When ‘vital statistics don’t matter’ on TV

“Miss Millennial Philippines,” one of the newest segments of the noontime variety show “Eat Bulaga!,” fields beauty queens from all over the country, and judges them—not on the strength of their walk and posing—but on their ability to promote their respective provinces and cities using social media.

Each of the 38 contestants is expected to present a video that highlights the beauty of her hometown. They’re also given weekly challenges that require them to produce eye-catching online content, which will then be uploaded to the show’s official social media accounts.

“It’s not really a beauty pageant, but a tourism-based contest. It’s about creativity. We want them to tell their own story. We let them get involved in the creative process. About 70 percent of the content is their own; the other 30 percent will come from [us]. They get to decide what kind of shots to use, or what feel or vibe they want,” “Eat Bulaga!” creative head Jenny Ferre told reporters at a recent press conference.

According to Ferre, she recognizes the influence of the internet and so, by featuring the different provinces and cities, she hopes that more people, especially the youth, will be inspired to experience some of the hidden gems of the country.

The grand winner, which will be determined through text and online votes, will receive a condominium unit from Bria Homes, a Mitsubishi Montero Sport and P500,000 cash. Meanwhile, the contestant who comes up with the best online tourism campaign will be crowned Miss Bayanihan Queen, and will take home P100,000 for herself and P1 million for her city or province. ALLAN POLICARPIO