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| With proud parents Ari and Gemma Raquel during the homecoming/victory presscon held at Novotel. |
“I hope you could continue to
be with me during my reign as Miss International,” newly crowned Miss International
2016 Kylie Verzosa asked her countrymen during the press conference Friday
afternoon given her by the BinibiningPilipinas Charities, Inc., led by Madam
Stella Marquez Araneta. Verzosa will be feted
with the traditional ticker-tape victory parade around Araneta Center, Cubao on
November 18,the sixth time for a homecoming Filipina Miss International and the
second this year after the January victory parade for Pia Wurtzbach.
Verzosa, wearing a shimmering pink
salmon gown with sequined giant lobster, fielded questions from the members of
media and acknowledged the warm welcome from her friends and Bb. Pilipinas
family. The 24-year-old, pre-school teacher and model is the oldest to win
among the other Filipina Miss International winners with Gemma Cruz and Aurora
Pijuan winning at 20, Precious Lara Quigaman at 22, Bea Rose Santiago at 23 and
Melanie Marquez claiming the crown at only 15 years old, the youngest Miss
International winner.
An alumna of the Ateneo de
Manila University with a degree in BS Business Management and member of the
Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP), Verzosa dedicated
her victory to all her countrymen. A teacher-volunteer at the Natasha Goulbourn
Foundation, she expressed pursuing her advocacy on mental health awareness to help
promote prevention of suicide and depression.
Verzosa is the daughter of Ari
and Gemma Raquel Fausto, a Bb. Pilipinas 1985 semi-finalist, who met when they
were working as flight attendants. Gemma revealed how her daughter would keep
on asking prayers from the family before, during and after the pageant. They
were in Tokyo and witnessed Kylie on the stage as she was being crowned. “I
feel that it’s only now that her victory is starting to sink in,” the proud
mother told reporters.
“She has brought honor to the
country, specifically, to her province of Baguio,” Gemma said adding that Kylie
would also have a victory parade in her hometown in Baguio City. “Kylie at the
moment has no boyfriend, she is in the right age and justwaiting for the right
relationship. She loves to listen to music and watch modeling shows at home,”
she further revealed. “Kylie really studied, toned down and perfected the style
fitted to the Miss International standard. Not the non-smiling, fierce look she
was accustomed as a model,” Gemma agreed on her daughter’s preparation.
Verzosa’s parade on Friday will
bring old memories of those of Cruz, Pijuan and Marquez along with Miss
Universe Gloria Diaz and Margarita Moran who all won in the 60s and 70s and
paraded around Manila commercial districts, particularly, in Escolta and Sta.
Cruz. New millennium winners Quigaman (2005), Santiago (2013), Miss World 2013
Megan Young and Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach 2015 also received rousing
ticker-tape parades with confetti showers along Ayala Avenue in Makati and
Cubao, Quezon City.
While Miss Universe first
runner-ups Miriam Quiambao (1999) and Janine Tugonon(2012) were accorded a
ticker tape parade in Ayala, Makati and Mr. International 2014 Neil Perez had
also been honored with his own victory parade, other major winners like Miss
Tourism Queen International 2006 Justine Gabionza and Miss Supranational 2013
MutyaDatul, along with Miss Earth winners Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell
(2014) and Angela Ong (2015) were not given the privilege of this
once-in-a-lifetime experience.WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ETON B. CONCEPCION
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