30 Responses to “Miss Cebu 2009, Who’s That Lovely Cebuana?”

1. Ariel Allera | January 6th, 2009 at 8:17 am
   

   Friends,

   Miss Cebu has always been one of the biggest events in town to look forward to each year.

   This year’s pomp and pageantry will take place come January 14 (Wednesday night at at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino’s Pacific Grand Ballroom… to be telecast live on Studio 23.

   Two of the aspirants are members of A.D. Models Philippines (managed by friend Dexter Alazas), the same agency that takes care of Miss Earth Karla Henry. They are Candidate #12 Kris Janson and Candidate # 9 Michelle Iva Eguia (Isa). Both are equally gorgeous yet qualified to be crowned as Miss Cebu 2009.

   One of the special awards to be given out during the coronation night will be Miss Internet (or something like that). Hence, I’m inviting as many people as far as this generic message goes to vote for the one candidate who deserves the award more than the others.

   I’ve talked to most of the girls, and while every one is entitled for the title, there’s one who stands out on account of her platform to make the most of her reign by teaching young Cebuano women the essence of body image (read: so that they should stop worrying about their weight, size, height, color, and whatnot). With that alone (among many others), we bet she should win not only the Miss Internet special award but, of course, the most coveted title of Miss Cebu 2009.

   I’m talking about Candidate # 9 Michelle Iva Eguia (Isa). She’s currently a Dean’s Lister at the Center for International Education on her Business Management studies. Not only does she have the wits, the brains, the smarts and the gift of gab, but more importantly, she has a very passionate heart. Her sunny disposition makes her stand out amongst the girls; her fluency bespeaks her spirituality in that she talks with a lot of sense and substance as a by-product of her pure thoughts and pacific emotions.

   Now, with all of the above, why can’ t she be the next Miss Cebu?

   Anyhow, there are voting booths at SM City and at the Ayala Center which you can utilize for free.

   To vote through Globe, text VOTE(space)FOR(space)MSCEBU(space)ISA and send to 2278.

   To vote using the internet, kindly go to http://www.cebucitytourism.com/ms_cebu_2009 and follow the links leading to Candidate # 9 Michelle Iva “Isa” G. Eguia.

   I guess, the safest or easiest way to get to the link is by simply copying the URL below and pasting the same in the address bar: http://cebucitytourism.com/ms_cebu_2009/candidates.html?contestant=9

   Thank you very much. Rest assured, Michelle Iva Eguia is going to make a perfect Miss Cebu should we give her the chance to prove her worth. May God bless us all!

   Sincerely,
   Ariel Allera
   Publicist, A.D. Models Philippines

2. Ariel Allera | January 11th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
   

   MISS CEBU 2009: Who will be the 25th loveliest Cebuana?

   By Ariel Allosada Allera
   ariel_allera@yahoo.com

   The Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino will experience an illustrious night of glitz and glamour, pomp and pageantry, as past Miss Cebu beauties witness the quest for their 25th successor, the young lady whose crown will be relinquished by reigning queen Sian Elizabeth Maynard.

   Celebrating its Silver Anniversary, the Miss Cebu continues to search for no less than the most exceptional lady that best defines the authentic characteristic of what a lovely Cebuana is, and how she lives up to her platform to make Cebu an even more captivating city both to come by and to live in.

   For 25 years, this pageant has maintained its world-class production that can allegedly never even be compared with any of the major national beauty contests in Manila, much less its high-end presentation of its official candidates to spectators walking on the red carpets — consistently, quite a number of whom are members of Cebu’s elite. Because the event is one of the highlights of the annual Sinulog festivity, a lot of tourists from both overseas and other parts of the country are customarily expected to come and watch.

   To be telecast live on Studio 23 at 8:00 PM on January 14 (Wednesday), the 2009 Search for Miss Cebu (spearheaded by Cebu City Tourism Commission) will likewise pay tribute to Cebuana beauties who, in their respective current fields of endeavor, have made an exceptional mark, thus giving us Cebuanos 25 years (and beyond) of reason to be proud of our heritage. One of these is Miss Cebu 2006 second runner-up Karla Henry, the very first Filipina to have captured the Miss Earth crown, so far the one and only Cebuana to have won an international beauty title.

   This year’s roster of candidates holds a promise of another exemplary lady who will serve as an ambassador of goodwill, a spokesmodel for young Cebuanas, a voice of Cebu to the world.

   Twelve equally smart and charming candidates are vying for this year’s Miss Cebu crown and the Silver scepter as a token of her being the 25th loveliest Cebuana.

   Candidate # 1 Ana Coritha Desamparado
   Birthdate: May 16, 1990 Height: 5’4″ Weight: 108lbs. School: University of the Philippines

   Candidate # 2 Sheda Lynn Dusaban
   Birthdate: October 10, 1988 Height: 5’4″ Weight: 110lbs. School: Cebu Institute of Technology

   Candidate # 3 Christine Tan
   Birthdate: December 1, 1983 Height: 5’4″ Weight: 110lbs. School: Cebu Normal University

   Candidate # 4 Nadia Claire Urbino
   Birthdate: December 20, 1989 Height: 5’4″ Weight: 90lbs School: University of San Jose-Recoletos

   Candidate # 5 Tara France Oliver
   Birthdate: October 5, 1988 Height: 5’4 1/2″ Weight: 102lbs School: University of San Carlos

   Candidate # 6 Ethel Bitoon
   Birthdate: November 23, 1984 Height: 5’5″ Weight: 109lbs. Company: LEXMARK Research & Development Corporation

   Candidate # 7 Phoebe Kaye Fernandez
   Birthdate: November 16, 1987 Height: 5’5 1/2″ Weight: 105lbs. School: University of San Carlos

