A #Grand Wish
With Miss Grand International now confirmed to happen in Phuket, Thailand on March 27, 2021, will a Philippine representative be announced by Bb. Pilipinas soon?
I certainly hope it will be Aya Abesamis. Fingers tightly crossed for that! 🤞
No other potential bet comes close to her readiness in taking on the job.
Gown by Leo Almodal
Photography/ Charvin Valdez Torne
Creative Direction/ Shandy Montecarlo Lim
Hmua/ Jessie C Maghuyop
Stylist/ Milton Salinas assisted by Rodel Dioso
Lightsman/ Rob Maca
Coordinator Richard Sumait
According to reports, Miss Grand International 2020 will be hosted for a second time in Caracas, Venezuela this coming October with the finals happening on the 25th of that month. And with Aya Abesamis positioned as Bb. Pilipinas Grand International 2019 after taking over Samantha Lo, it is but expected that she will suit up for that upcoming competition. 
Now just to spice things up a bit, I received word from Deliart Association – the organizers of The Miss Globe Beauty Pageant – that they would be very much open to having Aya represent the Philippines in its 2020 edition that will happen in Albania and Montenegro from October 27-November 15. 
Was it the final Q&A delivered in Spanish that convinced the judges to crown a Filipina last 2016 as Miss United Continents or Miss Continentes Unidos? Or did Jeslyn Santos present herself most consistently all throughout the competition? I believe it was destiny and all of the above. To actually participate in a Latina-dominated pageant in Guayaquil, Ecuador can already pose a big challenge for any Miss Filipinas. But just like Teresita Ssen Marquez who proved unstoppable in Bolivia on her way to the Reina Hispanoamericana title a year after, this lovely Bulakenya defied all odds and rose to the occasion to become the first Filipina winner of the title. Below are highlights of her performance in the finals.
Jeslyn paid her pageant dues with much hardwork and patience from the very first time that mentor John dela Vega started fielding her in Bb. Pilipinas. They also joined forces for the country’s participation in Miss World Peace 2015 held in Hong Kong. And unbeknownst to the two of them, it would still be their unbreakable duo that will pave the way for the trip to Ecuador for the international pageant. Miss United Continents is one pageant franchise that the latter firmly held on through the years. 
The Philippines did not participate during the first and second stagings of Miss Supranational. It was only during the third outing when a Filipina representative – Lourenz Grace Remetillo – was part of the roster, albeit with less funfare or media mileage. But when BPCI started to field delegates in 2012, the blossoming partnership began with Elaine Kay Moll placing 3rd Runner-Up. It got even better the following year when Mutya Datul was crowned winner. From there, all the Bb. Pilipinas Supranational titleholders went to Central/Eastern Europe and placed either in the Top 10 or Top 20/25 in alternating fashion – from 2014 to 2019. Quite a respectable record, I must add.
The Philippines’ relationship with Miss Grand International can be compared to a “love-hate” affair of sorts. We all know that its first two editions were still under John dela Vega who was able to prepare Ali Forbes all the way to a very good finish during the inaugural edition. It was only in 2015 when BPCI sent its first appointed delegate in the person of Parul Shah who placed 3rd Runner-Up. That started Top 5 placements that would stretch to 2016 with Nicole Cordoves getting 1st Runner-Up and 2017 when Elizabeth Clenci sustained a 2nd Runner-Up finish. After that, something turned sweetly sour. In the process, the missions of both Eva Psychee Patalinjug and Samantha Ashley Lo can be considered fleeting to say the least. But to be fair, our participation last year was saddled with a number of controversies that cannot be directly blamed to pageant owner Nawatt Itsiragrisil. 
Given the difficult situation we are all facing, we ask your generous hearts to help Araneta City and J. Amado Araneta Foundation – JAAF to provide the most essential needs for children, individuals and families greatly affected by the pandemic. All donations are much appreciated. No amount is too small. This is a great opportunity to show that we could be men and women for others.
Visit 
A good friend of mine (who’s also into pageantry and whose name I am keeping in confidence for now) asked me this question. For a long while after, I got stumped for a definitive reply:
The Bb. Pilipinas theme song – how well-loved this tune is. In this entry, check out its evolution through several decades of the annual beauty pageant.
Below is how composer Nonong Pedero originally envisioned the musical arrangement and interpretation of the iconic theme song of Bb. Pilipinas with all-female vocals.
This is the version with Apo Hiking Society as interpreters.
This was the version arranged by Ryan Cayabyab during Bb. Pilipinas 2000.
This was how the theme song was sung and arranged during the Ruby Year of Bb. Pilipinas back in 2003.
Below is the Bb. Pilipinas 2009 version of the theme song.
If you watch the entire clip below especially during the latter part, you can hear the version of the Bb. Pilipinas theme song back in 2010 – the last year that GMA-7 handled the production before it moved to ABS-CBN the following year.
This was the arrangement of the theme song during Bb. Pilipinas Gold as interpreted by Martin Nievera
This is already one of the modern versions of the same.
In the ongoing screenings for Century Tuna Superbods 2020 (which will have its Final Callback tomorrow), there are three interesting names and faces who joined in the auditions. And I bet that they are all shoo-ins to become Official Candidates:
normannorman.com 