MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Philippines holds the distinction of being in an elite circle of nations that have won all of the major international beauty pageants — from Miss Universe to Miss International to Miss World.  And then some.

Beauty contests are a national preoccupation in the Philippines. Every Barangay (neighborhood political unit), town fiesta, school or university, government agency and private company in the country has its own beauty queen. Not to mention each Rotary Club, Lions Club, and Jaycees Club. Even the Catholic Church has its own queen, Reyna Elena, during the annual May cultural-religious festival pageant — the Santacruzan.

Last night, yet another beauty queen was crowned — Miss Aviation, 17-year-old Cleo Margaret Brown — whose first job is to represent the Aviation community at this week’s Hot Air Balloon Festival in what used to be the U.S. Clark Air Force Base north of Manila.

Today, Ramon Buenafe, the new general manager for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Metro Manila’s controversial and problem-plagued mass transport system, announced yet a new beauty pageant.

The search is on for Miss MRT whose primary responsibility is to flash a beautiful smile and wave to the hordes of MRT passengers who have to fall in (long) lines to get to the crowded trains, especially during heavy commute hours.

Buenafe hopes that his novel idea will help ease the anger and frustration coming from passengers who were slapped with a fare hike early this year despite escalating concerns of overcrowding and safety within the train system.