Lin-ay kang Antique 2012: The Battle for the Crown

With the recent success of the country’s candidate to Miss Universe, Janine Tugonon, who almost won the most coveted crown in the universe, and the astonishing audience share of the coverage of Mr. Trump’s pageant, no doubt, Filipinos are really into beauty pageants.

Even in local setting, people are enticed to watch pageants to see the pretty faces, stunning curves, and impressive wits of the candidates. In Western Visayas, beauty pageants are considered as one of the highlights of festivals and town fiestas.

In Antique, the province where the mountains meet the seas, people also gather to witness the showdown of beauties. Lovely ladies from different towns vie for the crown of Lin-ay kang Antique.

According to the organizers, the Lin-ay kang Antique is a competitive search for an Antiqueña who would serve as the model for other women in Antique and who would serve as the province's ambassador of goodwill to Antiqueño communities around the world and would help bind them as people who could look back with pride and look ahead with confidence.

Notwithstanding the fact that this is just a local pageant, it has already produced regional and national beauties like Miss Emmerie Dale Cunanan, Lin-ay kang Antique 2008, who was crowned Miss Turismo Filipina 2009 2nd Runner-Up and Miss Philippines Water 2010.

Last December 28, 2012, Fourteen (14) hopefuls competed for the crown, fame, and honor. Because of so many intrigues and controversies, I was tempted to create a blog about Lin-ay kang Antique. So allow me to share my observations and insights.

1. Import-Export

The province of Antique has eighteen municipalities. But never use simple arithmetic in counting how many towns were not represented. It’ll confuse you. There’s a town which did not appear on the beautifully-made-patadyong-sash but believe me, not just one but two candidates were residents of that town. Unfortunately, they were representing the neighboring towns. It has been a tradition in local pageants to get “imports” from other places to secure an advantage. One candidate corroborated this when she posted, “I've got the best support someone could have ever had from a town not even officially her own.” There’s no wrong with that because it can be defended by saying, “Ang lolo ng lolo ko ay taga dito.” Hehehe! Well, we cannot blame the ladies if they cannot get enough support from their hometowns.

2. No Show

As mentioned, there were unrepresented towns. Let me just commend the local government of Caluya and Libertad for sending their representatives to the provincial pageant. Considering the fact that the former is an island municipality and the latter is a fifth-class municipality, they exerted extra efforts in order to send their candidates, not just for their towns to be represented, but to help the ladies reach their goals.

Miss Libertad Jessie Jean Mangilaya is really pretty with or without makeup. I wish she was part of the Top 5.

3. The Veterans

It is pretty usual in every pageant to have the so-called “veterans.” Miss Tibiao, Gracechele Mae Managuit, is already a beauty titlist having won several pageants in her school. And Miss Valderrama, Zyra Grace Vedad, has numerous titles including Miss Western Visayas Tourism 1^st Runner-Up and Miss Silka Panay 2012. They are both stunning. Since then, I thought that the crown would either go to Miss Tibiao or Miss Valderrama.

 4. The Misconceptions

With regard to the results, many were disappointed. But not me! These were the few misconceptions after the pageant:

a. The Quicker, The Better.

Miss Tibiao won the title but many were displeased. For others, she did not answer the question spontaneously. It’s true! But “spontaneously” is different from “correctly.” She still answered the final question correctly. Answers delivered spontaneously are different from answers delivered correctly. The former has the chance to be wrong.

b. The More Audience, The More Chances of Winning.

You can say this but audience impact only comprises about five (5) or ten (10) percent of the criteria. I was rolling in the aisles when I heard someone say, “Miss San Jose nagdaog kay rako palakpak!” (Miss San Jose won because of so many applauses). It’s her hometown; of course people will cheer for her. Imagine a Filipina shouting “USA! USA! USA!” during the announcement of Miss Universe 2012? Hehe!

c. Back to Zero.

This happens during the final interview wherein the hosts would say “Back to zero!” So people think that whoever gives the best answer wins the pageant. This is not the reality. In the final round, the candidates are not only judged according to intelligence, but also according to beauty and character. If the case is otherwise, then it is not a “beauty” pageant anymore. I put emphasis on the word “beauty.” Hehe! Others might say intelligence is more important than beauty. If this is the rationale, then don’t join or watch a beauty pageant. Let me bring you to an extemporaneous or oration contest. J Remember Janine Tugonon did not win the crown despite her very clever answer.

d. You Got Talent so the Crown is Yours.

Kapag may talent, kokoronahan agad? As in agad-agad? Haha! I found myself LOL when I heard someone say “Kanugon, dapat tana nagdaog kay may talent tana kabay!” (Sayang, dapat siya ang nanalo kasi may talent). Waaah! This is not a talent search. This is not Antique Got Talent. Hehe!

With all the exchange of blows, disappointments, and protests, it is safe to say that, indeed, this is the most controversial year for Lin-ay kang Antique. I firmly believe that Miss Tibiao, Miss San Jose, and Miss Valderrama deserve their titles as Lin-ay kang Antique 2012, First Runner-up, and Second Runner-up respectively. Bottomline: In a beauty pageant, candidates are being judged according to 3B’s –beauty, body, and brain – and character. The competition has ended. Congratulations to all the winners. Needless to say, people from Antique are good looking. J Let us now pray for the betterment of the province. Kruuuhay Antique!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the photos posted in this blog.