Beauty Pageant 2017 Year-Ender: Winwyn Marquez’ crowning as Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Top Newsmaker

Teresita Ssen Winwyn Marquez crowning as Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 and Karen Ibasco’s win as Miss Earth 2017 were top news in Philippine pageantry in 2017.  Marquez and Ibasco’s twin kill on November 4 and 5 saved the Philippines from getting shut out in international beauty competitions following losses in Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International pageants.

Marquez, the 25-year-old, Kapuso star, daughter of Alma Moreno and Joey Marquez and niece of former Miss International Melanie Marquez, made history by being the first Filipina and Asian to compete and win in the Latin-American pageant held in Sta. Cruz, Bolivia.

Ibasco, a 26-year-old licensed physicist and UST instructor, bested 83 candidates to capture the Philippines’ fourth Miss Earth title at the coronation held at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Mutya ng Pilipinas Jannie Loudette Alipo-on also put the country in the winning column when she was proclaimed Miss Tourism International 2017 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia on December 6, also becoming the fourth Filipina to win the title.

As they say ‘we can’t win them all’, as other Filipinas finished below expectations. Miss Universe 2017 Philippine bet Rachel Peters failed to live up to her top billing by finishing at the Top 10 of the world’ most popular pageant held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on November 27, won by South Africa’s  Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and where Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach sat as one of the judges.  Peters, a 26-year-old, Filipino-British beauty, matched MJ Lastimosa’s Top10 placement in Miss Universe 2014.

Laura Lehmann also ended her stint at Miss World 2017 with a Top 40 finish and as 5-co-winners of the Beauty with a Purpose segment held in Sanya, China on November 18 won by Miss India Manushi Chhillar. The 24-year-old, Ateneo psychology student and ABS-CBN sidecourt reporter also won in her group in the Head-to-Head challenge segment.

Maria Angelica de Leon, the 24-year-old, daughter of Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong, followed other Miss Philippines’ luck of not entering as semi-finalist Denille Lou Valmonte and Mary Anne Bianca Guidotti also failed when they competed next to reigning Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman and Bea Rose Santiago in 2006 and 2014, respectively.

Other Bb. Pilipinas queens performed very well with Nelda Ibe, a 24-year-old, cadet pilot, finishing as first runner-up at the Miss Globe 2017 beauty pageant held in Tirana, Albania on November 3 won by Miss Vietnam Do Tran Khanh Ngan.

Elizabeth Clenci, a 26-year-old, Fil-Romanian musician, was named second runner-up in Miss Grand International 2017 held in Phu Quoc on October 25 and won by Miss Vietnam Maria Jose Lora.

Chanel Olive Thomas finished among the Top 10 at the Miss Supranational 2017 pageant held in Krynica Zdroj in Poland on December 2 and won by Miss KoreaJenny Kim, the first ever Korean winner of a major international pageant. Thomas, a 26-year-old, Fil-Australian model took home the Miss Friendship special award.

Other Mutya ng Pilipinas beauties made it as runners up with Hannah Khayle Ildefonso Iglesia finishing 2nd runner up at the 2017 Asian International Super Model search held in China on December 10. The 20-year-old, IT graduate and native of Cabatuan, Isabela, competed against 72 models from different countries around the world.

Astrid De Vera, a 21-year-old, Cebuana model and graduate of BA Mass Communication at University of the Philippines Cebu, was named 4th runner at Miss Asia Pacific International 2017 held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila on November 29 won by Miss Brazil's Francielly Ouriques.

Mary Eve Adeline Escoto, a 23-year-old, physical therapist from Guimaras, was crowned Miss Asia Global 2017 in Kerala, India on November 21. Christa Borja finished among the Top 5 at the 2017 Top Model of the World competition held in El Gouna, Egypt on August 4, won by Miss Ukraine’s Julia Gershun, Fil-German Maureen Wroblewitz won the Asia's Next Top Model season 5 reality show telecast on June 28 episode. The 19-year-old, 5-foot-6, Wroblewitz became the first Filipina to win the popular modeling search. Eton Concepcion