Miss International 2005

Time out from all the talk about the UAAP and the college wars. There just might be a part three of that, but for now here's a breather.

While I'm not a huge fan of beauty contests, there is no mistaking the fact that I was quite ecstatic to find out that Ms. Philippines actually won this year's Ms. International. I only found out about it days after the pageant since I'm currently living in a different part of the world. Since then, I was really curious about the question and answer portion. See, when I do watch beauty pageants, I'm always entertained by the more often absurd answers that contestants give. Of course sometimes, there are also the equally absurd questions. Anyway, I finally got hold of "the winning answer" and I must say that I am very impressed. She said it so perfectly that I would have given her a standing ovation for it. Mabuhay! :)

So here it is...

"MABUHAY! Representing the democratic and freedom loving people of the Pearl of the Orient, I am Precious Lara Guigaman, from the beautiful country of THE PHILIPPINES"

One of the difficult questions asked was:

Q: "What do you say to the people of the world who have typecasted Filipinos as nannies?"

Precious Lara: "I take no offence on being typecasted as a nanny. But I do take offence that the educated people of the world have somehow denegrated the true sense and meaning of what a nanny is. Let me tell you what she is. She is someone who gives more than she takes. She is someone you trust to look after the very  people most precious to you - your child, the elderly, yourself. She is the one who has made a living out of caring and loving other people. So to those  who have typecasted us as nannies, thank you. It is a testament to the loving and caring culture of the Filipino people. And for that, I am forever proud and grateful of my roots and culture."

(She received a deafening applause from the audience.)