Miss International 2013 is Ms. Bea Rose Santiago from the Philippines !

Shinagawa Prince Hotel – Tokyo, Japan

L-R first runner-up Nathalie den Dekker (Netherlands) , Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago ( Philippines )  and 2nd runner-up Casey Radley (New Zealand) photo from Reuters

Ms. Bea Rose Santiago from Masbate , Philippines captured the fifth Miss International crown tonight at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo- Japan. -Top 5 included  Colombia and Hungary.

 Top 15 were Gibraltar, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Hungary, Netherlands, United States, Philippines, New Zealand, Lithuania, Iceland, Colombia, Russia, Thailand, and Spain.

Early favorites Miss Venezuela , Miss Mexico , Miss Korea , Miss Poland and host country Miss Japan failed to make it in the semi-finals.

Ms. Bea Santiago during the swimsuit competition

She bested 66 other contestants .

Special Awards:

Miss National Costume: Miss Aruba Erialda Croes

Miss Friendship: Miss New Zealand Casey Radley

Miss Internet: Miss Macau Adela Ka-Wai Sou

Miss Photogenic: Miss Lithuania Elma Segzdaviciute

  Miss International 2008 Alejandra Andreu of Spain crowned Miss  Philippines Bea Rose Santiago

Controversy:

  The winner of Miss International 2012  Ikumi Yoshimatsu of Japan was barred from attending the event due to her involvement in a scandal where a media executive Genichi Taniguchi allegedly harassed and intimidated Ms. Yoshimatsu for not signing on to a talent agency with ties to the Japanese Yakuza or underworld. This was revealed during a press conference held a few days before the pageant.

History:

Mr. Oscar Meinhardt ( the man who developed the Miss Universe idea) established the International Beauty Congress ( IBC) in 1959 . The first Miss International pageant was held in Long Beach, California , USA in 1960. After  the departure of the Miss Universe pageant in Miami Beach , Florida .  Ms. Stella Marquez from Colombia is the first winner of the pageant .

Miss Stella Z. Marquez and her court – Miss International 1960

The pageant was hosted  in Long Beach until 1967, And the pageant moved to Japan from 1968–1970, being hosted each year in the same city as the Expo 1970.  For 1971 and 1972, it was held in Long Beach again, but since that time it has been held annually in Japan.  Some countries have co-hosted the pageant like Macau, China.

Philippines Participation:

Philippines is one of the few countries which send representatives annually in Miss International since its inception in 1960. Ms. Gemma Guerrero Cruz was the first Asian and Filipina to capture the crown in 1964.

Ms. Gemma Guerrero Cruz- Miss International 1964

Ms. Aurora Pijuan- Miss International 1970

Mimilanie Laurel Marquez – Miss International 1979

Miss International winner Precious Lara Quigaman from the Philippines (C), first runner-up Miss Dominican Republic Yadira Geara (L) and second runner-up Miss Finland Susanna Laine

The country ‘s almost perfect attendance was marred with a personal withdrawal  in 1977 of Ms. Maria Cristina ” Pinky” Alberto who alleged of favoritism and sexual harassment by judges.

Special Awards:

The country’s representative took home several special awards

1972- Best in National Costume

1976- Best in National Costume

1979-Best in National Costume

1989- Miss Friendship

1994- Miss Friendship

2010- Most Expressive and Miss Talent

2011- Miss Internet Popularity

Miss Philippines- International Trivia

Ms.  Edita Resurreccion Vital– Miss Press Photography of the Philippines when she joined the search for Miss Philippines 1960 that would represent the Philippines in the very first Miss International Beauty Contest in Long Beach, California on August 12, 1960. She made it to the semi-finals that year. She made 2 films after the contest and earned a best actress nomination from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences in 1961 for her role as Maria Clara in Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere”

Ms. Gemma Guerrero  Cruz  paternal great-grandmother was Doña Maria Mercado, the sister of the Philippine’s national heroof Jose Rizal, she donated $10,000 of her price to Manila- Boys Town and  Girl’s Home she received an “Outstanding Manileña” and a “Golden Heart” Presidential decoration by President Diosado Macapagal. She was greeted with over 200,000 people when she arrived at the airport.

Ms.Aurora Pijuan was an early favorite to win at the Miss International 1970.

Ms. Mimilanie Laurel -Marquez is the youngest Miss International title holder- she was just 15 years-old, when she won.  She also won Best in National Costume designed by Renee Salud and with a price tag of Php 10,000

Ms. Maria Cristina ” Pinky” Alberto– was the first Filipina to withdrew from the pageant in 1977.

Ms. Lilia Andanar– She won Miss Friendship at the 1989 Miss International pageant.

Ms. Precious Lara Quigaman – She is the shortest Miss International winner at 5’6 .

Note: The pageant is about 4 hours long . Congratulations !

LINKS:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Miss.International.bp

Miss International: http://www.miss-international.org/en/

Pageantopolis : http://www.pageantopolis.com/

Missosology: http://www.missosology.info/~missyorg/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=180664&start=0