   Candidate # 8 Kimberley Therese Burden
   Birthdate: September 7, 1989 Height: 5’6 1/2″ Weight: 120lbs. School: Cebu Doctors’ University

   Candidate # 9 Michelle Iva “Isa” Eguia
   Birthdate: March 28, 1988 Height: 5’7″ Weight: 110lbs. School: Centre for International Education

   Candidate # 10 Angela Grace Alibanon
   Birthdate: April 26, 1988 Height: 5’8″ Weight: 120lbs. School: Cebu Doctors’ University

   Candidate # 11 Rizzini Alexis Gomez
   Birthdate: August 29, 1990 Height: 5’8″ Weight: 118lbs School: University of Cebu

   Candidate # 12 Kris Tiffany Janson
   Birthdate: December 21, 1989 Height: 5’8″ Weight: 118lbs. School: University of San Carlos

3. juan | January 14th, 2009 at 4:39 am
   

   I’m an alumnus of SHS-J, a place we’ll always call home.
   I’d go for candidate #12, our very own alumna of Batch 2007, Kris Tiffany M. Janson.

   She’s got the 5 Bs men sought after, viz., Brain, Beauty, Body, Breast, and Bottom.

4. Jomark Osabel | January 14th, 2009 at 4:51 am
   

   Great choice juan and thanks for dropping by.

5. juan | January 15th, 2009 at 4:26 am
   

   Kris Tiffany M. Janson is Miss Cebu 2009!!!!!

   Congratulations Ms. Kris! I knew you’d make it.
   Just follow what your heart says,
   and you will never be lost.

6. eyes and ears | January 17th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
   

   The recently concluded Miss Cebu 2009 Search is not exempt from intrigues. Pageant experts can’t help commenting that the organizers could’ve made things better had they invited judges who had the trained eyes for poise and bearing or people whose credibility could not be questioned. It doesn’t matter whether one of the judges was a former supermodel, for she alone was not enough to have made a contribution in coming up with an intelligent decision at the end of the night.

   A lot of the winners of Best in Gown are obviously not worthy of their award. An intelligent judge will always bear in mind that they’re going to choose the one girl who’s got the most class and elegance, the best style and carriage, but then most of them are biased for reasons either political or personal.

   How could Rizzini have won the award this year when, obviously, she didn’t carry her gown quite well? She looked as though she was travelling hard. Many have talked here and there: Is it because she was wearing a Cary Santiago or the latter’s name is a hotstuff in Manila that she was chosen for the award? We don’t want to think that the judges were dumb, do we? The award should’ve gone to Kris Tiffany Janson because she was regal from head to toe.

   Last year’s Best in Gown should’ve been Kirstie Babor because she displayed such an opulent style and was carrying her gown with so much elan. Two years ago, it was Joan Kristine Uy who glided best as if trained by Osmel Sousa in Venezuela. In 2006, Angel Luzano stood out among her co-candidates despite the gown; she knew how to walk, didn’t she? Who can argue that during the 2002 Miss Cebu Search, it was Melanie Ediza who should’ve been awarded Best in Gown because she’s the most sophisticated of all the candidates?

7. Jomark Osabel | January 18th, 2009 at 4:28 am
   

   Nice observation. I hope the organizers of the said event will take notice of this and improve the next year’s pageantry.

   Anyway, thanks for dropping by eyes and ears.

8. juan | January 24th, 2009 at 1:50 am
   

   Just a lonely Cebuano drifter expressing his personal opinion after exploring the various comments in related sites. No offence intended.

   Voting, whether via Internet or whatever, can be corrupted too. Corruption is a culture that’s destined to be preserved forever. Not only in Cebu, but also everywhere else in this planet. It’s been with us since the dawn of time. It’s needless promoting this culture.

   Anyway, if the people of Cebu be the judge, I’d suggest that they base their judgment on their observation of the candidate’s stage presentation during that evening’s event. This includes how intelligently she answered the question.

   Note that the selection criteria are brain and beauty. Although, personally, I prefer the 5bs men sought after, viz., brain, beauty, body, breast, and bottom. You could say that I have a higher standard. Whatever, this can be determined only by actually watching the event. Either during that evening or later. Not via voting or anything else.

   One site spotted a flaw in a candidate’s dress days before the event. I don’t think it was a good idea to highlight that in an open forum for the world to see. It was rather humiliating for her. And also embarrassing for both her and the organizing committee. Doubt that it was her fault. Better if it had been privately brought to the attention of the people concern. And the flaw quickly fixed.

   While not against the no-swimsuit-competition, I find the term “beauty pageant” misleading. I got the impression that swimsuit competition is included. Frankly, though, I prefer that it remains as it is. Preserves the Cebuano culture. Historically, beauty contests in Cebu barrios didn’t have swimsuit competition.

   Oh, no, don’t get me wrong. I certainly love watching topless beauties in thong bikinis suntanning at the beach. I doubt that Cebu has this tourist spot.

   Oh, how I miss Cebu! Especially the haunting beauties of the Cebuanas. But I must admit that, in a certain way, they’ve always given me problems. Especially the naughty ones. The irony is, I prefer the naughty Cebuanas. Why did I roam? Far away from home?

   Like Miss Cebu 2009, I’d still call Cebu home. And I’d still call Cebu paradise. Mainly due to the lovely Cebuanas that are everywhere.

   Congratulations to you, Miss Kris Tiffany Janson. Well done. You deserve it. Indeed, you’re every man’s dream. No doubt about it.

   Also, congratulations to the runner-ups and the aspirants. All the best in your future endeavours. Always remember that risk defines life.

   Have a wonderful time as you continue celebrating Sinulog festival. Wish I were there to join the fun.

