Thirty-five of the 40 official 2023 Bb. Pilipinas candidates/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — The pageant season in the country has officially started with the announcement of the applicants who passed the screening for the 2023 Binibining Pilipinas competition on Feb. 6.
The final screening session ran longer than the ones held in the two previous editions, but it resulted in a roster of aspirants with “beauty and brains,” Raymond Villanueva, a member of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) Executive Committee, told the Inquirer.
“This is one of the most intelligent batches. Everyone was just so confident, no buckle, no nothing,” he continued. Villanueva has been with the organization for decades, and have seen a plethora of applicants signifying their intention to become a part of the most enduring national beauty pageant in the Philippines.
Villanueva said that through the years, he noticed that there is a distinct “dating” or x-factor that will make an applicant stand out. “When you come in, you know that she is ‘Binibini,’” he shared. And as for perceived strong contenders who shockingly missed the cut, Villanueva said it is just a matter of “destiny.”
For the final screening, “beauty of face” accounted for half of the applicants’ scores. “Body figure” accounted for 30 percent, while “poise and personality” and “intelligence” each accounted for 10 percent of the total score.
At the conclusion of the final screening, BPCI announced 35 successful applicants who moved on as official candidates. Five more names were added to the list about an hour after the announcement was made. Among the additional candidates was actress Maja Salvador’s sister Jessilen Salvador from Aklan.
Jessilen Salvador, actress Maja Salvador’s sister, is now a Bb. Pilipinas candidate/ARMIN P. ADINA
Villanueva declined to reveal how many titles will be at stake in this year’s competition, and said to just wait until the coronation night tentatively scheduled in May. “That’s the only time we’ll know,” he said.
All four reigning queens attended the final screening—Bb. Pilipinas International Nicole Borromeo, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental Gabrielle Basiano, Bb. Pilipinas Globe Chelsea Fernandez, and Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Roberta Angela Tamondong.
Second runner-up Stacey Daniela Gabriel joined her queens, but first runner-up Herlene Nicole Budol is once again missing. EDV