MJ Lastimosa

All posts tagged MJ Lastimosa

Journeys: The Rebirth of Kagandahang Flores

Posted by Norman on November 17, 2021
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


KF’s new logo

Earlier tonight, an online media launch was held for Kagandahang Flores (KF) which signals the rebirth of an exciting new campaign for the successful beauty camp that has produced countless national and international beauty titleholders since it started way back in 1995.

Since then, KF has managed to stand the test of time and gradually evolved into becoming one of the most sought-after training groups for pageant aspirants and crowned titleholders who have represented the Philippines well in Global pageants here and abroad. Names like Precious Lara Quigaman, Bea Rose Santiago and Karen Ibasco went through its tried-and-tested methods in achieving victory, with fresh new winners like Roxie Baeyens and Naelah Alshorbaji adding more luster to the camp’s reputation.

Journey in Beauty
“Beauty is everywhere…it is a journey…you just have to recognize it.”


KF Founder Rodgil Flores and co-founder Gio Lazaro are at the forefront of this brand new reimagining for the camp, tagged as The Engineer and Queenmaker respectively. Not many people know that the former is an actual Chemical Engineer by profession, while the latter is one of the most respected makeup gurus in the country. Together, they will lead a team of talented professionals whose individual specializations contribute to the all-around development of future pageant aspirants and beauty queens.

Gio Flores for Aesthetics, Hair and Makeup
Angelo Mendez for Nutrition and Fitness
Michael Dimapinto for Q&A, Current Events and Public Speaking
Andrew Bryan Galleguez for Makeup
Karen Loren Agustin for Personality Development & Image Styling


Just to refresh your memory on the Queens who have been trained and polished by KF, here are some of them (aside from those mentioned above): Rachel Peters, MJ Lastimosa, Karla Henry, Jamie Herrell, Angelia Ong, Gazini Ganados and Emma Tiglao. Very recently, Miss Aura International Alexandra Faith Garcia and The Miss Globe 2021 Maureen Montagne were added to the tally of successful beauty champions.

There are more, but this list will go on forever if we name them one by one.

In summary, KF is welcoming to each and everyone who wants to start a journey with them. Being a KF Beauty is not just being part of a camp, but a member of a family that will look after you along the way.

Start your journey in beauty with KF.

Will Janine Tugonon be one of the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 judges?

Posted by Norman on October 13, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .


It’s no secret by now that Miss Universe 2012 1st Runner-Up Janine Tugonon will be coming home to the Philippines. The last time she visited was back in 2018. And according to the IG account of Aces & Queens, she will be watching the finals of the national pageant in person. Well, it doesn’t take a genius to conclude that she will possibly be one of the judges because there are no spectators allowed in the event except for the candidates, the organization, the production team, the judges and perhaps, a small representation from the host city. So where does she classify among those groups?

Anyway, I would really love to see an all-Filipina lineup of phenomenal judges for the finals – namely, Venus Raj, Janine Tugonon, Ara Arida, Maxine Medina and Pia Wurtzbach as Chairman of the Board. And why don’t we include National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee for good measure? It will even be a show of unity if Bianca Manalo, MJ Lastimosa and Rachel Peters are to be invited. But I guess that would be asking too much.

What do you think, dear readers?

Miss Universe 2014: Welcome to Doral, Florida!

Posted by Norman on April 24, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 25: Miss Colombia Paulina Vega is crowned Miss Universe 2015 onstage during The 63rd Annual Miss Universe Pageant at Florida International University on January 25, 2015 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images)

Photo by Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images

If the Philippines waited for more than four decades to win its 3rd Miss Universe crown, then consider Colombia more patient because it took the country more than five and a half decades before its second win in the annual competition. But let us talk about the location of the 63rd edition first.

Back in 2014, Miss Universe was held in an unlikely host city which no pageant fan would instinctively guess as the venue for our favorite beauty pageant – Doral, a city in Miami-Dade Country, Florida known for a lot of parks, educational institutions and a good-sized Latin American population – save for big-time pageantry. Here’s a bit of trivia, did you know where the name “Doral” originated from?

” In the late 1950s, real estate pioneers Alfred and Doris Kaskel purchased 2,400 acres of swampland between Northwest 36 Street and Northwest 74 Street and from Northwest 79 Avenue to Northwest 117 Avenue for about $49,000, intending to build a golf course and hotel. In 1962, the Doral Country Club opened in western Dade County, featuring the blue, red and par-3 golf courses, along with a hotel on Miami Beach. The “Doral” name combined Doris and Alfred. As Doral’s very first structure, the Doral Hotel and Country Club became the area’s hot spot: guests were transported from the beach to the country club for a day on the golf course.

The Miss Universe 2014 Top 5
(Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images)

2014 was the time when I thought that: 1) Nia Sanchez would do an Olivia Culpo and become the next Miss USA winner of Miss Universe or 2) a short-haired beauty from Jamaica named Kaci Fennell would take it all the way or 3) Ukrainian bet Diana Harkusha will be favored by Trump. But no, the Colombian beauty Paulina Vega will not be denied this much-awaited win. And she claimed victory at the Florida International University last January 25, 2015.

MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 25: Miss Philippines Mary Jean Lastimosa onstage in evening gown during The 63rd Annual Miss Universe Pageant at Florida International University on January 25, 2015 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images)

Photo by Troy Rizzo/FilmMagic

Our bet, MJ Lastimosa, pushed her presence till the Top 10. She bowed out after the evening gown competition. There were inside stories back then – less than pleasant mostly – that surrounded her bid for the crown. From the laughed-at National Costume to the (rumored) ambushed evening gown she wore for the first official photoshoot to the alleged backstage reprimand she got from Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta to the crazy buzz that went around in pageant circles about the white evening gown she wore during Finals Night. I was told that there were more juicy talks, but it’d be best to digress at this point.

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Back to Paulina, she took full advantage of her reign as Miss Universe which lasted for a little over a month short of one full year. She became a TV host in her native country and continued work as a commercial model. Her public appearances in the US are also updated, with the photo below taken just middle of last month in New York (before the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown) when she attended the launch of The Connected Watch by Tag Heuer at the Caldwell Factory.

Now at 27, she still remains single and with no potential boyfriend waiting in the sidelines. Yet.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – MARCH 12, 2020: Paulina Vega attends the Launch of The New Connected Watch by TAG Heuer at the Caldwell Factory in New York City.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Ron Adar / Echoes Wire/ Barcroft Studios / Future Publishing (Photo credit should read Ron Adar / Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

The Philippines’ Finest in Miss Universe

Posted by Norman on February 25, 2019
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .


Eight of the Philippines’ finest in Miss Universe during last night’s Tribute Concert. No wonder the country is the envy of every pageant-loving country in the Universe:

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach

Miss Universe 2013 3rd Runner-Up Ara Arida

Miss Universe 2011 3rd Runner-Up Shamcey Supsup-Lee

Miss Universe 2010 4th Runner-Up Venus Raj

Miss Universe 2016 Top 6 Maxine Medina

Miss Universe 2017 Top 10 Rachel Peters and

Miss Universe 2014 Top 10 MJ Lastimosa

How I wish Miss Universe 2012 1st Runner-Up Janine Tugonon flew in from the US to join the eight others. :-/

Miss Universe 2014 Reunion in Panglao

Posted by Norman on August 22, 2018
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , .

Here are photos of the reuniting Miss Universe 2014 beauties when they stayed at the vacation-worthy paradise in Panglao, Alona Tropical Beach Resort. The ladies were extended the warmest welcome and hospitality led by its ever-reliable Deo Guden who really prepared for their much-anticipated visit.

#WishIWasThere

Photo credit: TJ Medrana Photography

Coming Soon: A Reunion of the Miss Universe 2014 Candidates in the Philippines

Posted by Norman on July 23, 2018
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .


The strong friendship started during Miss Universe 2014 held in Doral, Florida, U.S.A. when a large group of candidates forged a sisterhood that has stood the test of time even if we are just talking of an edition held more than three years ago. They’ve had reunions held in recent years, the last one being in Costa Rica around this time last year.

This year, and based on the latest IG post of Miss Universe Philippines 2014 MJ Lastimosa, thirty (30) of the ladies who participated in the Doral edition will be coming over to the country for their annual reunion around middle of next month. MJ, obviously, will be hosting them.

And with the fresh confirmation I received today from a good friend, Bohol Province will be one of the several pit stops in their vacation along with Cebu, Palawan and more. According to him, the visiting beauties will be accomodated at Alona Beach Resort, Amorita, Henann and Bellevue from August 19-21. The other details outside of Bohol are still unconfirmed, but the 3D/2N stay in Panglao alone is a guarantee of their arrival.

So expect ladies like Nia Sanchez of the U.S.A., Migbelis Castellanos of Venezuela and Kaci Fennell of Jamaica to be Philippine-bound soon!

A Gathering of Miss Universe Philippines titleholders

Posted by Norman on December 9, 2017
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Six of the Miss Universe Philippines titleholders were gathered together during the Charity Fashion Gala at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino last Thursday night. From the photo above, they are (left to right): MJ Lastimosa (2014), Maxine Medina (2016), Ara Arida (2013), Bianca Manalo (2009), Shamcey Supsup (2011) and Venus Raj (2010). If only Janine Tugonon (2012) was here in Manila, the ensemble would have been complete.

And in the photo below, the group got bigger when Miss Universe Philippines 2017 Rachel Peters joined them in a selfie taken by Maxine.

Thanks to Sein Gonatice for the topmost and upper left photos.

Miss Universe Charity Fashion Gala | Hope for Change Foundation

Posted by Norman on December 8, 2017
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Last night at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino, the Miss Universe Charity Fashion Gala was held in cooperation with Frontrow Cares and Hope for Change Foundation. Our visiting Miss Universe titleholders Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and Iris Mittenaere – along with our very own Pia Wurtzbach walked the runway for a good cause. Wearing creations by our top designers like Francis Libiran and Rajo Laurel, they were joined by the Miss Universe 2017 national winners who also displayed their taste and elegance in gowns made by the likes of Mark Bumgarner, Frederick Peralta, Edwin Uy, Val Taguba, Rocky Gathercole, Cherry Samuya Veric, Ofelia Simpao and more.

What added special glitter to the event was the presence of six of our Miss Universe Philippines winners – Bianca Manalo, Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, Ara Arida, MJ Lastimosa and Maxine Medina – who also participated in the fashion show and presented onstage in chronological order of their years in competition.

Six of our Miss Universe Philippines titleholders from Bianca Manalo to Maxine Medina

Here are some video clips from the show itself.

Error
This video doesn’t exist