9. x | January 24th, 2009 at 1:51 am
   

   x

10. Jomark Osabel | January 24th, 2009 at 4:15 am
    

    Its really sad to note that the Miss Cebu 2009 ended with a controversy. Hope they can settle it immediately to save its reputation.

11. tubmangal | January 28th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
    

    I think the organizers corrected their mistakes on that same night. Basin nakalimot si Kimberly nga gi-proclaim pud cya nga winner as Texters’ Choice; cguro that was when their team approached the organizers’ table, expressing their unpleasant surprise at Kris’s winning the award. Well, they had every right to do it, but then OA ra kaayo sila. Ila jung gipadako ang issue bisag gamay rajud kaayo and there was no fiasco that took place in the first place. Ingna lang nga dili sila kadawat nga 2nd runner-up ra si Kimberly Burden. They themselves should’ve known that their bet did not even stand out from the very start. Dako kaayog lawas murag lady wrestler, dili kahibalong mulakaw, dili kahibalong mo-project, baduy mo iningles nga taga SciHi man kaha siya. Mao nay pang Miss Cebu? Shame on their team. Now, nakasabot namo nganong OA ra kaayo mo? Faeta. Stop na kay Kris Janson is wearing her crown with inborn class and elegance, not to mention her grace under pressure. Bye, mga dahumira!

12. juan | January 29th, 2009 at 3:43 am
    

    Let me liven up this “debate” a little bit. Hope nobody minds.

    Let’s not call it controversy. Let’s not look at it as intrigue. Let’s view it as people providing feedback to help the organizers improve the beauty pageant in the future. We have to accept that the beauty pageant is not perfect. There will always be room for improvement. If left to calcify, people will lose interest. It will eventually lose popularity. Should this happen, this beauty pageant might as well cease to exist.

    The difference between then and now is the Internet. Information may now be made available in a trice.

    I did say that Miss Kris Janson is every man’s dream. But I must also say that Miss Rizzi Gomez is the loveliest lady any man can ever have. Just so happened that, during that event, Miss Kris Janson did better.

    How about the rest? Oh, I love them all. Pretty Cebuano sheilas never stopped haunting me.

    Currently living down under. Australia’s facing an ageing population problem and the government is providing incentives for young girls to get pregnant. I’m keen on contributing something. I’m taking up this glorious quest to find me a young Cebuana to be my soulmate. So, she can breed me an entire herd and help populate Australia. It’s a noble purpose, don’t you agree?

    No worries. Australia’s a rich country that’s sparsely populated. 20M people in a size that’s 25X the Philippines.

    Kana kon dunay usa nila modaginot nako. Kon wa, maglaway na lang ko.

13. y | January 29th, 2009 at 3:49 am
    

    y

14. huli ka! | February 1st, 2009 at 8:01 am
    

    eyes and ears is entitled to express his opinion.but i do believe this person is someone who knows these girls he mentioned thats why he wanted them to win “the award”. kris janson and joan kristin uy are lucky to have a friend like you. ( yes i know who you are basing on the girls you wanted to win this award.obvious ang common denominator)

    all these away are so irritating already. pwede stop na?

    the pageant is over na bai.

    angal pajud mo na the judges were really credible. natalie glebova for an instance.and mostly were fashion editors and designers. kabalo jud na cla sa ila gibuhat.

    I’m not taking sides here but complaing because you dont find the judges credible is not a good idea. maayo na to cla mamili. their credentials and experience cannot be questioned.

15. juan | February 2nd, 2009 at 5:33 am
    

    This year’s pageant is over. But the next pageant is yet to come.

    Oh, yes. The judges THIS YEAR made an excellent decision. Spot on with my choice. My apology for not congratulating them earlier.

    Who’s joan kristin uy?

16. z | February 2nd, 2009 at 5:35 am
    

    z

17. Ariel Allera | February 3rd, 2009 at 3:22 am
    

    The Glitch and Glamour:
    Burdened by ‘the beauty & the best’ of Miss Cebu
    By Ariel Allera

    This is in reaction to a myriad scuttlebutts around the Miss Cebu 2009 controversy, as though not only pageant fanatics but also the people in general have been feasting on the topic based on what they’ve heard on radio, seen on T.V., let alone read in the papers. It’s quite burdening to note that some came up with reports, both written and spoken, as if they were missologists who knew much about pageants and the ropes.

    It stems from just one minor award given out during the selection cum coronation night held last January 14 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. The award in question is Globe Texters’ Choice, which went to Kris Tiffany Janson. While such must’ve gone to Kimberley Burden, because the latter was in the lead on the survey, it’s not in any way Janson’s fault that her name was called. The spectators present at the venue, not to mention the televiewers who were watching the event live on Studio 23, didn’t have any inkling to whom Globe Texters’ Choice award was supposed to go.

    No less than Kris herself was quite taken aback on the spot, because the latest she’d heard about the poll was that it was Kimberley who was leading. Matter of fact, when she was proclaimed the winner, she was hesitant to come forward, until she was completely sure it was her name having been called out by the host. Janson’s supporters were as surprised at the announcement, thinking that maybe, just maybe, her votes had surpassed Burden’s at the eleventh hour.

