Left to right: Hannah Ruth Sison, Ana Carmela Aquino, Matet Gorgonio, Charmaine Elima and Herlie Kim Artugue (Photo credit: OPMB Worldwide)
“A picture is worth a thousand words“, the popular saying goes. But if you look at the group photo of Kagandahang Flores ladies Hannah Ruth Sison, Ana Carmela Aquino, Matet Gorgonio, Charmaine Elima and Herlie Kim Artugue above (taken before their individual photoshoots), you won’t need to consult a dictionary or thesaurus to pick the most outstanding face among the five.
I can come up with a plethora of wonderful words for Charmaine with this shot alone. (Photo credit: Jonas Yu/Critical Beauty)
Without a doubt, Charmaine Elima stands head and shoulders above the rest of her camp sisters. She possesses an oh-so-beautiful and radiant look that can stand the test of competition. And she seems to be steadily improving by the day. I will definitely be following this young lady throughout the whole thing. 😉
normannorman.com 
Norman, just wanted to ask what happened to her “beauty mark” in the forehead? When you first featured her in your blog, she had that but when she appeared come BBP applications, her face was all so clear.
It must’ve been surgically removed, and by a very good doctor of derma at that. 😉
I just don’t understand why a pageant fanatic would ask anyone to stop sprucing positive adjectives to a specific girl their betting on? PE had her fair share of bettors in her time, same as non-believers. I, personally wasn’t crazy about her since I was rooting for Janine from the very beginning. IMHO, I just find the Rhinoplasty done to her wasn’t perfect ( meaning: masyado nang sumarado ang butas).
As for Janine, whether she was favored or not gave us something that made us mighty proud up to this very moment. Whoever everyone of us might be rooting for should feel free to celebrate her choice, isn’t this blog all about? I am for TEAM ELIMA and you are TEAM RABAJANTE while others opt for mestiza type TEAM PIA. Isn’t what makes this competition a lot more exciting and jittery? And while everybody has the right to make his choice, a change of choice in the end would post no problem at all since thorough assessment might have been done. This is not about loyalty to one’s early choice, everything is subject to change.
I am for Elima today. I may like Pia more in the coming days and end up betting on Rabajante. We don’t know what else we are about to see and find out about these lovelies as the pageant draw closer to the finals.
As for me, I will not refrain showering good praises on anyone that caught my eye positively.
As for others, they can choose to accept that or simply walk away.
i am really scared about this one…too perfect in pictures. I watched a few video clips of her, too pageant patty I feel. She breathes thru her mouth and overtly thinks every nuance. Spontaneity comes with experience, I hope she has enough to pull this one off. I just wish she doesn’t disappoint.
Norm ? If you’re a beauty contest judge , there is one that looks so good, talks and sounds good but no substance and the other one that also looks so good with a thick accent but makes good sense ? Who would you give the crown to?….. Finnish it, you finnish you..:-)
Substance is important when the going gets tough. If it’s just the thick accent that pulls her down, then I wouldn’t mind giving her the crown. Besides, once she represents us abroad, the judges will be awed by her beauty, while listening to her sensible and fluid thoughts instead of making geographical check on how she speaks in English. 😉
Agree. Thanks Norm 😉
Comparing Patricia ejercitado to Charmaine is not fair at all. This year binibining pilipinas 2013 is a different ball game. Looking at the present videos and photos of Charmaine for the past 2 weeks, reminds me that she have something to offer. I just hope she will do good in the final night. You can’t deny the fact that she is one of the strong contenders for the crown. Good luck ladies!
i remember patricia ejercitado last year, she had this resemblance with this girl elima in terms of having this very filipina exotic looks. Ejercitado was obviously favored that time (with that trans looking MJ), but many were disappointed when these ladies started answering questions and the moment i heared them speak i initially said “nah, they’re not going to win this”. So, in short, dont shower this elima with so much praises coz the ultimate deciding factor in the end is how articulate and intelligent these girls in the final night. Look at those MJ fans, until now they cant move on.. tsk. tsk.. hope for the best!
