BEAUTY PAGEANT SEASON BEGINS

Katarina Rodriguez bested out 39 other candidates in the 8th editiion of Miss World Philippines that took place last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.  She will represent the Philippines in the upcoming Miss World 2018 slated on December 8, 2018 in Sanya, China.  Rodriguez is not new in pageants. She represented the Philippines in Asia's Next Top Model back in 2014 and placed 2nd runner-up. She also won 1st runner up in Miss Inter-Continental 2017 held in Egypt last year.

TOO MANY PAGEANTS?

Another Filipina won an international beauty title. Mutya ng Pilipinas Sharifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel was crowned 2018 Miss Asia-Pacific International, besting 48 other beauties during the coronation night held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila the other night.  

Meanwhile Miss Earth 2018 kicks off in Manila and the candidates have already started to arrive.  The finals   will be held on November 3, 2018 and the Philippines is represented by Fil-Italian beauty Silvia Celeste Cortesi. 

Currently ongoing in Myanmar is Miss Grand International 2018.  The Philippines has been doing consistently well in this pageant but the country has yet to win the title.  This year’s representative is Eva Patalinjug of Cebu City.  And don’t forget, Miss International is also coming soon. Atissa Manalo will try to bag the 7^th Miss International crown for the Philippines.   On the other hand,  the mother of all beauty pageants – Miss Universe will take place in Bangkok, Thailand on December 16, 2018.  Catriona Gray will compete with more than 90 beauties including transgender beauty from Spain (Angela Ponce).  There is also unconfirmed report that Mongolia will send a transgender beauty.

POPULAR MOVIE STARS AND BEAUTY QUEENS GRACED ABS-CBN BALL "SHARE THE LOVE" FUNDRAISING EVENT

The country's most popular stars and beauty queens slayed their glamorous attire on the red carpet at the 2018 Star Magic Ball, renamed "ABS-CBN Ball: Share the Love."  

The grand event is not all that glitz and glamour, but it is also a fundraising event for the benefit of  Bantay Bata 163, a social welfare program of the ABS-CBN aimed to help re-open the Bantay Bata 163 Children's Village in Norzagaray, Bulacan slated in December.  The village will serve as a home to abused, exploited, and neglected children.  

Among the beauty queens who attended the event were Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, 1993 Miss World 2nd Princess Ruffa Guttierez, 2013 Miss Universe runner-up Ara Arida, and 2016 Miss International Kylie Versoza to name a few.  

Popular Kapamilya loveteams Kathniel (Kathryn Bernard and Daniel Padilla), Jadine (James Reid and Nadine Lustre and Joshlia  (Joshua Garcia and Julia Baretto) were also present. Other celebrities who attended the event includes: Vice Ganda, Piolo Pascual, Luis Manzano, Angel Locsin, Jessy Mendiola, Sarah Geronimo, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Bea Alonzo, Xian Lim, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcacid, Judy Anne Santos, Ryan Agoncillo,  Anne Curtis, Matteo Giudecelli, Angelica Panganiban, Carlo Aquino, Inigo Pascual, Richard Gutierez, Sarah Lahbati, Erwan Heussef, Ronnie Alonte, Ryan Bang and a lot more. The event was hosted by master of couture Rajo Laurel, International Model, coach, and women of style Joey Mead-King, and Tim Yap. 

Noted Film Director Mike de Leon posted on Facebook criticizing the event a waste of money wherein celebrities spent millions of Pesos for their gowns and suits they wore for the affair.  The outspoken director says: "Many people will not like this question but I have to ask it - In these dark times of murder and hunger, who really needs the ABS-CBN ball?" He also likened the event as "Bread and Circuses again a la Imelda Marcos."  De Leon drew flak from angry fans citing his outlandish remarks being uncalled for since the event is a fundraising event. 

Photo credits:  all pictures on this article are properties of ABS-CBN and this article has no copyright infringement.   Please visit this link to view all pictures from ABS-CBN site

WHAT MAKES "EXES BAGGAGE" CLICK?

The first team up of real life ex-teenage sweethearts Angelica Panganiban and Carlo Aquino on the big screen continue to soar high at the box-office with an impressive 10 day gross of P206,693,044.  But what makes "Exes Baggage" click? The storyline looks plain and simple, just another love story about two people trying to move on from previous failed relationships; but as simple as it is, it is a story just about everyone of us which we may have been through at one point in our lives. Director Dan Villegas and Scriptwriter Baltazer concocted their script into a quite engaging film in a contemporary setting that audience can easily relate to.  

Pia (played by Angelica) is a  free spirited career woman, a go getter, who spends her time off from work in bars socializing with friends and even goes to bed with man she fancies. Carlo Aquino plays Nix, a furniture designer, who still can't get away from a previous failed relationship. Like Nix, Pia had been through a stormy relationship, but with a married man. The film begins with the two ex-lovers meeting again after two years at the inauguration of a bar owned by a common friend. The chance reunion got them reminisce their past and perhaps figure out an unfinished love affair and both realized that they still care for each other.  But Pia found herself in a dilllema whether to consider having Nix back or stay with her current boyfriend.

Director Dan Villegas treated his audience with a different style of storytelling, injecting a series of flashbacks in between, making the movie's narrative feel even more interesting to watch. Some might find the movie a bit low paced but nonetheless I enjoyed watching the movie.  Aquino and Panganiban, who both started in showbiz as childstars, portrayed their characters with  ease and competence and have blossomed into fine performers to reckon with.  

Everyone knows that both were former teenage sweethearts and more so, both undeniably excludes a great chemistry on and off-screen.  Coincidentally, both Aquino and Panganiban have just been through with similar situation off screen.  Earlier this year Angelica broke up with John Lloyd Cruz (who left her for Ellen Adarna) and Carlo broke up with his non-showbiz girlfriend.  The two have been seen together in public but both neither confirm or deny their current status.  

One of the best scenes of the movie is when Carlo Aquino sang "Maybe The Night" in a beautifully orchestrated romantic scene with Angelica; the song's soothing melody and catchy lyrics is just apt for the scene.  Thanks to the movie, the song is now gaining more views on YouTube and jumped to nearly 4 million views after the movie's release last week.  At first, I thought it just a cover from a foreign artist but it is actually composed by a local band called Ben&Ben. 

Dan Villegas is the director behind the success of low budget indie and mainstream movies such as "That Thing Called Tadhana," "Always Be My Maybe, "English Only Please" and "Walang Forever."  His unique style of film-making is what sets him apart from the new breed of directors, combining art and commercial success.

"Exes Baggage" is directed by Dan Villegas and written by Dweign Baltazar. It is the first venture of Black Sheep Productions and released by Star Cinema.

PIA WURTZBACH IS MADAME TUSSAUD'S FIRST FILIPINO WAX FIGURE

2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will be Madame Tusaud's first Filipino wax figure to be exhibited in the famed museum.  According to Madame Tussaud's spokesperson "We really want to choose people that can represent the Philippines, no matter if it is from beauty perspective, sports or political; we did a survey and we started the customer's feedback and Pia stood out and she's so popular, people like her and she can represent the Philippines and she's really an international talent for the Philippines.

Pia says "I am just excited with the whole process and I m really happy that you guys chose me to be the first one."  

Pia will either wear the Albert Andraa blue gown she wore when won the Miss Universe title or the gown she wore when she passed the crown to her successor.

Credits: PreviewPh covered the pictorial that took place in Hongkong.  Please watch full coverage on this link