    Kris Tiffany Janson’s bagging the Miss Cebu 2009 crown at the end of the night had nothing to do with the special awards she had garnered prior to the coronation, as well as those she had acquired several nights ago when the candidates were first presented to the public in a fashion show held at the Fuente Osmena Circle. Quite a number of Miss Universe delegates ended up as winners without any special award in the first place. We can only wish that, before anyone dared to write something about this, they should have followed on prestigious pageants like Miss Universe, as religiously as they keep themselves abreast with current issues…so that they would’ve known that Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori of Japan didn’t get any special award before her crown was relinquished by Puerto Rico’s Zuleyka Rivera (Miss Universe 2006), who wasn’t awarded with any trophy or whatever prior to her coronation. Canada’s Natalie Glebova won the Miss Universe title in 2005 despite her not getting any minor award. The three successive years had our country’s delegates (2007 Bb Pilipinas Anna Theresa Licaros, 2006 Bb Pilipinas Lia Andrea Ramos, 2005 Bb Pilipinas Gionna Cabrera) winning the Miss Photogenic special awards, respectively; however, they were unplaced in the final slot. In 1999, Miriam Quiambao won as Clairol Herbal Essences Style awardee and Spain’s Diana Noguera got both the Best in Swimsuit and the Best in Gown special awards, but then Mpule Kwelagobe eventually edged them out by wearing the Miss Universe crown on her way back home to Botswana.

    For 25 years now, Miss Cebu organizers have maintained their opulent taste in choosing the right people with the trained eyes for beauty, the keen ears for the sensible brains to match. Unfortunately (read: addressed to the ones who pretend to know something), this search doesn’t have a swimsuit competition. The fact that Janson was adjudged Miss Cebu would mean no more than that the judges saw her potentiality to be Cebu’s next official ambassador of goodwill, spokesmodel for young Cebuanas, voice to the world. Kris was indisputably a stand-out amongst everyone’s bet—what with her lovely face, her vibrant personality, her classy style, her regal carriage, her good breeding, let alone her no-nonsense answer to the final question. Any intelligent audience can attest to all of the above.

    How could they question the credibility of judges Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales and Katrina Holigores? Now, some people are making insinuations that both judges must’ve accounted a lot for Kris’s victory because she had been in one of Tweetie’s and Katrina’s modelling workshops in FTV-Philippines. Dear friends, Metro Magazine’s Katrina Holigores was judging only the Best Fashion Designer (Oj Hofer) as well as the Best in Evening Gown awards (take note: the latter went to Rizzini Alexis Gomez). Isn’t it shallow?

    The pageant is not just for anybody who comes in the Cebu City Tourism Commission Office and goes through the process with at least a five-feet-four stature, a beautiful face, a well-curved body, a fair-complected skin, a mind that contains her canned answers to hackneyed questions. The commissioners aren’t a dumb bunch of organizers who will give the last slot to whoever can fill in the blank. Which is why a string of screenings are completed before the list of official candidates is finalized. It is downright ridiculous that, after all, it seems easy for some to say that Kris Tiffany Janson had not undergone the screening process before she was enlisted as one of the 12 official candidates to the 2009 Miss Cebu Search.

    It was about 2:00PM on January 29 (Thursday) when Kris and I were together in Ayala Center, en route to Starbucks, where we were supposed to sit down on our interview for my entertainment article, when we received a text message from Dexter Alazas (her mentor, managing director of A.D. Models Philippines and StyleFirm) saying that there was a formal complaint to be filed against them for violating a pageant rule that prohibits the candidates’ parents, handlers, and agents from being present in any official pageant activity. It was later stressed that Dexter attended the press conference at the Cebu City Hall and also the Miss Cebu pre-pageant night at the Fuente Osmena Circle.

    Dexter had just arrived from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, together with Jam Charish Libatog, fresh from her victory at the Mutya Ng Pilipinas pageant the night prior. Being last year’s Miss Cebu 2nd runner-up and another Cebuana who just did Cebu proud, Jam was brought straight to the Cebu City Hall where a press conference was being held for the Miss Cebu 2009 candidates, hosted by reigning queen Sian Elizabeth Maynard, attended by Libatog’s fellow runners-up from the previous year and, of course, members of the press. Dexter’s presence that evening was highly regarded because, for one, he’s the manager of Jam’s and, on the other hand, he’s a fashion columnist of The Freeman newspaper and so he had every reason to participate in the so-called question-and-answer taking place in the room. Was that hard to understand?

    True, Dexter was also present at the pre-pageant night held at the Fuente Osmena Circle. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s the one who designed and provided for all the 12 red evening gowns that the candidates were wearing at the finale of the fashion show. Is this harder to understand?

    Anyhow, Kris and I then decided to just go straight to CCTC office where Dexter was awaiting. We couldn’t help laughing up our sleeves because, how could Kris have been enlisted as official candidate if she hadn’t passed through the screening? We were all just watching the video that contains the file of that said screening where Kris’s first runner-up Rizzini Alexis Gomez was with her, standing before a panel of commissioners who were interviewing them. It wasn’t in any way intended as a special screening for Kris and Rizzini, because there were two other girls scheduled to undergo such but didn’t show up for school reasons, because the list of official candidates was not finalized yet, because the last two applicants (Kris and Rizzini) were not difficult to fill in the blank. And what do they mean Kris failed to submit her curriculum vitae? There was the official Miss Cebu application form which every aspiring candidate filled out as a prerequisite for the screening. If that’s what they mean, maybe it’s time they knew its definition and the difference between the two.

    Somehow, when thoughts are clouded with sour grapes, the mind becomes restless over nothing more or less than false accusations, a by-product of sheer envy and pure jealousy. Please bear in mind, this is not addressed to the Burdens. It doesn’t carry a wisp of insinuation for anybody following on the controversy, for we believe that hate is too great a burden to bear it injures the hater more than it injures the hated. William Shakespeare wrote, “A wretched soul, bruised with adversity, We bid be quiet when we hear it cry; But were we burdened with like weight of pain, As much or more we should ourselves complain…”

    Instead that we keep pulling the strings of Kris Tiffany Janson or try to lift the precious 25th Miss Cebu crown from her head, why don’t we support the lovely Cebuana in her cause so that, together, we make Cebu go over with a bang in the next 25 years… and beyond? (ariel_allera@yahoo.com)

18. juan | February 4th, 2009 at 1:00 am
    

    Guess you must be having a nightmare tackling the countless issues that have erupted from the recently concluded Miss Cebu 2009 beauty pageant.

