“Miss Philippines”
or the Binibining Pilipinas

The “Miss Philippines,” or the Binibining Pilipinas, as it is more popularly known, is the most prestigious beauty pageant in the Philippines.

The Binibining Pilipinas Beauty Pageant is a prominent fund-raising activity aimed to make the lives of orphans, indigent families and other less fortunate members of the society easier and happier.

The Miss Philippines Beauty Pageant is an annual event where the winners will be representing their country in international beauty pageants, namely Miss Universe, Miss International, and Miss World.

In addition, the Miss Philippines Beauty Pageant is aimed at uplifting the less fortunate arm of the country through corporate sponsorships and generous donations from highly respectful people. It also prides itself as an institution with great compassion and sincere generosity not just for its benefactors but for the whole Filipino society.

The charitable organization, after the Grand Coronation Night, reaches out to the less fortunate society with a pure heart and genuine concern. Most visited places of the Miss Philippines candidates are homes for the aged, orphanages, homeless people, and hospitals all over the country.

These are only some of the reasons why the Miss Philippines candidates undergo rigorous training and community activities even before the pageant itself.

Furthermore, the Philippine representatives to the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant have won twice; first, in 1969 with Gloria Diaz, and the second in 1973 with Maria Margarita Moran.

The Miss Philippines beauty pageant has also produced three Miss International winners; namely Aurora Pijuan in 1970, Melanie Marquez in 1979, and Precious Lara Quigaman in 2005.

The Miss Philippines beauty pageant still has not produced a Miss World winner, but it has come very close to the title with four consecutive Binibining Pilipinas-World, being semi-finalists in the Miss World beauty pageant in the past four years.

One of the main organizers of the Miss Philippines beauty pageant is Maria Stella Marquez Zawadzky, who is more commonly known as Madame Stella Araneta. She was a former Miss Colombia, who was one of the semi-finalists for Miss Universe. She also holds the title for the first ever Miss International beauty pageant held in 1960. Aside from that, she also has an immense passion for the arts and lifestyle. She also helps young and deserving Filipinas to fulfill their dream of becoming a beauty queen.

The beauty pageant started in 1952 as an annual project of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Incorporated (BPCI). The BPCI upholds the concept of peace and love and aims to bring that message across the nation and throughout the world.

Until 1963, the Miss Philippines pageant was held to select the representative of the Philippines to the Miss Universe Pageant. And in 1964, Madame Stella Araneta acquired the local franchise for the Miss Universe Pageant. And now, the winner of the Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Pageant is the official representative of the Philippines to the Miss Universe Pageant.

In 1968, the BPCI acquired the local franchise for the Miss International Beauty Pageant. And finally, in 1992, the same charitable organization (BPCI) acquired the franchise for the Miss World Beauty Pageant. The winners of the Miss Philippines for each of the three international beauty pageants were announced in one Grand Coronation Night, the year after the acquisition of the franchise.

Time and again, beauty pageants have been criticized for the weight they place on the physical attributes of a woman.  Most now feel that it is morally degrading, and sexist, even.  But what many neglect to see is that beauty pageants actually do serve a higher purpose. 

They give inspiration to millions of young children who, by the end of the night, fall asleep dreaming that they would someday wear a crown similar to Charlene Gonzales’s, or answer a question as eloquently as Gloria Diaz.  It inspires them to look at the mirror and brush their hair ever so carefully, saying over and over again, “I am a winner.”

Following is a list of the winners for Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss World.

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