs and fab abs, but I still find her arms to be on the thin side. Click here to see a photo of how ‘not fit’ she was at the Mutya ng Pilipinas. Big improvement sa physique, congrats to you Mutya. Remember what I said – work hard on the Q&A and speak in Pilipino if you have to. With all that said, I’d bestow the Tourism crown on her. She is also a possibility for the Universe crown. Supranational too, if they decide to give that title out. I can’t really see her win the International title though, but if she does, I’d be happy as a lark! Note* Mutya and contestant #37 Ma. Teresita Alaine Baccay look like sisters!
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40. Jan Helen Villanueva – 20 years – Bulacan
And the winner of the Best Complexion award goes to…. Jan Helen Villanueva of Bulacaaaan! Don’t you just love her color and skin? This is the tan I wanted to have but could not achieve when I joined my own Bb. Pilipinas pageant in 1985! I also love her proportions and prefer her with her hair down here as compared to the up-do she had in the Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Talent Show. But she had to have her hair up because she did an interpretative dance number while wearing a ballet-like dress. Good presence on stage, Jan Helen Villanueva, you are oozing with sex appeal…
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The coronation night of Bb. Pilipinas 2013, the Gold Edition will be on April 14, 2013. It will be aired live on ABS-CBN. But I hope you’ll step out of your homes that night to watch the show live with us at the Araneta Coliseum. It IS the 50th Anniversary of Bb. Pilipinas after all! You can get tickets at TicketNet – hope to see you there!