    Cheer up, mate. Whenever I’m caught in a similar situation I’d say to myself, “If everybody were happy, I wouldn’t be here”. Risk defines life.

    Looking at the bright side, had the event gone smoothly, things would have simply died out after it ended. Due to controversies, it has become a hot topic. The related sites turned into popular “tourist attractions”. Serves as an ad for next year’s event. Not to mention the feedback provided to the planners.

    In a way, though, I envy you. ‘Cause you’re in close contact with Cebu’s top beauties.

19. n | February 4th, 2009 at 1:08 am
    

    n

20. juan | February 9th, 2009 at 5:25 am
    

    To: Miss Kris Tiffany M. Janson,

    You’re endowed with such an awesome charismatic appearance. Venus personified. Goddess of Beauty.
    Your stage presentation was absolutely spectacular and magnificent. Truly a wonderful performance. Really a giant leap for you.

    What will always be treasured deep in my heart is your answer.
    No matter how far or how wide I roam,
    I still call Cebu my home, my paradise.

    Reminds me of T. S. Elliott’s “We shall not cease from exploration. But at the end of all our explorations, we will go back to where we started, only to know the place for the first time”.

    When will I go back to live permanently in Cebu? Maybe this year. Maybe next year. Maybe never.

    Yes, accepting reality. The life we lead is almost always not the one we want to live but the one we are forced to live in order to survive.

    Vaya con Dios. Always remember that life’s a rollercoaster ride.

    From,
    A Lonely Cebuano Drifter

21. juan | February 16th, 2009 at 7:26 am
    

    I refer to Vic_Danish_Pilot’s comment “Sorry none of them looks like a pinay, they are all mixed race, why …….” written in another site. Indeed, he has a point.

    But, speaking of pure Pinay, I’m not even a pure Pinoy myself. Born and raised in Cebu City, my ethnic origin is half Chinese/half Cebuano. Often mistaken for a pure Chinese as look more Chinese than Cebuano. Lighter skin and ‘pikot’ eyes. Who cares? Even Pres. Obama isn’t pure.

    By the way, I find mixed often better looking than pure. Strikes out a balance between the two. Here in Australia, many EurAsians are more beautiful than either Europeans or Asians.

    There you are.

    Anyway, if a pretty Pinay is interested, my email is juan_tamad555@yahoo.com.au. Please, no pretty Pinoy. No offence intended. Just that my orientation is straight.

    My paramount consideration is on her capability and willingness to help me fulfill my glorious quest. Breed me an entire herd. Help save the Australian human race from extinction. Therefore, she must be young. The younger, the better.

    Oh yes, some girls here, as young as 14, already have babies. They’re taking advantage of the government incentive. Baby boom.

22. juan | February 18th, 2009 at 5:31 am
    

    Once again, to Miss Kris Tiffany M. Janson,

    Guess you’re having a real baptism by fire. This is your first time, made it with an astounding success, and, now, confronted with countless controversies. But if you get through this, you’ll get through anything.

    I’m one of the many observers from all over the world. You could say, we’re your newly acquired fans. We’re not interested in vote count or whatever politics behind the scene.

    Also, as somebody pointed out in another site, they owe you an apology, too, for making the mistake. In effect, the apology was biased. Taking you for granted.

    In general, we agree that nobody deserves the crown better than you. If promoting tourism is the main objective of the pageant, then, paramount consideration should be given to our feedback. We are Cebu’s prospective tourists.

    The issues didn’t come to me as a surprise, though. Not unusual for your sudden fame and glory to bring about envy and jealousy. Made you vulnerable to intrigue. Remember the mighty Julius Caesar? At a tender age, he attained power. What subsequently happened were conspiracy, and, eventually, assasination. Remember his last words? “Et tu, Brute”? So, be warned.

    Again, just follow what your heart says and you will never be lost.

    From,
    A Distant Admirer

23. juan | February 19th, 2009 at 2:39 am
    

    Just want to comment that whoever apologized to Miss Burden should also make a similar apology to Miss Janson. Otherwise, it won’t look good on her. People might suspect that there was a conspiracy to make her win. An apology made to Miss Janson will tell the world that she has nothing to do with the mistakes made.

24. ariel allera | March 9th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
    

    (THIS PARTICULAR ARTICLE CAME OUT IN THE FREEMAN DAILY A FORTNIGHT AGO. I’M POSTING IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO WEREN’T ABLE TO GRAB A COPY OF WHICH. THANKS AND GOD BLESS!)

    MISS CEBU 2009: God’s Will and Kris’s Grace
    By Ariel Allosada Allera

    Despite controversies and all the hullabaloos Kris Tiffany Janson is beaming her reign as the 25th most beautiful lady Cebu has recently enthroned. To date, the 19-year-old Management Accounting Carolinian has been wearing her illustrious crown as gracefully as she made a stride towards her crowning moment during the Miss Cebu 2009 Search a few weeks ago.

    “What an experience it has been. I’m still quite surprised at the thought of being Miss Cebu, since I never ever dreamed of joining a beauty contest, although my grandmother used to tell me as a little girl that I should be a beauty queen when I grow up,” Kris recalls.

    Prior to the pageant, Kris admitted to not being inclined to pivoting on the world of pageants, although her sweeping background in modelling would have triggered the decision to give it a shot. She thought, should she join the prestigious Miss Cebu, she might as well make up her mind for the next year’s search. She discloses, “Some inner voice was telling me that it’s God’s will for me to join, that it’s going to be the right time, that I should go out there and encourage others by my example to believe in themselves.”

