Bared... Bohol beauty bets in Miss Philippines-Earth 2011

Tagbilaran, Saturday, 30 April 2011

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The month of May is the month of fiestas in Bohol. Bohol was ushered in with the fiesta season starting with the feast of Our Lady of the Village, patroness of Corella town. Then, the Tagbilaran City fiesta— the mother of all Bohol fiestas— is held today, May 1, which is also the opening salvo of all fiestas in the towns. Hardly a day passes by without a fiesta in one or another town where our paisanos prepare sumptuous meals for expected and unexpected relatives, friends and visitors. (Paging all mamiestahay, ayaw kalimti ang humba!)

Seen: Ogie Diaz, Vice Ganda, K Brosas and Albert Martinez (with wife Liezl) were reportedly spotted in Bohol during the Holy Week. Also seen were Bb. Pilipinas 2006-World Anna Maris Igpit and beauty queen turned UNTV's news anchor Mayumi Lugod.

Scene: The Easter party on Alona beach organized by the ageless Uly Dolojol of Oopsbar! was successful. It featured the beach bodies 2011 fashion show showcasing the resort collections of EJ Relampagos and Janjan del Valle, fire dancers from Cebu, house music from DJ Andrei, face painting, fireworks and live acoustic music.

Scene: Friendster users have until May 31 to save their account contents including photos, testimonials, and blogs - or else they'll lose them in the social network's upcoming major reformat. Friendster, a pioneer social networking site launched in 2002, issued the warning as it prepares a "new and improved version" in the coming weeks.

Seen: The 13 candidates of Miss Bilar 2011 have busy schedule nowadays. See these girls in the pageant night on May 13, 2011 at the Bilar Cultural Center with Miss Bilar 2009 Cherry May Ancog (2009 Miss Bohol Sandugo top five) who will relinquish her crown to this year's winner. Bohol's fashion mogul EJ Relampagos is the pageant director. The Miss Bilar 2011 is presented by LGU- Bilar under Mayor Norman Palacio and SK municipal federated president Eliza Miel Palacio.

Scene: The royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton last Friday, April 29 at Westminster Abbey was very straightforward and beautiful ceremony. They went to the vows right away unlike wedding ceremonies here. Kate's gown was a magnificent ivory confection with lace floral detail designed by Sarah Burton (of Alexander McQueen House) which was unexpectedly simple. Even her bouquet was simple. Unlike Diana, Kate chose a wedding dress that won't age in photographs.

Scene: While all televisions were tuned in to the royal wedding, the resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez also shared the spotlight on the same day. She has resigned from her post, 10 days before the Senate impeachment trial against her was to start. She personally submitted her resignation letter to President Benigno Aquino.

Here's good news to all beauty watchers: Bohol has two representatives in this year's Miss Philippines-Earth. They are:

Aileene Ella Dango

#25 Renee Soraya Hassani (19, 5'6" (168 cm), 110 lbs. (50 kg), 33-24-34) is studying at the Philippine School of Interior Design. Representing the municipality of Loay, Bohol, she appeared in Chalk magazine June 2010 issue.

#26 Aileene Ella Dango (25, 5'8" (173 cm), 108 lbs. (49 kg), 32-25-35) is representing the municipality of Loboc. She also represented Bohol in Mutya ng Pilipinas 2010. In Mutya ng Pilipinas 2010, she was quoted saying "Green tourism as a sustainable eco-tourism has always been the heart and soul of Bohol. We, Boholanos are blessed with nature's beauty for the world to see."

(Note: There is no information about Aileene in the Miss Philippines-Earth website. Bared was able to contact Renee and she promised to answer the questions when she will have time.)

More on Renee from the Miss Philippines-Earth website:

Describe your childhood/growing (8-13 Years old): I went to an all girls school and was always judged and picked on because I was skinny and didn't look Filipino. But I grew up loving life and saw its beauty at an early age. I grew up with a lot of pressure because my two siblings were very competitive. However, I realized that I can be successful on my own terms.