Exactly! That I was trying to say to my previous post.
We both have same sentiments:) cheers to that! And please, to those people using the true Filipina beauty, ugh, don’t they have their own distinct beauty that’s why they joined and qualified to be part of this local pageant!
RE: Patricia Ejercitado
Prior to the coronation night last year – she was heavily bashed due to her “alleged” poor communication skills but she redeemed herself and proved her haters wrong by delivering an exquisite answer. Cmon’ guys, she gave one of the best answers last year – plus she didn’t falter anywhere in that answer.
“Judge: What do you think is the biggest personal obstacle that you have to overcome in your life?
PE: There is a time in my life that I doubted the existence of God. But then I realized that it was just God’s challenge for me. Now I know that He will always be there for me to pick me up and accepts me when I commit mistakes and I’m pursuing intimacy with the Lord.”
Plus, she was not favored at all. It was Janine who was heavily favored (by SMA herself) whether you admit it or not. And Janine was able to redeemed herself despite of all the negative criticism about her winning the MUP crown.
<– haters to the left pleaseeeeee….
Flash!!! Flash!!! Flash!!! Ines Ligron says ” she is the best” (referring to Elima). Read her tweets to Miss Pawee: Describing Charmaine as “CHOCOLATE BARBIE”. (Search it on Missosology)
I am torn between Charmaine and Pia.
Obviously, Charmaine exudes with the aura of a true Filipina beauty. Her skin, her eyes, her smile. She exemplifies best a Filipina beauty. I’d also like to her her speak. Substance, of course, is a great factor in choosing our winners. She might as well be prepared in sharing at least very satisfactory remarks when bombarded with mind-boggling questions (which beauty queens are supposed to readily answer impromtu). I personally would like her to win the MPU crown.
On the other hand, I would also like Pia to win the MPU crown. I think that sending two exotic true-Filipina beauties consecutively in MU would not be a good move. And another factor would be my A&Q bias. Personally speaking, I think Pia has trained harder under the Gaffud camp which I think makes her more ready. (But Charmaine also has her bundle of pageant experiences which also makes her very competent.)
I wish either of the two will win. Anyway, Pia might still do well in MI. Of course, their “standardized” taste for fair-complexioned girls will best suit for Pia. Charmaine, on the other hand, cannot but fit in another crown. It’s MPU or nothing.
I dunno. I’m still torn between the two.
I hope it won’t happen to her the fate of Ejercitado last year. The girl was over-hyped, but in the end she was just a finalist.
The first time you posted Charmaine’s pictures was January 19, 2013 and she took my breath away. Then you posted another of her on February 2, 2013 and that sealed the deal for me. The difference between her first picture and the pictures of her you’ve posted today shows she, in just a short period of time, has already started her evolution from local “fiesta queen” to a “national queen”. If she is indeed fortunate enough to get the BbPU crown, her transformation into an international queen will be quick, easy, and I’m sure, quite stunning. I consider myself a fan of hers and I’m wishing the best for her.
However, I haven’t handed her the crown yet. There are plenty of other factors that may come into play, i.e., someone coming out of nowhere and surprising us all and taking the top prize. It’s happened before and it can happen again. Coronation night can transform a dark horse into one who grabbed the spotlight that night and took it all. With that said, at this point in time, it would take an earthquake to move attention away from Charmaine. We’ll see if she battles her way to the top or if she folds under pressure and watches someone else walk away with the ultimate prize.
P.S. – it would not surprise me if that “dark horse”, “out of the blue”, “steps out of the shadows” person turns out to be Ara…
So nice of Charmaine to take her yaya and maids to the photshoot! Yun lang….
Yeah… I think my likes for Krisma and Pia are dying down… but damn this girl Charmaine!!! She has my vote now! I just saw a clip of her on youtube… the tone of her voice has that distinct Filipino “malambing” tone to it!
Also starting to like Ria, but not as much as I like Charmaine…
Norm, I consulted a dictionary and thesaurus and found what these words mean:
Timeless Beauty – meaning Charmaine
Captivating – meaning Charmaine
Fresh – meaning Charmaine
MONEY – meaning Charmaine. Her face is aguably symmetrical, highly editorial for high profile magazines.