    Divine intervention, that is.

    True to her word, the first-time candidate shone on the pageant night, and eventually outshone the seasoned some. “I couldn’t believe my confidence while I was on stage, but I knew that God was taking charge of every moment, because I was in a state of grace. All along I never doubted His power to help me cast my fears aside,” the God-fearing Cebuana beauty testifies to her faith.

    Kris may be classified as Cebu’s most bankable print-ad model, as well as one of the city’s most favorite runway mannequins, but then she’s not one to vaunt her feats. A member of a devout Catholic family and a student of a train of Catholic learning institutes from grade school to college (viz: St. Benedict Childhood Education Centre, Sacred Heart School-Jesuits, De La Salle University, University of San Carlos), it will just be a piece of cake to tell that Kris has breeding, her faith in God is firm, and her humility is such that she’s one to keep a low profile no matter how many billboards she’s on, or how many times people have seen her in glossies, or the many prominent runways she’s catwalked on.

    During the “L’Amore Bridal Fashion Show” one weekend, the 2009 Miss Cebu Kate Mossed the Style Lounge of ParkMall in the Reclamation Area, together with her colleagues at A.D. Models Philippines, donning the exquisite creations of Cebu’s top couturiers. Kris wowed the crowd as the latter oohed and aahed at the beauty queen and the supermodel wannabe who was strutting the venue in a Dexter Alazas.

    “I enjoy modeling. My highest goal here is to become a Ford Supermodel, like my fellow A.D. model Verns Buckley who was blessed enough to penetrate the international scene. In the meantime, I want to concentrate on my responsibilities as Miss Cebu 2009, which I’m enjoying a lot. I would like my reign to be uniquely enriching not only for me but also for every Cebuano,” Kris explains.

    Hence, how would Kris Tiffany Janson like to be remembered amongst the 25 Miss Cebus? “Well, every one of us would’ve worn our respective crowns as beautifully as we would’ve lived up to our title uniquely,” she retorts graciously.

    A Miss Cebu’s reign embodies a year-round itinerary of commitments, all for the good of Cebu and its people that proudly put Kris in the forefront as an emissary of goodwill. But as far as her personal crusade is concerned, the altruistic young lady shares, “My mentor Dexter Alazas and I are working on a campaign which we fondly call ‘Trash to Cash,’ wherein we’re going to turn scrap fabrics into dolls, design clothes to be made of fabric combinations and patchworks, recycle other alternative garments for livelihood. We’re going to talk the Clothes for Life Foundation into supporting us in this cause.”

    “Trash to Cash” is aimed at putting into the public domain, particularly the Cebuano populace, its inspiring and feasible alternative to respond to the current global economic crisis which, apparently, is unravelling at great speed.

    “I take it as part of my platform being Miss Cebu 2009 to somehow make a difference in the lives of everyone. As a model, this particular project is my way of reciprocating all the perks that I get in the fashion industry. And because we’re all affected by the international economic system, I believe it’s a good response. By the way, who says it’s impossible to remain stylish during times of economic harship? After all, it’s fun to be a recessionista,” the responsible yet sensible Cebuana justifies, as gracefully as she tunes in to that voice within her where she finds the divine confidence to live out her reign to the fullest. (laraduttallerariel@yahoo.com)

25. juan | March 11th, 2009 at 3:54 am
    

    Heard that the controversy’s sorted out. Mayor Tomas Osmena gave his team a real good kick on the butt. Got them to refocus on the more pressing matters; work on the higher priorities. They certainly have a lot of more important things to do than attending to this nonsense.

    Congratulation to Mayor Tomas Osmena for a job well done! Really a good skipper. The best to brave this stormy weather. Inspite of his ill-health and far from home, he’s still doing his job. A dedicated leader. Another SHS-J alumnus his alma mater can be proud of.

    If only there were many Cebuanos like him …..

    All the best for him. Hope he’s now out of the woods. Think I should say the same for Miss Janson – in different situation.

    Know what? Historically, no black has become USA president. Pres. Obama disproved this. No Jesuit alumnus/alumna has become Philippine president. One day, Miss Janson will disprove this.

26. juan | March 11th, 2009 at 4:07 am
    

    Think it’s better for Miss Burden to rejoin the team. Renew the camaraderie. As Pres. Obama said, “… time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed”. Pick herself up. Dust herself off. And help the group in the work of remaking the pageant. Everybody knows synergism produces a greater result than the sum of individual ambitions. Interdependence better than independence.

    “Never doubt that a small group of committed, thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

    Form a tag team with Miss Janson and “fight” the system. I mean, take out the dirty linens hidden in the cupboard, so to speak. So, those lazybones will wash them. Present a better pageant next time; a better tourist attraction; help Cebu’s ailing economy. Otherwise, history will repeat itself. Both of them know better than anybody else where those dirty linens are.

    *****

    On one hand, possibility that the vote was corrupted. And on other hand, possibility that the mistake was deliberate. Conspiracy vs counter-conspiracy. Nothing new really. Mankind’s been playing this type of game since the dawn of time.

    In this game, both of them were the pawns. Later, the victims. So happened that one had a mighty queen lurking behind – protecting her. But the other was defenseless. They didn’t care about her. They didn’t even give her the courtesy of an apology. Absolutely pathetic. They were only protecting themselves – their own vested interests. Disgusting!

    I don’t disagree that the last pageant was a great success inspite of the mistakes made. But there will always be room for improvement.

    *****

    Speaking of Miss Burden’s wrestler body, so obvious her vital statistics is way off. But can be corrected. I think due to lack of exercise and junk food. Her mom, being a doc, would know better. Being an ex-beauty candidate herself, her mom would have told her. Had Miss Burden done something about it, she’d be more shapely than Miss Janson.

