Bare-faced Miss Philippines Earth candidates go through the scrutiny of the judges./ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — Beauty pageants are usually associated with glammed up women whose faces are covered with layers of makeup. But the Miss Philippines Earth delegates paraded bare-faced in front of the judges for the “Beauty of Face” category.
The practice is customary for the 22-year-old national pageant organized by Carousel Productions. This enables the organization and the judges to see the candidates’ true beauty, devoid of any cosmetic tricks that tend to either hide or further highlight a woman’s natural features.
All 29 delegates competing this year faced the judges with just painted eyebrows for those who had theirs all shaved or plucked, powder to control shine, and lip gloss to prevent chapping. Such barely-there touch-up is a courageous endeavor for women who are used to going out in public with full makeup, especially beauty pageant contestants.
The judging was held at the Cove Manila pool club of Okada Manila in Parañaque City on April 17. Carousel also conducted the judging for “Poise” and “Figure and Form” on the same day.
For Figure and Form, the ladies paraded in swimsuits of their choice while wearing dark sunglasses. Among the judges were 2019 Miss Earth Nellys Pimentel from Puerto Rico, 2009 Miss Earth-Air Sandra Seifert from the Philippines, and model-singer Sam Hashimoto. The panel also judged in the Poise category.
The judges in the Beauty of Face category included 2004 Miss Earth Priscilla Meirelles from Brazil and top celebrity photographer Wyg Tysman.
The three categories comprise a bulk of the scores that will determine who will move on to the next stage of the competition.
Earlier, the 29 ladies engaged with judges for a series of questioning for the “Intelligence and Environmental Awareness” category, another crucial moment for the candidates. The Miss Philippines Earth pageant, and its counterpart international competition Miss Earth, promote environmental awareness and aim to crown winners who will work on projects that help protect the planet from further degradation.
Reigning Miss Philippines Earth Jenny Ramp is set to crown her successor on April 29 in Toldeo, Cebu. The new queen will represent the country in the 2023 Miss Earth pageant in Vietnam later this year. Four more “elemental” queens comprising her court will also be proclaimed at the culmination of the national competition.
The Philippines is the best-performing country in the Manila-based global tilt with four winners, including two who captured the crown in successive years—Karla Paula Henry in 2008, Jamie Herrell in 2014, Angelia Ong in 2015, and Karen Ibasco in 2017. EDV