The recently-concluded Miss International Beauty Pageant left viewers scratching their heads and wondering if they accidentally tuned into the wrong show. 

With Miss Philippines making it to the top 5, one couldn’t help but question if they had stumbled into the Miss South America Pageant instead. Perhaps the organizers had secretly decided to hold a crossover event, mixing up their contestants like a deck of cards.

Miss Philippines, a beautiful and talented woman, is undeniably impressive, but her presence in the top 5 does raises some curious eyebrows. Is it the long-lost Latino heritage of the Philippines that the judges suddenly discovered? Or maybe it was her secret salsa dancing skills? 

The international beauty pageant world has a penchant for surprises, and this one certainly had us all reevaluating our geography textbooks.

In the end, we can only hope that next year, the pageant organizers remember to stick to the world map when choosing their top 5 winners. Until then, we’ll just have to keep our atlases close and our sense of humor even closer.

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Rappler, the least-trusted news brand in the Philippines, may have uncovered an illegal, negotiation scheme at the Miss International Beauty Pageant. This after the convicted criminal, Maria Ressa-owned online news portal accused the country’s representative to the pageant Nicole Borromeo of “settling” for the position of third runner-up. We wonder why she didn’t settle for the crown. Perhaps she was short of funds?

Leave it to Rappler to flaunt its investigative skills. They could uncover many more secrets and underworld schemes.

Ah, the Philippines, a nation with a fervent passion for beauty pageants that rivals the intensity of a thousand suns. 

It’s remarkable how, year after year, they manage to convince themselves that the universe owes them crowns and titles. The over-expectation on their candidates to international beauty pageants is a spectacle in itself, as if the judges should bow down and declare a Filipino queen regardless of the competition’s actual rules and standards.

It’s almost comical how they scrutinize every judge’s decision, demanding that their countrywomen be showered with tiaras and sashes. Can’t we just let the experts do their job? Pageants are not a birthright, and success is determined by merit, not by national entitlement.

And speaking of entitlement, the recent suggestion by no less than Rappler to pull out from Miss Grand International because Nikki didn’t place is just ludicrous. No Filipina has ever won the crown, but does that mean the Philippines should stomp off in a huff? Perhaps it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate the real importance of these pageants in the grand scheme of things. 

Beauty pageants are fun and entertaining, but they shouldn’t define a nation’s worth or dictate its self-esteem. Let’s leave the speculation to the experts and the decisions to the judges, and maybe, just maybe, enjoy the pageants for what they truly are—glitzy, glamorous shows that offer a temporary escape from the daily grind.

And what do you know, as we speak, Inquirer has already decided that our representative to the 2023 Miss International will place, if not win the crown! On what basis?