    As Pres. Obama said, “… greatness is never a given. It must be earned.”

    The pageant has not been the path for the fainthearted — for those who prefer leisure over hard work. Rather, it is for the risk-takers, the ambitious. Risk defines life.

    Guess, as one said, she’s just a spoiled brat. Does show on her face. In fact, she recently proved it. Wreaking havoc on the pageant.

    But I think many men prefer spoiled brats. Remember Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”? Must admit that that naughty face is very sexually appealing. Love to tame her.

    In a way, think she’s tame now. Hopefully, we’ve seen the end of her mischiefs.

    *****

    All’s well that ends well. As Dr. Albert Einstein said, “Opening up yet another fragment in the frontier of beauty”. Cebu is a frontier of beauty. But can only be appreciated from a distance.

    I believe it is an obligation for every overseas Cebuano to help, in any way he can, make Cebu a better place to live in. Remember the parable of Jesus Christ on The Good Samaritan?

    As Pres. Obama said, “to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders”.

    Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction. Get involved.

    “Without tradition, our lives will be like the fiddler on the roof”. (from the movie “Fiddler on the Roof”)

27. juan | March 15th, 2009 at 9:32 am
    

    Just doing a “post-mortem”. Or, you could say, just being a pain in the …..

    Don’t think this has anything to do with justice or fairness. More inclined to believe seeking revenge. Not due to wrong done. But due to being outwitted.

    Considering a possible scenario …..

    On one hand, can’t understand how one, with a wrestler’s body, garnered such an overwhelming number of votes.

    On other hand, to say “honest mistake” is a cute excuse. Unless, perhaps, a last moment giant leap in vote count. Further makes sense when one considers why no apology was made.

    Besides, that catapult to fame was too good to be true. More like being groomed. Her stage presentation was too spectacular relative to the others. For a first timer, …..

    Nothing wrong in grooming one with potential. But, certainly, won’t discount the possibility of favoritism.

    Not uncommon for two well-connected families to rival each other for prestige, honour, fame, glory, etc. And, of course, the almighty peso. Lots of it. Won’t be surprised if, one day, ‘Kris Tiffany Janson’ labels will be on expensive fashion gowns, swimsuits, etc. Expensive because of the label. Her pic will be on product ads, etc. This list could go on and on.

    Nothing wrong with that, though. Nothing wrong with earning as much as one can. Do admire Miss Janson. She’s smart, hardworking, and ambitious. Sure to go far.

    Understand now why Miss Burden is only too unhappy not to win the crown?

    But that isn’t the point. The ultimate question, simply, is whether all candidates were given EQUAL opportunity to win the crown.

    Setting aside the event, I’d say Miss Gomez is the loveliest of them all.

    As Pres. Obama said, “… — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended …; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.”, “For the world has changed, and we must change with it”.

    Believe it’d be in Cebu’s best interests not to let Pres. Obama’s words fall into deaf ears.

28. juan | April 5th, 2009 at 2:33 am
    

    Just for fun.

    Thought we’ve seen the end of Miss Burden’s mischiefs. More like they’ve only just begun.

    Good on you, Miss Burden! Give those lazybones real good kicks on their butts. So, they’ll reform the pageant. Transform it into a fragment of real (not perceived) beauty in Cebu’s frontier.

    Oh, really love to tame that spoiled brat! Starve her and that freak’ll galvanize into a stunning beauty. A tornado and a hurricane all wrapped into one. No doubt about it.

    Indeed, that naughty face is very provocative. Have that irresistible urge to perform a ritual on her that’ll, shall we say, exorcise her ego. That’d be my greatest pleasure.

    It’ll be the most humiliating experience in her life. But I’m sure she’ll enjoy it. Just for the taste of it.

    Do it like a wild beast. Correction. As a wild beast. Must admit when it comes to that, I’m a wild beast. Yes, it’ll be beauty and the beast.

    No worries. I’m only uglier than King Kong. Ugly is in the eyes of the beholder, don’t you agree? And speaking of King Kong, didn’t that lovely lass he carried fall in love with him?

    Hope she won’t wrestle me, though. Otherwise, I’ll have to run for my life.

    Guess the mayor’s paying a high price for calling her Miss Cellphone. Perhaps, he never heard the saying, “I’d rather face the mouth of a hungry lion, than face the mouth of an angry woman”.

    Looking at the positive side, it’s become a stimulus for her to “fight” the system. Frees his team to devote more time to more pressing matters. Smart move.

    Shouldn’t be his team’s job, anyway. Just an escape for them, then, while the mayor’s away.

    In fairness to Miss Burden, I do believe in the saying,
    “You only live once,
    and life’s too short.
    Take time to do mischiefs,
    otherwise, life’s isn’t worth living.”

29. Ariel Allera | November 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
    

    RAIN MARIE MADRIGAL: The Reigning Queen

    By ARIEL ALLOSADA ALLERA

    Cebu’s very first Queen has been crowned!

    Professional title-holder Rain Marie Madrigal eventually wound up wearing the most coveted Queen-Universe crown, after edging out her fellow veteran contestants during the first-ever Queen pageant held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino over a fortnight ago.

    No less than every true-blue woman present at the Pacific Grand Ballroom that evening admitted to feeling somewhat insecure about how many times more today’s gays could be worth applauding for their feminine physicality and absolute confidence, as 21 of Cebu’s exceptional transvestites/trans-sexuals glided in their National Costume, Swimsuit, FunWear and Evening Gown, and the top 10 bravely expressed themselves during the Interview segment hosted by Cebu’s Queen of Talk, Jude Bacalso.

