I am happy that another “beauty and brains” triumphed in the recent Binibining Pilipinas pageant. After magna cum laude graduate and Architecture board exam topnotcher Shamcey Supsup last year, we now have the stunning Janine Tugonon as the country’s bet in the Miss Universe 2012 pageant. This tall and articulate young pharmacist graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas (my alma mater).
Her victory (as did Shamcey’s last year) sends an important message that a beauty queen must not just be physically attractive but should also be intelligent. I hope that Tugonon’s win will inspire young girls to take their studies seriously, as well as help uplift the image of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, so that other confident and professional young women of substance would be encouraged to join it.
I look forward to seeing more “beauty and brains” representing our country in international pageants. In the meantime, our candidate Janine Tugonon has my support. Bring home our third Miss U crown, sister!
—MAAN PARAGAS,
maanparagas@yahoo.com