Binibini Bets (Part I)

Venus Raj's triumph at the Miss Universe 2010 pageant sparked renewed interest and hundreds of gorgeous Filipinas lined up at Araneta to get screened for the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant. After 2 screenings the girls were narrowed down to the top fifty, and after another cut this Saturday- will emerge the official 24 candidates.

This is probably my second post on beauty pageants (the first one being Venus' Q & A at MU), and I've chosen my top 24 candidates out of the 50. The ones colored red are possible semi-finalists.

Isabella Manjon - 5’7” / 125 lbs / 35.5-25-36

This girl is a strong contender for the Binibining Pilipinas-Universe crown, with great potential at the MU Pageant in Brazil. Dusky, classic features, with height and eloquence to match. She just needs to tone her body (as I observed with most of the girls), and train to have a fierce catwalk like Raj's. This girl is the total package- she even speaks Spanish!

Jennielyn Natividad

Second runner-up in the 2009 Mutya ng Pilipinas.

Jenette Mieko Noguchi - 5’10.5”/ 128 lbs / 34-25-35.5
I watched her video and this statuesque beauty stands out among the girls.
Confident when she speaks, and just as sweet when she sings.

Reneee Houssani
A half-Iranian beauty.

Shamcey Supsup - 5’7.25” / 105 lbs / 32.5-23.5-33.5

A topnocher in the Architecture Board exam (whew!) and a UP Grad, she also has a fierce catwalk and an aura that exudes class. Shamcey is a formidable contender for the crown!

Patricia Tumulak - 5’5” / 113 lbs / 33-23.5-35

This girl lives and breathes Binibini. She really had a spectacular transformation (see her pics years ago and you'll get what I mean) and she has that latina vibe. Her only downfall is her height- which under MU standards under Trump doesn't make the cut. Still, she is a top contender for the other crowns.

Martha Chloe McCully

If this girl loses 10-15lbs by the pageant night, she may very well be my MU bet. She appeared self-conscious in the screening video,her catwalk awkward- still her face is undeniably the loveliest, and she has the height.

Paula Camille Figueras - 5’9.5” / 136 lbs / 32-26-38
Another girl with a latina vibe. She joined Miss Philippines Earth in 2009.

Luzelle Felipe - 5’7.75” / 108 lbs / 34-23.5-31
If all the tricycle drivers looked this good, I doubt if people would still ride
jeepneys or buses! Another dusky beauty with a Cinderella story- if she wins
any of the major titles.

Mary Jean Lastimosa - 5’5.5” / 111 lbs / 33.5-24-34
This girl kills in the swimsuit department with her vavavoom figure.

Diana Arevalo - 5’6.25” / 107 lbs / 31.5-23-33
Returning from last year's Binibini- revamped and restyled.

Sabrinne Al-Tawil - 5’8” / 126 lbs / 34-25-35

She looks elegant and she expresses herself well in interviews. She needs to work on her body and her poses, she appears flat and uninterested in some of her shot. An MU material should be charismatic and fierce!

The Next 12 in Part II
Photo credits:Mabuhay Beauties, Missosology, OPMB, and Binibining Pilipinas