    Rain Marie was a bright and shining standout from the moment she introduced herself as Miss Philippines. It was no neck-and-neck battle of beauty and brains before the panel of judges, who unanimously singled her out to walk away with the crown, after she articulately discussed STRAP, of which she’s been an active member for two summers now.

    The ever eloquent pageant champ recaps, “It stands for Society of Trans-sexual Women of the Philippines. It is the only transgender rights support and advocacy group in the Philippines. It aims to provide assistance to transgender people who are victims of discrimination and prejudice, be it in the workplace or in society in general. Most of the time transgender people are not taken seriously in the workplace. The organization provides legal support as well… in order to assert every transgender’s rights to equal employment opportunity. After all, Transgender rights are also Human Rights. On a personal note, I’m fortunate enough to be part of a company that respects equal employment opportunity and somehow takes into consideration Affirmative Action when hiring employees.”

    Her unaffected stage presence, no doubt her elegant stance and regal strides, easily won for her the Best in National Costume, Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown major awards, respectively.

    As soon as her name was called out, Rain Madrigal couldn’t help putting her hands on the face and getting down on her knees before she stepped forward to be crowned as the Queen-Universe, be wearing the best-kept sash of the night, and be handed the symbolic trophy, beauteous bouquet, and attractive prizes. “I just wanted to give God all the glory,” she describes the scene.

    Before hearsays about staging the Queen pageant were spread, Rain was yet an icon in the community here and there; thus, her rivals would’ve talked amongst themselves during rehearsals, photo shoots and outreach visits that they could only aspire for the smaller one: the Queen-World or the Queen-International crown. Last 2007, she knocked down Manila’s elite transgendered women by bagging the grand Super Sireyna title (along with the Miss Telegenic special award) on Eat Bulaga; in 2005, she knocked off the country’s most exemplary finalists by winning as Miss Gay Philippines-Universe.

    Having all of the above to reckon with, many cannot help wondering why the national beauty titlist took a trip back to basic. However, Rain Madrigal is poised to defend her title and the experience, “Beauty pageants have always been my passion since I was a child. As an individual, I also need to grow. I felt the need to take my passion to the next level, to a level wherein I can add more meaning and worth to it. I used to join pageants for the sake of fame, exposure and even more income, because it was my bread and butter. I joined this pageant because I felt there is a purpose behind it… and that is to help our society understand that we are here to lend a helping hand and to do our part in community-building. The Queen Pageant is our own way of telling everyone that we are here to do our part to unite our community and not to create another problem in society.”

    Not necessarily loud but sensibly proud, Rain responds to a query on her foray into the world in which she lives today, “Well, the transition was hard, and it’s because of a lot of factors. Just like any other transgender woman, transition involves physical and emotional aspects. But most of all, it was a journey to self-discovery. The details are not important anymore; what’s important is that I have successfully completed my journey of self-discovery.”

    Rain Madrigal’s family need not take pains to close with the fact that “their baby is now a lady…” Unlike most, there weren’t any nights when she would cry herself to sleep at her wit’s end, over whether she would refrain from or get up the next day donning her daintiest dress. Her outstanding academic records and astounding intelligence helped smoothen the rough road she would’ve trudged to feeling accepted as far as her wardrobe would’ve gone. Thankfully, her family was always her number one support system in every step of the way, and would be there whenever, wherever their beloved flesh and blood was in a parade of beauties.

    Because there is definitely no room where we can please everybody, Rain will not give a hoot to people out there who despise those who practice transgenderism. On behalf of all transgendered women around or the LGBT for that matter, the erudite spokesperson points out, “It would certainly be an arduous task to change other people’s perception towards us. We can start it through proper information. To all the people out there, all I can say is, when you judge a person right away you will lose the chance to love him/her. You’ve got to take time to get to know the person and not judge them based on their looks or sexuality.”

    And what is her take on the fact that some people will not be pleased with the inclusion of the traditional swimsuit competition in a pageant? “Personally, I believe that the swimsuit competition is an important part of any beauty pageant. A beauty queen has to be holistic, perfect in total package. She has to have a sound body in order to have a sound mind, and that’s exactly the purpose of having a swimsuit competition. Also, if you are physically fit, one thing is for sure, you have self-discipline. That’s how a swimsuit competition should be portrayed in any beauty contest here and abroad,” the recently enthroned Queen spells out.

    As “the” Queen, Rain’s biggest dream is “…for Cebu society to fully acknowledge and respect our sector which is the LGBT community, and for our country to fully respect our human rights as well. She adds, “I’d like to take this opportunity to inform our society on what LGBT is all about. It stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender. “Gay” is not exactly an umbrella term that should be used to generalize non-heterosexuals. Rather, there are different segments in LGBT that properly correspond to each member. That only goes to show that there is uniqueness or diversity too within our community. I know it’s still a long road, but at least we can start it through information. I suggest that you visit http://www.tsphilippines.com.”

    Like any other legitimate beauty queen, Rain has a good 12 months to live to her reign, whilst holding her recruitment-supervisor position at E-Performax as gracefully as she did her significant scepter which carries a lot of responsibilities. But more than anything, she is all agog about utilizing her title to the fullest. “I remember I was asked during the preliminaries about how I can change society’s perception towards non-heterosexual people. Then I said, I’d like to start within myself, as I believe in the Clothes for Life Foundation’s advocacy for the poor and the underprivileged. Of course, I will do my part in the different projects to help the orphanages we are supporting. Aside from that, I hope that during my reign I can be a good example to everyone: to inspire other transgender women, to be more comfortable in their own skin,” Rain Marie Madrigal crosses her heart as she sits on her throne for being a beauty queen, and then stands up for being an emissary of goodwill for everyone.

30. jairah | October 18th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
    

    god bless all!

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