Subic Beach Bodies 2009: Sneak Peek

GJRE, the production that behind Beach Bodies, commissioned me once again to aid in the staging of this year’s bikini showdown. For its 8th edition and the first time in Beach Bodies history, GJRE has decided to make the contest exclusive to females hence the search is on for ‘Miss Beach Bodies’. However, we are also brewing a separate event for the appealingly fierce men who are just as eligible to wear bikinis. That – is something to look forward to. For now, here are snapshots from the first scheduled screening of hopeful ladies who made that one afternoon hot even if the sun had set.

WoW (Words of Wisdom) Riyo!

I was captivated by Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori when she did her farewell walk prior coronation of Venezuelan beauty Dayana Mendoza who eventually succeeded Mori. Personally, I find this part of such shows interesting because I get to know and see what the outgoing winners have become during their reign; had they improved or do they look like they really need replacement already.

Several interesting things with Riyo I think are first, her beauty is remarkable but still realistic and not tiring. Many just seem too beautiful that looking at them is tantamount to looking at a mannequin hence the feeling is devoid of a sense of life. Riyo is among the Misses Universe who looks human. Also, Riyo is the second Japanese miss to win the crown after more than 2 decades which is really impressive considering that until the few recent years seldom do slit-eyed Asians get a chance to get into the top 10 since they tend to be deviant from the norms. For instance, often their representatives tend to wear something that is far from being an evening gown for the gown competition.

Now, speaking of deviance, Riyo chose to wear a ladies’ tux in her final walk instead of a flowing dress many anticipated. She’s the first I know to do that and I give that personal statement two thumbs up. For me it’s a very charming way of asserting her identity and the ideal representation of how far had today’s women claimed social recognition through their perseverance and intelligence. They’ve broken the bounds of inferiority which the society had defined for them because there isn’t really a need for competition between the sexes. A few also reproved Riyo’s not wearing the crown while making her walk but I guess that was because first, a crown and tux doesn’t look right together although she wore the crown with a long dress in the early part of the show. Second, this year’s crown is not from the Mikimoto tiara Mori won last year so maybe the transition would not be exemplified if past year’s queen fastens a different crown to her successor. Lastly, my search in YouTube for replays revealed that Mori isn’t the only miss to walk without the crown; 2003 winner Amelia Vega of Dominican Republic was likewise guilty.

Still, most important was Mori’s message which thankfully was not confined to the typical thank-you-miss-universe-and-everybody-else and to-my-successor-well-wishes. Next to Natalie Glebova’s in 2006 that tells about making a difference, Riyo’s is a favorite:

Finally to all the young people of the world, if I could do it, so can you. Never give up on your dreams, always look ahead. Be patient, positive and happy.

Subic Beach Bodies 2008

Subic Beach Bodies, the most prestigious bikini championship in town is now on its 7^th year. I’ve always been eager to watch it since the pilot show but didn’t know reasons good enough to convince my parents to let me go. First, my folks are rather conservative and second, it’s usually held on a Saturday night and lasts until past midnight hence is a no-no for a churchgoer on Sunday morns.

Few days after seeing a poster for the screenings, my officemate and I bumped into Gigz, the organizer who pioneered the event. I half-jokingly asked for complimentary tickets and to see the outcome of the photoshoot. What he said surprised us: that complimentary tickets are no problem but we could get involved if we want to. So that’s where my volunteer work started. I was tasked to produce the tickets which, despite being instructed to keep simple, I still tried to make it look worth its price. Of course I wouldn’t let my tickets look the worst sold in 7 years of the event! 700 commercial and 200 complimentary tickets were produced – I was hands-on from design to printing and purchase of paper to cutting accounting to 90% of the labor.

As if that isn’t a lot of work yet, I also made the visuals which started with selecting from 1,000+ photos, the five best shots of each contestant. Surprisingly, my parents didn’t make negative remarks when they saw me browsing photos of sexy people in skimpy swimwear. My mom even helped me decide on few good shots. Next is conceiving a design to match this year’s native motif. Thanks to Google photo search, I found beautiful photos of a palm leaf and a native wall décor perfect for the slide design.

Making the slideshow involved sleeping late and waking up before dusk for few days. The draft printout of the slides immediately got the thumbs up of the members of the production. Even the photographer in charge of the pictorials at the yacht club whom I just got acquainted with for the event was impressed with the design and the choice of photos. Four slideshows were made: the females, males, sponsors credits and event banner

The preparations required meeting with the other staffs and some sponsors almost daily after office hours.

The finals were held on a stormy night hence the sudden need to transfer the venue from the beach front to the theater-type arts center. From the original lineup of 24 pairs, only 14 females and 19 males competed in the finals. Many were not yet onboard during the pictorials while several who where in earlier later withdrew from the competition.

My first personal encounter with the candidates was during the pre-finals of the ladies held 2 weeks earlier than the guys’ which was held a day before the grand night. I also judged the males during the pre-pageant. I did have my own all-time favorites while there were some who just impressed me in a particular category. Generally, the candidates are more gorgeous in person than in photos but most of them are short with only two or three of the same height as mine considered to be the tall ones in the group.

