Norman's Blog

Are we looking at new crowns for Bb. Pilipinas 2012 or what?

Norman — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:15:00 +0000

Could this be the new Bb. Pilipinas Universe crown?

Could this be the new Bb. Pilipinas-International crown?

Rumors floating on the net are saying that the images above are the alleged new crowns to be worn by the Top 2 winners of Bb. Pilipinas 2012 – Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Bb. Pilipinas-International.

If verified as true, how do you feel about the designs? Do you find them more attractive than the old ones? Do they make the wearer look more regal and elegant?

Thoughts, please.

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Nicole Marable

Norman — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #3 Nicole Marable

It’s funny how googling Nicole Marable’s name would give out dozens of other Nicole Marable’s from other countries, except the Philippines. So it can be tricky doing a write-up on her.

Anyways, Nicole Marable – aged 17 years – happens to be the youngest Official Candidate in Bb. Pilipinas 2012. The Quezon City resident – a 5’6″ stunner – is not about to let her relative youth get in the way of being crowned as one of the winners during the finals night on April 15. Of course, it goes without saying that her relative inexperience in a big national pageant could also hinder an out-and-out presentation of herself vis-a-vis the more ‘practiced’ styles of her fellow batchmates. All things being equal, however, she can count on her fresh looks, winning smile and lively aura in racking up enough points to edge out the competition. But will these advantages be enough? Methinks more training is a must. At any rate, more surprising outcomes have happened in a national pageant like ours, so seeing come-from-behind victors won’t jar my senses anymore.

Nicole during the Bb. Pilipinas 2012 Press Launch (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

My hope is that Nicole won’t allow the pressures of the beauty contest get into her nerves. Being young has its pluses, just as the obvious debits could also lead to cancelling each other out in the long run. My advice? Enjoy the experience and be prepared for whatever the results will hold for everyone.

Witness in the next several weeks as Nicole Marable continues to compete in Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Meiji Cruz

Norman — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #22 Meiji Cruz (Photo credit: Jory Rivera/OPMB Worldwide)

Meiji during the Bb. Pilipinas Press Launch (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

Valenzuela City’s bet in Bb. Pilipinas 2012 is 18 year-old Meiji Cruz. This girl’s closest claim to fame is a First Runner-Up finish in Bb. Valenzuela 2010. Thereafter, she resumed her university studies at the Lyceum of the Philippines before re-surfacing once more in the national pageant screenings. She was initially thought of as still being raw and untrained for the demands of big-time pageantry. But she must possess something endearing in the eyes of the judges that led the latter to give her the nod to capture one of the 30 slots as #22. Will she live up to the expectations of everyone around her?

Meiji after being announced as an official contender for Bb. Pilipinas 2012 (Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide)

Meiji, who stands between 5’7″-5’8″, is hoped to have the style and confidence to make good of her inclusion in this year’s batch, and in the process, give pride to the city that she represents.

See more of Meiji as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

Breaking News! Maxine Medina is officially out of Bb. Pilipinas 2012!

Norman — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:39:05 +0000

It saddens me to share this development in the ongoing Bb. Pilipinas 2012, but the first disqualification among this year’s batch has already happened. Maxine Medina, one of Aces & Queens’ Dazzling Dozen whom I just featured in my ‘Getting-to-know’ blog series last week, has already been taken out of competition. The reasons had nothing to do with her qualifications but with an existing contract that left BPCI with no choice but to let her go.

In two of Jonas Gaffud’s recent tweets, he posted:
“The saddest day so far of 2012:-( but there’s always something to learn from all of these! So smile lang

“I have 11 other girls for #bbpilipinas2012 and they are gorgeous as well.”

And life goes on.

I wonder who BPCI will pick to replace Maxine’s suddenly-vacated slot?

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Angelee Claudett delos Reyes

Norman — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:44 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #26 Angelee Claudett delos Reyes

Angelee during the Bb. Pilipinas 2012 screenings (Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide)

Last year, Angelee Claudett delos Reyes screened for Bb. Pilipinas, made it to the final deliberation, but was no longer included in the list of Official Candidates after the dust settled. She recovered from the disappointing non-inclusion by enlisting for Miss Bikini Philippines 2011. She won that one, and represented the country in the international competition held in China.

Zoom to 2012. The 24 year-old Nursing Instructor – a Bicolana by birth who has been living in Olongapo City for the longest – made another attempt to penetrate this year’s Bb. Pilipinas batch. Lady luck was on her side and she is now an official contender for one of the crowns at stake. At 5’6″, she measures 32-24-36.

Angelee during the Bb. Pilipinas 2012 Press Launch. (Photo credit: Jory Rivera/OPMB Worldwide)

Angelee Claudett is one of the Rodgil Flores tentpoles. Will she make her handler proud by nailing a semifinal – if not a Top 5 victory – on April 15? Let’s see how she steps up to the plate. In fairness, this beauty is better appreciated in person. Some of her pictures do not do justice as to how she radiates face-to-face.

Watch out for more of Angelee Claudett delos Reyes as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Fer Mary Baliquig

Norman — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:00:15 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #24 Fer Mary Baliquig (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

Fer Mary in swimsuit during the Bb. Pilipinas 2012 screenings (Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide).

