by Ang Mang-aawit Ngayong tapos na ang Binibining Pilipinas 2004, gusto ko namang mag-suggest ng mga konting bagay na sana'y magdudulot ng kabutihan sa lahat ng ating mga kandidata na lalahok sa darating na mga international pageants this year. Assuming that physical fitness and interview skills are harnessed or enhanced prior to the competition, the following are just some of the things that need to be addressed: 1. The Hair. I hope that BPCI shuns from using hair-extensions and/or other hairstyles that do not enhance the beauty, or highlight the facial features of our delegates this year. In the first place, majority of Filipino women are already well-known to have shiny and healthy hair in the international scene. Huwag baguhin ang dapat baguhin. Hindi lahat ng pagbabago ng style ng buhok ay effective. Below are some of my examples: a. Desiree Verdadero at Miss Universe '84. During the preliminary competition, nakalugay lang ang "one-length ala Malu Maglutac" na buhok ni Desiree. Maganda ang effect sa kanya nito both in swimsuit and evening gown competitions. Sa katunayan ay naging Number 2 pa nga siya kay Yvonne Ryding (Miss Sweden and eventual winner that year). Kung inaakala ng marami na sina Milka Chulina (MU-Venezuela '93) at Alicia Machado (MU-Venezuela '96) ang nagpauso ng mag-"flip-flip" ng kanilang buhok tuwing ini-interview ay diyan sila nagkakamali. It was Desiree Verdadero who first-handedly did it with natural oomph and flair! Alas! During the final competition, her hairstyle was changed! Naka-chignon bun na ang kanyang buhok! Tuloy, na-emphasized ang kanyang 5'6'' lang na height kung saan karamihan sa mga naging semi-finalists that year were already 5'8'' and above, at nahalata rin ang kanyang medyo malapad na noo. Of course, dahil na rin siguro sa halong kaba at paninibago ng style ng kanyang buhok e hindi masyado naging effective ang mga interview segments ni Desiree with Bob Barker. Wala nang "ipi-flip" ang kinakabahang Desiree kaya hayun . . . naging 3rd RU tuloy! Ewan ko ba kung sino ang may pakana na mag-"bun" siya pero kahit pa noong Bibining Pilipinas 1984 pa lang ay talagang nakalugay na ang buhok ni Desiree. It was a part of her "coping mechanism" to flip her hair to conceal her nervousness during an interview. It was in this kind of hairstyle that her sexy figure was enhanced and her not-so-towering height as a fashion model was disguised. Unfortunately, she changed her hairstyle came final night. Siyempre, kung ang isang tao ay hindi hiyang sa isang bagay na hindi pa niya ginawa o nagawa, e talagang maiilang siya nito. Thus, a runner-up placement for Desiree. b. Geraldine Asis at Miss Universe '87. During the Binibining Pilipinas coronation night, she sported a simple ponytail with a nice, sequined, black bow that graciously coordinated with her black, strapless gown by Mamengco (am I correct on the designer's name, Jules?) Anyway, she really gave tremendous justice to that evening gown especially when she turned around and posed for the judges that even Vilma Santos, who was one of the judges at that time, couldn't help but sighed with great delight. It was "picture perfect" --- an original ensemble designed by a Filipino designer that was brought to life by an awesome, statuesque Filipina. Sa swimsuit competition naman, nakalugay lang ang STRAIGHT na buhok ni Pebbles. Pero kahit na straight lang ang buhok niya ay maganda naman tingnan at napaka-shiny talaga. Sa katunayan ay nanalo pa nga siya as Miss Sunsilk. Pero mga kapatid, during her stint in Singapore ay nag-iba ang ihip ng hangin. Pumangit ang buhok ni Pebbles. Ginawang "wavy", o pinakulot na medyo "hilaw" ang pagkakakulot na tila hindi mo maiintindihan ang construction ng kanyang buhok. Tuloy, nagmukha siyang "untidy" tingnan at mas lalong na-emphasized ang kanyang medyo-may-kalakihang mga pisngi. During the evening gown competition, hindi masyado nabigyan ng "edge" ni Pebbles ang kanyang gown kaya tuloy naagaw ni Miss Venezuela ang 5th spot. c. Abbygale Arenas at MU '97. Although her Pitoy Moreno-designed evening gown pulled her preliminary scores down, siguro naman ay magiging iba ang dating nito kung naka-"bun" ang buhok niya. Malay natin at baka nakuha niya ang 10th spot para maging semi-finalist sa Miss Universe. Sa katunayan, it was the first time that I saw her sporting a different kind of hairstyle. When I first watched her at the Supermodel of the World competition where the announcer missed her name and finally called her as the last delegate after Yugoslavia, ay naka-"bun" na talaga ang buhok niya, maging sa Bb. Pilipinas coronation night. Pero ewan ko ba kung bakit iniba ang style ng kanyang buhok sa Miss Universe Pageant. d. Nina Alagao at Miss Universe 2000.What more can I say? Sinong bruha kaya ang nag-braid ng kanyang buhok? Ang sarap sabunutan! e. Karen Agustin at Miss Universe 2001.O, hayan, dahil sa hair-extensions ay nagmukhang komedyante ng "Sine Siyete" si Karen. (O baka may mag-re-react na naman diyan!!!) Dinagdagan pa ng isang "flop-sing" na disenyo mula sa isang banyaga na tuloy naging kulelat ang dating at medyo tagilid tingnan ang boobs ni Karen dahil sa kakaibang construction ng evening gown na gawa ng banyagang ito! It was "adding insult to an injury", 'ika nga. f. Kate Manalo at Miss World '02. Kulang na lang na lagyan ng isang malaking buto ang gitna sa ibabaw ng buhok ni Kate at tuluyan na siyang magmumukhang si "Bam-bam" ng "The Flintstones". Please don't get me wrong, mahal ko ang batang 'yan. Sa katunayan ay nakipag-away pa nga ako kay Vitug dahil lang kay Kate pero ewan ko ba kung sino ang may pakana na baguhin ang ayos ng buhok ni Kate at ginawa pa kaseng "bundokera" at "complicated" ito!!! I am not saying that a delegate's hairstyle is the only means or the end of it all. It is not the main or sole criterion for nailing a title. It may be trivial for others to consider this as one of the factors to winning a crown; however, we also cannot deny the fact that a delegate's hairstyle is one of the vital elements that separates her from the others. It becomes an integral part of her total packaging as a woman, spokesmodel, ambassador, and beauty titlist. While we are pro-active in encouraging our delegates to "fine-tune" and "fine-tone" their interview skills and bodies, respectively, we also need to scrutinize this "minute" aspect in her total packaging as a delegate. After all, her victory is the country's victory as well. To be continued . . .