Editorial: The beauty of being a Filipino

THE Philippines has been producing a lot of title holders in numerous world beauty contests – be it Miss Universe, Miss World or Miss International. We have Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran, Evangeline Pascual, Miriam Quiambao, Ruffa Gutierrez, Venus Raj and Shamcey Supsup, among others, some of whom may have only landed as runners up but have still given the country pride and honor.

And on Sunday (Monday morning in Manila), Gwendolyn Ruais again showed why Filipinas are extraordinary when she grabbed the 1st runner up title in the Miss World 2011 beauty search held at the Earls Court Two in London.

Ruais is the first Miss World Philippines winner for the search that was previously under Bb. Pilipinas. She duplicated the feat of Ms. Pascual who also won 1st runner up in the same search in 1973 also in London.

Aside from being the 1st runner up, Ruais was also chosen as the Continental Queen of Beauty for the Asia Pacific.

The Miss World title has been so elusive to the Philippines, it being the only title that we have not won.

But with Ruais feat, never mind if she was only chosen 1st runner up, the best thing is that she is the second most beautiful and smart woman from among 115 contestants in the world. Isn’t that a grand slam in itself?

We may have not grabbed the title this year, who knows, it might be ours next year. As the saying goes, “better luck next time.”