We Got It All

With the recent victory of Miss Megan Lynne Young in Miss World 2013 beauty pageant, the Philippines is now considered as the powerhouse of beauties having captured almost all the major international beauty pageant title. 

In 1964, Gemma Teresa "Mimi" Guerrero Cruz, the Filipina who represented our country to Miss International 1964 earned the very first major title of the Philippines. She was crowned at the Long Beach, California, USA on August 14, 1964. She bested 39 beauties from around the world. Her runners - up were Miss USA, Miss Brazil, Miss England and Miss Finland. She donated the money she won as Miss International to Manila Boys Town and Girls Home. 

 Miss Cruz after winning as Miss Philippines giving her the 

right to represent our country to Miss International 1964

Miss Gemma Cruz as Miss International 1964

After 18 years of competing, we earned our first Miss Universe title, and our second international title through the witty and beautiful Miss Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz. She was crowned as Miss Universe 1969 in Miami Beach, Florida, USA besting 60 candidates from different parts of the Universe. Her runners - up include Miss Finland, Miss Australia, Miss Israel and Miss Japan. After her reign she joined the showbiz entertainment in the Philippines.

Miss Gloria Diaz after winning the Miss Universe 1969 title

Crowning moment of Miss Universe 1969

A year after Diaz crowned, another Filipina brought an honor to our country. Miss Aurora McKinney Pijuan was crowned Miss International 1970 in Osaka, Japan on May 16, 1970. A product of Bb. Pilipinas pageant, Pijuan earned the second Miss International crown and the third international pageant crown for the Philippines. She vested 47 beauties from around the world. Her runners - up were Miss Argentina, Miss Australia, Miss Japan and Miss New Zealand. She continued her charitable projects after her reign as Miss International. She is an active member of Gawad Kalinga movement here in the Philippines.

Miss Aurora Pijuan and her runners-up

Pijuan, still beautiful until today.

Besting 60 universal beauties, Maria Margarita "Margie" Roxas Moran, grabbed the second Miss Universe title for the Philippines when she was crowned as Miss Universe 1973. Margie was the fourth Filipina to win an international title. She was crowned in Athens, Greece on July 21, 1973. Her runners - up were Miss USA, Miss Norway, Miss Spain and Miss Israel. She was also awarded as Miss Photogenic. She became a businesswoman after she reigned as Miss Universe 1973. 

Miss Margie Moran in Miss Universe 1973

Miss Margie Moran with her runners-up

Three months after Moran was crowned, Miss Evangeline Pascual almost bagged the first Miss World 1973 crown. She lost the title to Miss USA, Marjorie Wallace.  The Miss World organization had fired Wallace in March, 1974, for "failing to complete the basic requirements of the job". She was never officially replaced by any of her runners-up since Evangeline Pascual refused to take over.

Miss World 1973 winners

1974 made the Filipino pageant fans grew wilder as the Miss Universe 1974 took place in Manila Philippines. Miss Spain, Amparo Muñoz was crowned Miss Universe 1974 in Folks Art Theater, Manila, Philippines on the early morning of July 21, 1974. Miss Philippines, Guadalupe Sanchez finished as one of the Top 12 finalist.

Miss Universe 1974, Amparo Muñoz

Miss Universe 1974 and her court

Miss Universe 1974 top 12 finalist

Miss Universe 1974 candidates wearing the Filipino terno

The Philippines were consistently placed as semi-finalist or runner-up in the succeeding, but never won again, until in 1979, the beautiful, "long-legged" Miss Mimilanie Laurel Marquez was crowned Miss International 1979 in Tokyo, Japan on November 12, 1979. Despite being 15 years old that time, she bested 42 international beauty from around the world. Trailing behind here were Misses USA, Austria, Finland and Japan. Marquez pursued a modeling career and joined the local show business. 

Miss International 1974, Melanie Marquez and her court 

Beauty like no other, Miss Melanie Marquez

It took 25 years for the Philippines to  get another international title again. Precious Lara Quigaman, is the fourth Filipina to capture a Miss International crown, and sixth over-all. She was crown as Miss International 2005 in Tokyo, Japan.  She bested 51 international beauties. Her runners - up were Misses Dominican Republic and Finland. After her reign, Quigaman proceeded to work as a model and an actress in the Philippines.

Miss Earth is a beauty pageant launched in the year 2001 that aims to select the best woman in the world to work in an environmental cause. But it was only in 2008 that a Filipina grabbed the title, in the person of Karla Paula Henry 

to be continued...