I had also learned and witnessed several crises of the event such as withdrawn sponsorships and conflicts among organizers, talent handlers and the models themselves. I very much wanted to investigate the backstage happenings but I had to man the laptop to make sure that the credits roll during breaks.

Overall, the show was a success. Every eye had its full of the pretty faces, chiseled torsos and whistle-worthy curves that made the audience forget the wind howling outside at strength signal number 3.

I did have a generous share of freebies including two sponsored shirts, and an extra bikini exactly what the male candidates wore which for now could only serve as a motivation until it fits me gorgeously too. However, what is most rewarding is the chance to meet new people who are equally creative and kind – Ahl, Jomar, Lloyd, Donny, Benson, and the others – and the compliments I received for a job well done.

Photoshoot at Subic Bay Yacht Club by Donny Danasco

Tickets

Some slides

A short break while the credits roll

More photos from gallery of Boris Torneros, professional and official photographer

Females - Denim
Males - Denim
Females - Choice Swimwear
Males - Choice Swimwear
Females - Finals
Males - Finals
Awarding


(This is what kept me occupied during the few weeks of May that I haven’t posted in this blog)

Jarelle in McDonald’s Teen Idol

In celebration of its 1^st anniversary, a local outlet of McDonald’s organized a pageant dubbed “McDonald’s Teen Idol: The Search for Today’s Youth Icon”. Six pairs from 6 public high schools were chosen to compete and McDonald’s shall sponsor a benefit project of the school/s of the winners; my cousin, Jarelle, represented theirs.

The contest was divided into three events – presentation night, talent night and the grand finale – held from March to April. She appointed me to be her handler and regularly consults me on what to say, do and wear except for her talent presentation for which she shed little money for a choreographer. One hot Sunday afternoon, she went on our place to seek help getting fixed for studio pictorials and on evenings prior an event, she sees me so we could polish details. The night before the finals, I told her the dos and don’ts of long gown competition based on my experiences in judging such. We even had to wrap a sheet around her waist to make her used to the long and heavy skirt and she complained about having to sustain a smile and her back straight but nonetheless enjoyed doing it. We also brainstormed on several questions that may possibly be asked in the interview portion. It helped a lot since we’ve tackled something to the question asked on the finals hence she was able to give a rather practical but smart answer without sounding scripted.

In the end, marketing in some way remained the primary goal of McDonald’s hence popularity based on availed vote stubs had the largest bearing in the criteria. Jarelle won just one prize – Best in Long Gown. The pictures will do the boasting.

The experience was both exciting and disappointing especially when that stupid sound operator suddenly killed the music when Jarelle was just hurriedly changing for the next part of her talent presentation thus displacing the momentum and ending her stint early.

On the other hand, I still comment McDonald’s for the clever concept of the production numbers. One presented the candidates portraying modern-day superheroes who at the start wore black cloaks with issues confronting the youth such as drug addiction, prostitution, and the like, written on labels on their backs and then they battle the villain representing bad influence or cause of such misdemeanors. The other number motivates the youth to pursue their dreams; the candidates portrayed successful professionals through a dance interpreting a Filipino song that translates to “Forward! Fight! Don’t regress… It’s possible”

To Jarelle, realize that you are still successful because you managed to handle with grace, the obstacles you’ve encountered in the duration of the contest and I guess that is the ultimate purpose of beauty pageants: to bring out a better person in the participants; always smiling and head high.

I [Feel] So Sorry

I missed the telecast of this year’s Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) coronation night; the first time in years. I was disappointed upon learning from my cousin that she had watched it the night before. It seems to me that the event lacked publicity – that is before it was held.

I was bugged by my curiosity regarding its outcome until the evening news featured former winner of the pageant-turned-actress and host Ruffa Guttierez commenting on the win of Janina San Miguel. That fueled my curiosity more thus the following day, I searched for a clip of its coverage. [Watch video]

I can’t hold back my laughs as I tried to comprehend what she was saying and how she tried to amuse herself out of her situation.

Unfortunately, I can’t find other video clips that could show me how the other candidates of the Top 10 performed in the interview portion hence I have no basis whether the others did better than her (i.e., she might be just be bad and somebody else is worse). Yet, I do not find Janina’s answer fit of a beauty queen especially that Bb. Pilipinas is one of the most prestigious pageants in the country.

Further, I was looking for the proper speech and manners expected of most beauty queens. Agent Gracie Heart (Sandra Bullock – Miss Congeniality) had been corrected by her mentor for Ms. United States when she used “yeah” instead of “yes”. Didn’t Janina used “guys” to refer to the audience? Honestly, I find something unnatural and funny with her facial expressions; I’m so sorry, they’re really was (error intended)

It makes me think therefore that if Janina could win, the standards of BPCI may have declined to a level of being too forgiving to its recruits or maybe, the weights of the criteria might be imbalanced.

