Beauty contests galore

More pageant platforms join thriving season

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

With major pageants on the upswing, smaller platforms have joined the foray with their respective competitions - making November, December, and even January 2022 filled with up-and-coming international events.

After the Hiyas ng Pilipinas sent Shannon Tampon to Turkey to compete in the Miss Elite World international finals, another local entity sent Gianna Llanes to compete in the Miss Glamour International 2021 that will culminate in Oaxaca, Mexico on Nov. 7 (9 am, Philippine time.) This competition unfolds on the same day (albeit on a different time slot) that the United Arab Emirates crowns its first delegate to the 70th Miss Universe pageant.

(P.S. Unfortunately, both the Miss Glamour International 2021 and Miss Universe UAE 2021 did not take place as scheduled. Both shows were cancelled citing varied reasons.)

After the above-mentioned contests, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2021 Samantha Panlilio will be flying to Phuket, Thailand for the final show on Dec. 4. The day after, Samela Godin, one of the finalists in the Miss World-Philippines 2021 pageant, and winner of the Goodwill Ambassador fast-track challenge, will be competing at the Gold Reef City Casino in Johannesburg, South Africa for the Miss  Culture International title.

Miss Philippines Fire 2020 will likewise compete in the Miss Global International 2021 pageant in Bali this December.

By the time Samantha arrives in Phuket for the pre-pageant activities, it will also be crunch time for Beatrice Luigi Gomez's departure for her pageant in Eilat, Israel on Dec. 12, and Tracy Maureen Perez for her contest in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Dec. 16.

Also in the month of December, Julie Tarrayo of Northern Samar is appointed to represent the country in the Miss Multiverse International that will take place in the Dominican Republic.

After the year-end holidays, the pageant fever begins anew with a bevy of pageants that were calendared in early and mid-January.

Ilongga beauty Ruffa Nava was also handpicked to represent the country in the forthcoming Reina International del Cafe that's slated to happen in Colombia on Jan 8, 2022 - around the same time Miss Eco Teen Philippines 2021 Tatiana Austria will be competing in the Miss Eco Teen International 2021 in Cairo, Egypt.

With Cinderella Faye Obeñita's triumph in the Miss InterContinental 2021 pageant in another Egyptian city, things look rosy for Austria in her forthcoming competition that was also won by another Filipina - Roberta Tamondong - last year.