Is it just me or is the rivalry of beauty camps not as pronounced in this year’s edition of Bb. Pilipinas compared to the past number of years? Truth be told, it was only now in the homestretch of the competition that I am blogging about this subject matter when it was usually just a day or two of the announcement of Official Candidates that I would do so.

There are those who quip that beauty camps are divisive. But in a pageant-crazy nation like the Philippines, they are already embedded in the fabric of national beauty pageants. They are the crucial support system of the ladies in all the preparations, just as much as being the source of moral and emotional guidance as secondary parents of sorts. I believe that they are here to stay for good.

And then there are the brave Independents who weathered the ups and downs of the journey since Day 1. They have their allies here and there, but nothing that would equate to strength in numbers.

In tomorrow night’s Grand Coronation, expect the camp wars to still be felt, but not to stormy proportions. After all, half of the indies are still in the thick of the fight as front-runners. And if the breaks come their way, I won’t be surprised if they can successfully follow Catriona’s trail in 2018 when she decided to go through the entire thing as one.

Just to formalize now, below are the photo grids of the Binibinis from Kagandahang Flores (KF) Camp and Team Aces&Queens, plus the quartet of Independents in Bb. Pilipinas 2019.

The seventeen Binibinis from KF Camp