Further, I wonder why it seemed that Bb. Pilipinas-World is given better regard than Bb. Pilipinas-Universe. Although we know that the three titles of Binibini are of equal rank because all its bearers get to compete in the international arena, throughout the years, BPCI had established the impression that Ms. Universe is regarded best among the other two hence when the 1999 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Janelle Bautista was dethroned due to other issues, then Bb. Pilipnas-World Miriam Quiambao took-over and represented the country in the Ms.Universe pageant in Trinidad and Tobago were she finished 1^st Runner-up. This year though, Bb. Pilipinas-World was announced last and Janina even stood in between the two other titlists.

I have to agree with Ruffa that Janina should take the challenge to improve her weaknesses in preparation for Ms. World pageant. It seems that the only way she could redeem herself is to bring home the crown and be Philippine’s first-ever Miss World.

I never thought we would have our own equivalent of Miss Teen South Carolina 2007 a year after Lauren Caitlin Upton created waves in America. Anyway, they both finished in the top 5 and were applauded in the swimsuit competitions.

Hah! Imagine them meeting everywhere such as and talking about maps and families. I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to be mean. (Pun intended)

A Weekend of Beauty Pageants

I was invited by my alma mater to be a judge for this year’s Search for Mr. and Ms. ACLC which was held last Saturday, March 3, as part of their 10th anniversary.

AMA Computer Learning Center Olongapo was my first school for tertiary education (but is rightfully a technical school rather than a college) from where I earned my Associate in Computer Programming.

I myself had been a contestant in several pageants but it was my first time to be invited to judge such event and I was so excited about it. The first thing I did after being informed of it by Ma’am Shan was to text my instructor for a subject where I was supposed to have an oral defense on about the same time as the show. I asked whether I may have my defense on an earlier schedule which thankfully he agreed to squeeze me in his other class slated 2PM.

The call time was 6PM, I showered at about 5. I did my make-up and got dressed but did not wear my barong yet. I rode a tricycle to the venue which is just two streets from ours carrying the garment in a hanger and covered with a clear plastic. There were just few people in the park when I arrived; most are the staff still busy setting up the computers, projector, lights and other stuff while the candidates are being prepped up in the dressing booth. I greeted Ma’am Vanz, the school director, and some others including Ma’am Rose, who was our college dean in another school and was also invited as juror. We exchanged some hellos and waited until the show started at about quarter to 8.

This year’s theme was wedding and for the first part of the show, the candidates did not wear bridal gowns but rather dresses likely worn by the entourage. I must say that despite several blunders due to short preparation, the candidates did an amusing opening number. Even during the production, we had to keep a keen eye to the contestants because scores shall be tabulated immediately after to determine the “Best Performers”.

Another highlight and perhaps the most cheered portion of the event was the “Stag Party/Bridal Shower Costume”. I find this a good shift from the typical swimwear portion. The ladies wore their respective interpretations ranging from sadistic cowgirl costume to lacy lingerie while the men are ruggedly shirtless. The girls did a sexy stint in the horizontal steel bar on the stage while the guys, although some are already shirtless, did some striptease on chairs.

During the formal wear and Q&A, I was most attentive to details. Believe me! I might have been very meticulous but I did stretch my neck just to catch a glimpse whether the men are wearing the right color of dress socks with their formals! (Simon Cowell must have been my friend. HaHa)

All in all, the whole program turned out successfully and we had a great time although we experienced drizzles thrice and had to cover our heads with the folder for our score sheets. It rained lightly during the final photo ops.

More than having been invited, I am glad that the event served as a reunion with my former mentors and friends in ACLC. Andrea, my fellow winner during our pageant in 2002 also came as a judge and I must say that this lady has sustained her admirable traits since our reign and eventually gets prettier each time. Sir Hodge’s warmth has never ceased since our old times as mentor and student; he truly deserves all the success he now has. I was also surprised to see again our curriculum adviser in high school, Dr. Roger Nuqui, who did a marvelous job in hosting the event keeping it interesting from start to end.

I must also thank Erwin Gonzales and his staff, Jessa and Rona, who always sponsor the stunning barongs I wear in my events. This time, they lent me a brown jusi barong embroidered with bamboo design. (It’s a funny coincidence that all three of us, judges, wore brown that night)

The rain had died down. The program was over by about 11PM. I haven’t spotted a tricycle around the area and I walked the damp way home which I didn’t really mind because it’s dark and only very few people are on the streets; I can hardly be recognized.

When I got home, I had my dinner while watching another pageant – the Binibining Pilipinas 2007 coronation. I only stayed up until the Q&A for the semi-finalists.

True, I may have graduated from ACLC Olongapo 4 years ago but I never was completely separated. Whatever I may have achieved now, ACLC has significantly contributed to my professional and personal growth. My humble beginning in the Mr. ACLC pageant in 2002, has been more than a victory already won. A petty school pageant it might have been but it’s the springboard that made me confident and competent in my succeeding competitions. I had relinquished the title last year, but the Mr. ACLC in me lives on.

More and more computer schools enter the arena as the years go by. I believe that ACLC Olongapo could skillfully keep pace, “a decade and beyond”…

My English instructors then - Ma'am Nitz and Ma'am Shan

Receiving the token of appreciation from Ma'am Vangie and Sir Hodge