Agree. And there could also be an acronym for Charmaine: M.U.P.? Anyone? 😉
y0u Finnish you 😉
Oh, hi Chrome. Good to hear from you. How’s your day? Finnished with work or just starting you week? 😉
just getting ready for another penny day Norm. I will try and Finnish the day with a bang and hope it wont be a Hel(sinki) day 😉
Oh, it won’t be. Just Finnish what you started at work and you won’t feel like an outdated Nokia phone at the end of the day. 🙂
@ Norm. The flowing charisma is inevitable for Charmaine. I hope she will do good in the finals.
Yes, Francis. Hopefully, she won’t disappoint in Q&A. 😉
Hi Norm, maybe you’re right MUP! I showed the photos of the ladies to my daughter, and she immediately said “this girl will win”. And she is pointing at Charmaine. I ask her why she thinks that, and she said ” She stood out among these girls”. I guess she’s got good taste at this age.
Your daughter has a good eye indeed. 🙂
My hair is always cut short, Sharon. Hump. 😉
Charmaine, will you marry me ? So I can design your gown …. With this timeless beauty i wonder what she looks like when she wakes up in the morning. My desire for her imperfections is drowned by her captivating looks.
Coronation night comes on Q&A i hope she will be asked “Which would rather have, money or beauty ? And her answer would be “Either. Money can make you beautiful and Beauty can make you money”.
Beside a Miss Universe Philippines and a Miss Universe crown on the horizon , this beauty will make lots and lots of money.
I never get tired of her beauty even with numerous visits on this blog. She has the face that grows on you. The kind of face that you long to see again and again. The beauty that you do not see very often in a local pageant. Kung ganda lamang ang pag-uusapan, cumpleto ang babaeng ‘to! Mula ulo hanggang paa elicits XFACTOR. That radiant look and the calmness in her face give the impression of being completely at peace within herself…Walang put ons…Sure about what she’s into. WALANG KAMUKHA. MUKHANG BIDA. ORIHINAL. NATURAL. ELIMA.
Dang! She is the one to beat ……she got that elusive X Factor! Just wishin that height issue would not be an disadvantage!
Very beautiful indeed!!! But mukhang walang “boobs”?
If only she has the height of Buquid then the show is over.
But with the height of 5’7, not bad at all.
I hope that if ever she won’t get the Universe title, a runner-up position will be the best shot.
It’s Universe or nothing.
definitely one of the faces to watch this year…i am also rooting for her to grab one of the major crowns, BBPU maybe…Norman, just wana suggest a ‘search’ part on your blog, i think it wud be great if u’ll have this here..cause i was trying to search one of your featured BBP candidate and all i have to do was to scroll down til i find the one im searching for.
I will look into that, Coco. Thanks for the suggestion. 😉
just what I thought 🙂 . I was doing the same thing earlier today hehehe but I used control F 😉 ,
She is a threat.If she’s going to an international pageant,everyone could say ”she’s a filipina even without a sash.With that skin,eyes and smile,they would turn She is a threat.If she’s going to an international pageant,everyone could say ”she’s a filipina even without a sash.With that skin,eyes and smile,they would turn She is a threat.If she’s going to an international pageant,everyone could say ”she’s a filipina even without a sash.With that skin,eyes and smile,they would turn She is a threat.If she’s going to an international pageant,everyone could say ”she’s a filipina even without a sash.With that skin,eyes and smile,they would turn their heads.
She is indeed a great threat if not the greatest threat for the other girls who are aiming for the top plum. She’s fresh, exotic, has a decent height and a very good educational background – I want to hear her talk more, though.
The interview section of the beauty pageant is often the absolute critical factor of the competition. The style of presentation of speech is arguably, the defining factor. I think Charmaine speaks in a noticeable educated Filipino accent or at least in a manner which immediately denotes a good level of education. As a fan, i know that she will be brilliant and charming. And yes, she is without shadow of a doubt, the biggest threat.