From Tagbilaran City, Bohol comes Fer Mary Baliquig. In 2010, she competed and placed 1st Runner-Up in Miss Bohol Sandugo. She was saddened by the second-place finish, just as online supporters clamored that she should have won the provincial pageant. But she moved on. Eventually, she landed a job as Call Center Agent of People Support. However, after realizing that she can do better than to handle customer complaints and marketing of client’s services, she caved in to the lure of joining another beauty contest. She upped the ante this time around, and found herself getting pinned with #24 in Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

The 20 year-old 5’7″ morena with a whistle-bait figure is pulling out all stops to register a good showing here. Should that happen, it would vindicate her ‘almost-there-but-not-quite’ victory in Bohol.

Does Fer Mary meet your beauty queen standards? I think she knows how to present herself to personally exacting standards. But will the judges see the qualities that she believes make her a stand out? Is she fated to follow the footsteps of her kababayan Ana Maris Igpit who was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-World 2006?

Check out for more on Fer Mary as she competes in Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Giselle Angelica Munoz

Norman — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:00:19 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #21 Giselle Angelica Munoz (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

Here comes another bet from Jonas Gaffud’s Aces & Queens and a part of the “Dazzling Dozen” – Giselle Angelica Munoz she is. The 25 year-old Law student at UP Diliman is an Atenean as well. She took her Pre-Law at Ateneo de Manila University. And FYI, she is also a food and travel blogger running “The Hot Shoe by Allen & Gis“.

This smart lady, who stands a shade shy of 5’8″, is making her first and only attempt at winning a Bb. Pilipinas crown. At her age, she can only vie for the BP-Universe sash. But this fact does not faze her. On the contrary, she takes things as a challenge, and is more than ready to prove to her family and supporters that she can handle the competition head-on.

Giselle (2nd from right) together with her 'sisters' from Aces & Queens during the Bb. Pilipinas 2012 screenings. (Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide)

How would you rate this well-spoken beauty, dear readers? If you ask me, I’d say that she can handle all the interviews and Q&As pretty well, aside from presenting herself in swimwear and evening gown in a more than creditable manner. Let’s see if she can exceed my expectations.

Watch out for more on Giselle Angelica Munoz as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012!

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Maria Mika Maxine Medina

Norman — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:32 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 Candidate #12 Maria Mika Maxine Medina (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

For the weekend, I am re-introducing one of the early dark horses for Bb. Pilipinas 2012. She is the 21 year-old lady with the 4M initials – Maria Mika Maxine Medina – who is actually a part of Aces & Queens’ “Dazzling Dozen“. Her very Asian features lead people into thinking that she could be part-Korean or part-Japanese. But the pure Pinay with a squarish jawline is one versatile beauty whose looks can be transformed into a variety of representations. A Junior Model with PMAP (Professional Models Association of the Philippines), Maxine has appeared in an assortment of print ads (see photo below), magazine photoshoots and runway shows where she dutifully mastered her posing and catwalk skills. Simultaneously, she was taken under Jonas Gaffud’s wings to polish her style and projection for pageant purposes.

Maxine in her Celeteque print ad

According to PMAP’s Maxine Medina-dedicated page, the perky young lass measures 34-25-35 evenly distributed in her 5’8″ frame. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Watch Maxine in the next eight weeks as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012!

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Liezl Alcantara

Norman — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:00:08 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate #16 Liezl Alcantara (Photo credit: Melvin Sia/OPMB Worldwide)

I can’t remember the last time the Northernmost Philippine province of Batanes was represented at Bb. Pilipinas. This year, one tall (she stands an impressive 5’9″) and beautiful 19 year-old came out of nowhere to conquer the pageant screenings and end up being named one of the 30 Official Candidates. The long-haired Liezl Alcantara is that girl. Born and raised in Basco, Batanes where she stayed until the completion of her high school education, she moved to the National Capital Region and enrolled at the Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Marikina for college. Not one to go unnoticed by people around her, she was encouraged to join last year’s search for Mr. and Miss Rizal where she was adjudged winner on the distaff side. In between studies and the like, she also engaged in some modeling stints, while interning with the Intercontinental Hotels Group and playing her favorite sport of volleyball.

Liezl after being announced as one of the Official Candidates of Bb. Pilipinas 2012.

In this year’s batch, Liezl appears to be the second (or third)-tallest contender and this commands attention in her favor. Let’s see if she can use the statuesque presence and youthful vivacity to nail a place in the semifinals (or more) come coronation night.

Watch out for more about Liezl Alcantara as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012!

Getting-to-know-your-Bb.Pilipinas-2012-candidate: Goldy Baroa

Norman — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:00:55 +0000

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 Candidate No. 23 Goldy Baroa (Photo credit: Melvin Sia of OPMB Worldwide)

In my effort to (re-)introduce the lesser-known ladies of Bb. Pilipinas 2012, I am starting a ‘Getting-to-know’ series that would give readers some ideas on their basic credentials. Let’s start with Candidate No. 23, Goldy Baroa.

While Bb. Pilipinas is her biggest pageant to date, Goldy has already earned a string of experiences in joining other beauty contests. Back in 2007, she joined Miss Philippines Earth where she bagged the Best in Swimsuit award. A year after, she handily won the Bb. Lasalyano title, followed by the Mutya ng PRISAA 2008 Provincial Competition. Last year, she was proclaimed Grand Winner of Bb. Laguna. So you see, the girl has had more than her taste of quick fame, apart from having her acting debut in MJR Pictures “Psyche”, a still-unexhibited short film directed by Matt Routledge.

Below is a photo montage of Goldy Baroa courtesy of mrout76

For the uninitiated, Goldy’s model portfolio states that she stands 173 cm. (5’8″) and weighs 39kgs. Her vital statistics are 33-23-36.

See more of her in the next eight weeks as she competes for Bb. Pilipinas 2012!