Ball queens: Miss Universe Top 5 finisher Beatrice Luigi Gomez (left) shares the runway with fellow 2021 queens Miss World Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez (center), and Bb. Pilipinas International Hannah Arnold./ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — Beauty pageants in the country have flourished at the turn of the millennium, with several national competitions emerging to join more established contests in fulfilling Filipino women’s dreams of wearing a crown. A special event gathered queens from different organizations on same runway, together with some of the most respected ladies associated with the more popular brands in Philippine pageantry.
The Aces and Queens beauty camp mounted its first “Queens Charity Ball” at the grand ballroom of Okada Manila in Parañaque City on Oct. 9, where some of the most memorable beauty titleholders in the country were recognized, and a fashion show served as a platform for a beauty contest mashup with queens from the Binibining Pilipinas, Mutya ng Pilipinas, Miss Universe Philippines, and Miss World Philippines pageants modeling clothes for designer Mikee Andrei who co-chaired the ball.
Miss Universe Philippines National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee, herself a beauty queen having finished fourth in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant in Brazil, was among the “Empowered Women” feted in the event, together with fellow Bb. Pilipinas alumna and 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz who is now an executive committee member of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. Mutya ng Pilipinas President Cory Quirino joined them in the roster of accomplished ladies, which also included 2021 Miss Universe Philippines First Runner-up and fifth Asia’s Next Top Model winner Maureen Wroblewitz, and 2022 Mrs. Universe Philippines Foundation-Pacific Continental and The Pretty You clinic CEO Jessa Macaraig.
Ball ladies: The evening’s ‘empowered women’ include (from left) Asia’s Next Top Model winner Maureen Wroblewitz, Miss Universe Philippines national director Shamcey Supsup-Lee, Mutya ng Pilipinas President Cory Quirino, and Bb. Pilipinas executive committee member Precious Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz./ARMIN P. ADINA
Jim Ryan Ross, lead makeup artist of Aces and Queens who co-chaired the ball with Andrei who is also the camp’s general manager, said they mounted the ball to celebrate their group’s contribution to Philippine pageantry. Some of their wards include the first and so far only Filipino Miss World Megan Young who won in 2013 in Indonesia, 2015 Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach who broke a 42-year title drought for the Philippines in the said international competition, and Kylie Verzosa who became the sixth entrant from the Philippines to bring home the Miss International crown when she won in Japan in 2016.
Both Supsup-Lee and Wroblewitz also underwent guidance from the camp in their respective pageant journeys. Venus Raj, who many pageant followers credit for the Philippines’ recent resurgence as an international pageant powerhouse, also trained with Aces and Queens for her 2010 Miss Universe stint where she finished fifth, a feat that started a streak for Filipino contenders in the aforementioned global tilt that is sustained up to this year by Beatrice Luigi Gomez who finished in the Top 5.
Gomez also served as the finale model for Andrei’s bridal collection fashion show during the ball, which saw her walking the runway with fellow 2021 national titleholders—Miss World Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez and Bb. Pilipinas International Hannah Arnold.
The fashion show also featured reigning Bb. Pilipinas International Nicole Borromeo and first runner-up Stacey Gabriel, reigning Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific International Klyza Castro and former Mutya queen Hannah Khayle Iglesia, Miss Supranational Philippines titleholders Dindi Pajares (2021) and Alison Black (2022), Miss Eco Teen Philippines titleholders Tatyana Austria (2021) and Beatrice Mclelland (2022), reigning Miss Eco Philippines Ashley Subijano, and several former contestants in different national pageants.
Aces and Queens worked with Rotary International District 3830 for the charity ball as its advocacy partner. Proceeds from the event will benefit Project REACH that seeks to provide underprivileged children access to quality education.
District Gov. Mildred Vitangcol also launched at the ball the search for the 2023 Miss Rotary International in partnership with Aces and Queens, that also seeks to underscore the need to provide literacy and education among young girls, as well as promote women empowerment. EDV