Renee Soraya Hassani

What lessons did you learn from your childhood/growing years? I believe that there's beauty in every person that's why everyone should take a closer look and not just judge a person on the surface. The goodness of the heart is what we should be striving for. I grew up realizing that it is not the people around us that we should to please but our Creator. I grew up in a Christian home and my parents inculcated to me that I am unique and special-everyone is.

What is your most memorable moment? I could never forget the time when we went to Iran. I was seven years old when my whole family and I went to Iran for a visit. Winter had just ended and spring was in our midst-flowers everywhere, perfect weather, birds dancing in the air. It was a girl's paradise. We went climbing over mountains, drank from fresh water springs, and even picked up precious stones because they were everywhere. It was also the time when I met my cousins and other relatives. How different I felt but how I also felt belonged! Also, I had the chance to glaze upon ancient palaces and relics I only saw in history books. Iran is a present day glimpse of the ancient world of Persia.

What is your environmental advocacy? It may sound simple but my environmental advocacy is unplugging. I wear my advocacy everywhere. When you do not unplug your appliances it is called in a state of "vampire power." Would you believe that ten percent of home electricity use is accounted for vampire power alone? You could save electricity, money and our precious earth by that much through this easy and simple way- unplug!

This 2011, the Miss Philippines-Earth beauty pageant dubbed "Beauties for a Cause" aligns itself in the International Year of the Forests. Together with the Haribon Foundation, the candidates will take part in making the Philippines a greener nation as they go around communities to promote planting trees that are native to our country.

The coronation night is on June 5, 2011 at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum and will be televised by ABS-CBN Channel 2.

The winner will represent the country in the Miss Earth 2011 to be held in Thailand later this year.

William and Kate: Trivia about the Royal Wedding

Have you caught the royal wedding fever? Here is a royal trivia shared to us by a "royal fan" about the royal couple - Prince William and Kate Middleton - and the royal wedding:

• Prince William and Kate Middleton are 15th generation cousins.
• At 29, Kate Middleton is the oldest royal bride in Britain.
• Kate Middleton is the first royal spouse who's a university degree holder and graduated with honors.
• After the wedding, Kate is now 'Catherine' instead of her nickname Kate. Prince William and Kate also inherited the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge upon their marriage.
• Prince William's pet name for Kate Middletown is "Babykins" while Kate calls William "Big Willie."
• Prince William wore the red uniform of Colonel of the Irish Guards when he married Kate Middleton. Prince William's younger brother and best man Harry wore an officer's uniform of the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry, while Prince Charles, who has held the rank of admiral since 2006, wore a naval uniform.
• There are 1,900 invited guests to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
• Sarah Ferguson, ex-wife of Prince Andrew (Prince Charles' brother), was not invited to the wedding.
• Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding is the 16th royal wedding held at Westminster Abbey.
• 28,000 tulips were planted outside Buckingham Palace, designed to bloom today, bloomed too early.
• A million well-wishers - as well as some protesters - flooded into central London, around Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and other landmarks.
• Security plan was 122 pages and 6,000 were involved even carriage footmen armed.
• One hundred sixty horses escorted the royal carriage procession.
• Prince William and Catherine Middleton have written their own prayer: God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage. In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy. Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.  
• There was only a single wedding band used in the wedding ceremony. After the wedding, only Kate Middleton is expected to wear a wedding ring. Prince William didn't wear wedding ring calling it the modern tradition. For decades, it is only the wife of the British royal family that wears the band.
• The "royal kiss" was short and sweet, not once but twice.
• Only 650 guests were invited to the buffet-style lunch reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
• Prince William and Kate Middleton requested their guests not to give them wedding presents but to instead donate to several charities that the couple supports.
• Now that Prince William and Kate Middleton are married, some are wondering their last name. Like other descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, William's surname is Mountbatten-Windsor, and it will be Kate's too by marriage.

Email leoudtohan@yahoo.com.

Leo P. Udtohan

Be the first to comment on this article

We reserve the right to remove or edit comments posted on this website. Please read our conditions of use for details. You can use <i>italics</i>, <b>bold</b>, <p> new paragraph, <a href="url">link</a>. Other markup will be removed. Use of the forums for advertising is prohibited. Enterprises located in Bohol can request to be added to the business directory.

This article has been viewed 7 times.