Left to right: Miss Maja Pilipinas 1992 Marina Benipayo, Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1992 Elizabeth Berroya, Bb. Pilipinas World 1992 Marilen Espino, Bb. Pilipinas International 1992 Jo-Anne Alivio and 1st Runner-up Hazel Huelves (Photo credit: Tony Paat)
Marina is a model's model, no doubt
With a name like Marina Pura Abad Santos Benipayo, one would think that the lady is a throwback to the Carnival Queens of long ago. But not this Marina. She is every inch a modern Filipina who, in her pageant time, held the title of Miss Maja Pilipinas 1992 but ended up representing the country in Miss World instead. That’s the twist of fate that favored her. And the lost opportunity of the original Bb. Pilipinas World 1992 Marilen Espino who contracted chicken pox just when she was ready to experience the once-in-a-lifetime experience of going to Sun City in South Africa. Marina-to-the-Rescue mode.
Marina Benipayo, the model
After fulfilling all her obligations to BPCI, Marina went back to modeling and her star on the runway soared higher than ever before. After all, she was already a beauty titleholder and her constant appearances in fashion shows were enough to interest a lot of people, especially the uninitiated who never knew that she was already at the top of her game before joining Bb. Pilipinas 1992.
Marina walking the runway with her loving partner, actor Ricardo Cepeda
Through the years, she was on an eternal quest to reinvent herself as a career person, while maintaining her status as one of the country’s top runway divas and a driving force behind the Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP). She became a writer for Philippine Daily Inquirer with her own column – ‘
Bylines‘ – where she always unleashes her penned thoughts and opinions on an assortment of subject matters. And wanting to impart her knowledge and inspire the young ones, she took on teaching/training stints at the School for the Fashion and the Arts (SoFA).
Marina, the Teleserye actress
But what really hooked her up to the masses are recurring acting stints in some of ABS-CBN’s Primetime
Teleseryes like “Mirabella” and “
Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin” (I Will Just Love You Tomorrow). She is now part of the network’s stable of character actresses who will never run out of projects if she chooses to sign up for all the offers.
Marina with her two sons Joshua (left) and Mark
On the personal side, she continues to sustain a healthy and loving relationship with Richard Go (
actor Ricardo Cepda to you) and is able to build a strong bond with the latter’s teenaged kids and vice versa. She has two sons – Mark and Joshua – from her marriage with César Vincenzo de Sequera.
Good luck in all your future endeavors, Marina! And may my style of writing for your Senti Sunday Special merit a passing grade. 😉
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normannorman.com 
Hi Norman, thanks for the feature, i really appreciate it 🙂 thank you too, Jim B, for justifying my age 🙂 i was actually already 25 years old when i joined Bb. Pilipinas. The age limit then was 26. Not sure though if it has changed since pageant contestants get younger and younger by the year! Ruffa and Charlene are way younger than me. I am now 46, turning 47 on March.. and proud of it 🙂 again, many thanks to Norman and the ones who wrote their comments 🙂 Let’s all persevere – God bless!
btw, marina was on the ipaglaban mo episode oct 25. for those interested heres the link. http://www.pinoynetwork.to/video/ipaglaban-mo-10-25-14/
how about a story on Bambi Arambulo? Methinks if she and Anna Lorraine switched places, both would have placed in 1977
I can’t say much but adore that pic of her’s wearing a Moslem-inspired gown wit hubby. She looks so regal. Unfortunately, I didn’t see her as a beauty queen and I have yet to see her portraying roles in TV films. Nice write-up, Norman! You seem to love our past Maja Queens. 😉
They appear to be the most forgotten title holders, dex.
But most of them appear and appeal to me as the ones that remained queenly over time. 🙂
Yeah, most of them.
i remember her for her posture. very regal. thanks for the wonderful article abour marina
90’s, the time when Supermodels dominated the pageant world.
Sir Norman, so Marilen Espino didn’t get the chance to compete internationally at all?
bet on your baby! hahaha bet na bet ko mga anak nya, lol. hahaha
I like her…She is very elegant…..and her crown as Bb. PILIPINAS MAJA….very nice..san na kaya eto.
Bilis nyang tumanda, to think na 1yr ahead lang sya kay Ruffa and 2yrs kay Charlene.
Marina was 23 going 24 when she won in 1992. Ruffa was 19 when she won in 1993. Charlene was 20 when she won in 1994. that makes Marina ahead by 5 years kina Ruffa N Charlene. Marina was also a Bodyshots winner in 1988, beating Gem Padilla who would emerge later as Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1990