I am not so sure of the name of the gym, I think it was Gold Gym. But whatever. The treadmills are humming. Sweats are flowing. Ipods in full volume. Panting. Huffing. I can see its Janine Tugunon. Criticized for being out of shape, Meralco-sized thighs to be exact, Janine is dedicated in proving her critics wrong. She and her Bb. Pilipinas handlers understood - beauty pageants love slim women.

A few kilometers away, past the rumbling MRT and the hubbub and screech of jeepneys and buses, someone is hitting not the gym but the kitchen. I assume someone is raiding the adobos, the pork chops and the lechon. Why, how else could Miss Earth Philippines Stephany Stefanowitz get fat? While her Bb. Pilipinas counterpart is sweating it out, Stephany is getting lax and lazy. Today, her body looks like a wooden barrel.

The difference, the contrast, is soooo stark. Consider this correspondent's report:

During her MPE days:

1. Her body is (well, was) in very competitive form. Slim and the curves are in the right places.

2. Her body is so impressive & in competitive form and she can join any international pageant at that time.

During Miss Earth 2012 Presscon:

1. When she appeared on stage we are a little bit shocked. Her belly is bulging (She looks like a pregnant woman - the worst description I can give). Her catwalk is superb but she cannot hide the bulging belly.

2. But she gave the best introduction during presscon, because she said some environmental introduction.

3. And the girls next to her have really toned abs! This made her belly very visible.

And to add injury to the insult, the press picked Stephany has their favorite. Alright, I know that the hosts are winning these days and I was about to predict that Philippines will have its second ME crown but oh for crying out loud! With her body, there is no way Miss Philippines could even come near the semis. The brazen attitude of MPE winners to be careless with their diet and be oblivious to their body forms starting with Athena Imperial is a direct product of assuring Philippines a slot in the semis. At least that is what I suspect. And this would come at the cost of the pageant's credibility. The flak that the pageant drew last year after Athena was in the Top 4 should push Miss Earth organizers to make this year's pageant fair and credible. 

Maybe Miss Earth Org will again emphasize its environmental message as the central focus of the pageant. Blah, blah blah. Well, who is against that? Carry on with the message but this is a beauty pageant! The messenger should be at least, sexy enough!

Stephany's body during her MPE days