Things are heating up in the Miss World Philippines competition as a few days ago, the special awards were given out to the lucky ladies carefully chosen to bring them home. The awards night was held at the prestigious Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, in front of entertainment insiders and potential sponsors who will be helping out with MWP's partner charities.
It came as no surprise for Vanessa Ammann's supporters and friends (fondly called V by her close friends and peers) that she would bag this competition's Miss Friendship Award, and for good reason. Starting her beauty pageant trail back in Miss Cebu 2011, she has also been singled out as Miss Friendship from among that batch. In the highly competitive world of beauty queens and the illustrious pageants they join, where they are constantly groomed and melded to always be ahead of their competition and with bringing home the crown their priority, being chosen as the friendliest and most approachable from among the pack speaks volumes about the candidate. Being chosen two successive times from two incredible beauty pageants does indeed speak a lot about Vanessa. She's doing Cebu really proud in the competition thus far.
I haven't had the opportunity to get close to her while she was in Cebu, but she would never hesitate to be the first one to say hi. My boyfriend, as a matter of fact, got close to her back in his film school days. He would speak nothing but good, kind things about her. He can ascertain that no matter what the public's preconceived notions of her are, she is a genuine friend and a super approachable person on the whole.
Who better to discuss this matter with than the people closest to her? I had the chance to speak with Edwardson Co and Beatriz Amanda Borja, two very close friends of V, to let us in on how awesome V really is to those around her, and why this Cebuana beauty deserves to take home the crown.
Edwardson Co
Interior Design Graduate, University of San Carlos
V's "Gay BFF"
images from Edwardson Co
I've been friends with V for over 7 years ago since we met in college - we initially became friends because we both love costume jewelry.
What I love about her is that she is not the typical sheltered mestiza. She is an unusual, fascinating mix of big hair, sharp facial features, olive complexion, and curves, but there is a lot more to her. She loves sports (she used to play soccer, and now she does wakeboarding); She's a brilliant at pen-&-ink illustrator; She surely can dance to mostly any beat; She is independent, street-smart; and most of all, she has this charisma that brings people together, regardless of where they come from. Over a year ago she moved out to Manila to become a commercial model, despite knowing that she is to compete against hundreds of other the fair-skinned, straight-haired, size-zero Eurasian-looking model girls. Since then she has been in TV commercials, magazine editorials, billboards, and other print ads. She was the top 3 model contestant in a fashion reality show, and made it to this year's 20 most beautiful list of a prestige fashion magazine. She is not exactly what comes to mind when you say "model" or "pageant girl", not even the ideal "mestiza" in our Filipino perception of beauty. But she is proof that determination and personality, backed up by embracing one's individuality, makes one worthy of a crown, if not more.
Beatriz Amanda Borja
CEO, Adnama Mining Inc.
Friends for a long time
By far one of the most beautiful people I know, V is a force to reckon with. She seems a walking contradiction - confident yet down to earth, simple yet a myriad of wonderful complexities. She has both heart and talent that will take her places, and you can bet that she's down for the ride. Headstrong and assertive with the things she wants in life, there is no stopping this whirlwind from reaching the pinnacles she aims to reach, effortlessly and with utmost grace. I've been blessed enough to have known V, the funny and quirky girl, the true and affectionate friend, the loyal and genuine person that she really is. I don't doubt that she will be a most deserving beauty queen, as she is compassionate and with a soul so open to giving and making others happy. She is a true embodiment of a modern day woman, and I believe that only great things lie ahead for her. Unassuming and sincere, she is not one to boast of her many god given talents. Let her color your day with her antics and wit, let her set the days ablaze with her spirit. Nothing but love, her friends and family know that she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Best of luck and well wishes to the amazing woman that miss Vanessa Ammann is! :)
Stay updated here on CITT for more of Vanessa Ammann's journey in the Miss World Philippines as well as the latest on the pageant trail.
Miss World Philippines 2012 is presented in part by Agoda.com, where discount deals and great hotel accomodations all over the world meet.
