Herlene Budol faces tough competition in Miss Grand Philippines pageant
Herlene Nicole Budol/ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — Comedienne-turned-beauty queen Herlene Nicole Budol has been touted by many pageant pundits as a shoo-in for the 2023 Miss Grand Philippines title. But she is still facing tough competition from formidable contenders who have had experience and even fared well in various international beauty contests.
Budol, who finished as first runner-up in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, is making another shot at a national title in the new standalone pageant that will choose the Philippines’ representative to the 2023 Miss Grand International pageant in Vietnam later this year.
“Base po sa experience ko last year noong nanalo ako, hindi po iyong crown ang napanalunan ko, kundi iyong respeto po ng tao. Dati tinatawag lang akong ‘hoy Hipon kumusta?’ Ngayon po tinatawag na akong ‘Ms. Herlene, Ms. Nicole.’ Grabe po iyong respeto, grabe po iyong pag-angat ng [confidence] ko bilang ako. Nadagdagan po ang pagkatao ko dahil sa pagsali ko,” she said at the presentation of the 30 delegates at the Crown Plaza Manila Galleria sa Quezon City on June 20.
(Based on my experience last year when I won, it’s not the crown that I won, but the respect of the people. They used to call me ‘hoy Hipon kumusta?’ Now they refer to me as ‘Ms. Herlene, Ms. Nicole.’ The respect was immense, and how my confidence grew. My personality increased because of joining.)
But her quest for a national crown is facing serious threat from not just one, but three competitive candidates who have bannered the Philippines in different international contests—Michelle Arceo, Shanon Tampon, and Nikki De Moura.
International runners-up (from left) Shanon Tampon, Nikki De Moura, and Michelle Arceo/ARMIN P. ADINA
Arceo is a veteran of national and international competitions who twice joined the Miss World Philippines pageant organized by the same team behind the Miss Grand Philippines contest. She was proclaimed 2021 Miss Environment Philippines, then later represented the Philippines in the 2022 Miss Environment International contest in India where she finished second and earned the Miss Ecosystem title.
“I’m hungry for it. I’ve been in pageantry for seven years now and I’ve been so close to attaining an international title. And I also feel I just really resonate with Miss Grand, it’s something I can really speak more about, like myself and my advocacy which is violence against women. So I really resonate with those aspects,” she shared.
Tampon was crowned 2019 Miss Caloocan, but has also made the rounds of national competitions. She was a semifinalist in the 2019 Miss Philippines Earth pageant, and also joined the 2018 Mutya ng Pilipinas and 2021 Binibining Pilipinas pageants. She later represented the country in the 2022 Miss Elite pageant in Egypt where she was proclaimed first runner-up.
“I’ve always wanted to have the golden crown, ever since I started joining pageants. So now I’m trying to fulfil my dreams, that’s why I’m here in Miss Grand Philippines,” she said.
Nineteen-year-old model Nikki De Moura is another contender Budol should be watching out for. At 15, she edged out other older competitors to be crowned 2019 Miss Teen Philippines. In 2021, at the age of 17, she trounced more seasoned aspirants in the Asia-wide reality competition “Supermodel Me: Revolution” and finished as first runner-up.
“I think that coming from a modeling competition, where I was more allowed to express myself in a fashion and creative way, being in a pageant allows me to just express myself and release this inner beauty and intelligence and talent. So I’m very excited,” she said.
This is the second Miss Grand Philippines pageant that has been organized to choose the country’s representative in the Miss Grand International competition. After 2012 Bb. Pilipinas second runner-up Ali Forbes finished fourth in the global tilt’s inaugural edition in 2013, her handler, the late John de la Vega, mounted the 2014 Miss Grand Philippines contest where Kimberly Karlsson received the title.
From 2015 to 2022, the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) held the Miss Grand International pageant’s Philippine license. Vegafria announced his acquisition of the national franchise in November last year, and even brought reigning queen Isabella Menin to the country together with the rest of the Top 10 finalists.
The 2023 Miss Grand Philippines pageant will culminate in a final competition at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on July 13. The contest will also crown the country’s representative to the 2023 Reina Hispanoamericana contest that will be held in Bolivia later this year. EDV
