MGI 2022

The Grand saga goes on . . .

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

After Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2021 Samantha Alexandra Panlilio's non-placement in the 9th Miss Grand International finals, pageant fans were "up in arms" against the Bangkok-based organization - while calling for Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) to altogether drop the national franchise and refrain from sending representatives to, what some pageant observers characterize as, a "cooking show."

However, what pageant fans failed to consider is that even if BPCI would severe its ties with the MGI organization, other pageant platforms, including a new one, may simply assume franchise ownership; or MGI organization president Nawat Itsaragrisil could simply invite an entrant from any of the country's training camps.

"When they say drop MGI, the first thing that came to my mind is like NO! I know more strategies that I could give to my successor," wrote SamPan in a social media post.

And, true enough, the MGI franchise in the Philippines still stays with the Binibining Pilipinas under the tutelage of Stella Marquez Araneta and the BPCI organization; much to the chagrin of Filipino fans who were irked by the country's recent non-placement in the international finals. The BPCI's continued alliance with the pageant system was confirmed by the MGI organization through a social media post last Christmas.

In the nine editions that the Philippines has participated in the MGI finals, it has five high placements as against four non-placement. In the latter, these were our entrants for the years 2014 (Kimberly Karlsson), 2018 (Eva Psyche Patalinghug), 2019 (Samantha Ashley Lo), and 2021 (Samantha Alexandra Panlilio).

The Philippines has enjoyed a fair share of high placements in 2013 (Ali Forbes, 3rd runner-up), 2015 (Parul Shah, 3rd runner-up and Best National Costume), 2016 (Nicole Cordoves, 1st runner-up), 2017 (Elizabeth Clenci, 2nd runner-up), and 2020 (Samantha Bernardo, 1st runner-up).

In a related story, the Miss Mexico organization, through a social media post on its Instagram account, hinted that it was closing a cycle of work with the organization MGI with whom they have worked with for the past five years and "during which, we had national queens who represented us with great care and pride."

The 10th edition of the Miss Grand International final.show will unfold on October 25, 2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Stay tuned!