Stella Marquez Araneta | The Adobo Chronicles

Newly-crowned Mr. International, Neil Perez from the Philippines

QUEZON CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – By now, everybody knows about the controversy involving the Colombian designer responsible for the much-maligned national costume of Miss Philippines MJ Lastimosa at last month’s Miss Universe Pageant held in Florida.

Many believe that Lastimosa’s wedding cake-like national costume cost her the crown. Binibining Pilipinas Charities head Stella Marquez Araneta, a former Colombian beauty queen who married a Filipino, received flak for choosing a Colombian designer. The Charities is the franchise holder of several Philippine beauty pageants.

Today, Araneta announced that she has chosen a new Filipino designer for the succeeding Miss Philippines title holders who will represent the country in international beauty pageants.

Although unnamed, this new designer is the same individual who designed the national costume of Mr. Philippines Neil Perez, the Manila hot cop who was just named Mr. International in a male beauty pageant held this weekend in Korea.

Araneta was very impressed with Perez’s national costume at the pageant which scored him lots of points to eventually win the crown, the first ever for the Philippines.

Perez dedicated his victory to his colleagues, the Fallen 44 — members of the Philippine National Police who were killed in a recent encounter with rebel forces in southern island of Mindanao.

Miss Philippines' evening gown in the Miss Universe Preliminaries, left. The same gown during thr pageant finals, right. — Miss Philippines’ evening gown in the Miss Universe preliminaries, left. The same gown during the pageant finals, right.

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Philippines’ contestant to last night’s Miss Universe Pageant held in Doral, Florida, failed to make it to the top 5 finalists, dashing the hopes of millions of Filipinos for a third crown. Miss Philippines made it through to the top 10.

Blame quickly turned to Lastimosa’s wardrobe, including her much-maligned ‘national costume’ designed by Colombian Alfredo Barraza. Many compared the gown to a giant wedding cake.

Reports from Florida also indicate that Lastimosa altered her white evening gown right after the preliminary competition to show her natural curves better. Many noticed a lower cleavage line and a better hugging waist line in the pageant finals (see photos).

Others were quick to accuse Barraza and the head of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities (BPC), Stella Marquez Araneta, a Colombian beauty queen who married a Filipino, of sabotage.

Responding to critics, Araneta said there are no Filipino designers good enough to design gowns worthy of an international pageant like Miss Universe. Filipino fashion designers and netizens took her to task for her comment.

But now, the “GownGate” seems to be over. Miss Philippines' National Costume

“I can’t take this any more, I have to let it go,” Araneta told reporters in Manila. “To be blamed for the failure of the Philippines to win the Miss Universe crown a third time is just not fair, just because I am Colombian and I chose a Colombian designer,” she added.

With those words, she formally stepped down from the top position she holds at the BPC.

Manny Pacquiao’s mom, Dionisia, is said to be wanting to replace Araneta. (Pacquiao was a judge in last night’s Miss Universe finals.)

Incidentally, the new Miss Universe is Paulina Vega. From Colombia.