This is just a random thought. Maybe this is a very late observation, but I think this is worth the posting.
I remember former Channel V Veejay and Model Joey Mead or Joanne del Pilar Angeles in real life was asked to withdrew from the Binibining Pilipinas 2001 pageant due to ‘overage’. I remember Joey Mead interviewed in ABS-CBN’s sunday showbiz talkshow during that time, asserting she was asked to withdrew from the pageant since she is overage (at the age of 26).
Joey Mead in a contested magazine cover in 2008
Regina Hahn in her Official 2009 Binibini headshot
It can be noted that Bb. Pilipinas gives 3 national crowns namely the official delegates to Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International. On the three big international pageants, the following are the age limits:
Miss Universe – 18 (min) – 27 (max)
Tthe maximum age of 27 for a delegate is that she must turn 27 not earlier than February of the year – for confirmation. Eventhough, in the early years, Miss Universe used to accept 17 years old as the minimum age. To note that Miss Universe 1957 Gladys Zender from Peru was 17 when she won the Miss Universe crown, and Rosario Rico Toro of Bolivia in Miss Universe 1990 was 17 years old at that time.
The most notable 27 years old contestant at the time of their competing at Miss Universe were:
1. Leonora Dibueno, Miss Uruguay 1994 – non-finalist at Miss Universe 1994 held in Manila, The Philippines.
2. Arlene Peterkin, Miss Trinidad & Tobago 1995 – top 6 finalist at Miss Universe 1995 held in Windhoek, Namibia
Trinidad & Tobago’s Arlene Peterkin was 27 during the 1995 Miss Universe Pageant in Windhoek, Namibia
Miss World – 17 (min) -25 (max)
Miss World is more popular in Europe. That is why most European national pageants have their minimum age requirement as 17 years. This results that most European National Pageant Winners who are both sent for Universe and World often replace their Universe contestants with any of the runners-up.
The current Miss World Venezuela, Maria Milagros Veliz already turned 26 last January/February 2009, thus it is a debate if she would be not allowed to participate. Veliz won the Miss World Venezuela 2009 last August 2008 whereas she was only 25 years old, therefore meeting the age requirement of Miss World.
Miss International – 17 (min) – 25 (max)
This rule has been violated by Miss International 1979 Mimilanie Laurel Marquez, if the claims in some interviews in the recent years stating that she was 14 or 15 during the pageant is true.
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Now, Joey Mead was 26 in 2001. Which means, she can compete in Binibini but she can never be crowned Bb. Pilipinas World or International since she would appear overage.
But in March 2009, the daughter of 1974 Miss Universe 4th Runner-up Rosemarie ‘Chiqui’ Brosas-Hahn, named Regina Hahn was allowed to compete at the 2009 Bb Pilipinas pageant. Hahn is 26 years old. Why was she allowed to compete? Is this a double-standard, since Chiqui Brosas is a close supporter of the Binibini, or for any other reason?
Hahn can never compete at Miss International nor Miss World. She is overage. Is that the reason why she was only given a runner-up position?
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If that is the case, Joey Mead should have been allowed to compete in 2001. She is a supermodel, a veejay. Mead is spontaneous, frank, talk active and fashion-forward in respect to her choice of fashion. She could’ve easily won Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2001, thereby upsetting Zora Andam who is perfect for Miss World.
Mead in case allowed to join and placed 2nd or 3rd overall (taking Universe as the 1st ranked contestant) means she cannot compete for Miss World or International. She can be appointed instead a runner-up. Henceforth, I see no problem for Binibini for not allowing any contestant, whoa re stunningly beautiful, to compete at a very ripe age of 26.
I remember Miss Earth used to publish that their min-max age is 18-25. But when Polish-Venezuelan Francys Barraza Sudnicka was sent by Poland in 2006, Carousel allowed her to compete. Sudnicka during that time was 26, almost nearing 27 years old.
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The Mead-Hahn case is really something. There has been a double standard.
At any rate, I did not find Regina Hahn equally stunning as her mother, Chiqui Brosas, who is one of my most favourite beauty queens of all times. I find Regina Hann anorexic, straight-bodied, old-looking and outdated in fashion.
I just wonder how Hahn and even Vanessa Johnson and other undeserving semifinalists beat the stunner Carisheila Kuijpers, who is the bet of almost all Venezuelan, Mexican, Puerto Rican and American pageant fans.
Oh well, Binibini is very good at having ambassadors and local celebrity judges who does not know the standards of international beauty pageant at all.
What does Richard Gomez know about the current standrads of Miss U and Miss World? What does Regine Velasquez knew about those pageants as well… What about Marian Rivera who cannot even speak straight English sentence easily? what about the Egyptian ambassador? The Italian ambassador? This is another issue. I’ll take this up in another blog topic…
The Hahn case only proves the claim of many that Binibini is somehow ‘RIGGED’.
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