How to answer stupidly and still win a beauty pageant
March 10, 2008
And I thought our beauty pageants have already matured a bit. But watching last Saturday’s Binibining Pilipinas 2008 pageant, I can’t help but tell myself, “I was so wrong!”
Because how can a finalist who barely answered the question correctly manage to snatch the Bb. Pilipinas-World title, the second (or is it the third?) most prestigious title in the Bb. Pilipinas competition?
Watch the YouTube video below of how Janina San Miguel “confidently” answered the question posed by a judge, which clinched her the 2008 Bb. Pilipinas-World title.
Transcript:
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- Paolo Bediones: Number 15, Janina San Miguel! Janina, how are you?
- Janina San Miguel: I’m fine.
- Paolo Bediones: All right, so you won two of the major awards - Best in Long Gown, Best in Swimsuit, do you feel any pressure right now?
- Janina San Miguel: No, I don’t feel any pressure right now.
- Paolo Bediones: Confident! All right! Please choose the name of the judge.
- Paolo Bediones: We have… Miss Vivienne Tan.
- Vivienne Tan: Good Evening.
- Janina San Miguel: Good Evening.
- Vivienne Tan: The question is, what role did your family play to you as candidate to Binibining Pilipinas?
- Janina San Miguel: Well, my family’s role for me is so important because there was the wa- they’re, they was the one who’s… very… Haha… Oh I’m so sorry, Ahhmm… My pamily… My family… Oh my god… I’m… Ok, I’m so sorry… I… I told you that I’m so confident… Eto, Ahhmm, Wait… Ahahahaha… Ahmmm. Sorry guys because this was really my perst pageant ever because I’m only 17 years old. And ahaha… I, I did not expect that I came from… I came from one of the tough 10. Hmm. So… but I said that my family is the most important persons in my life. Thank you.
Her grammar mistakes are not the issue. I’m only wondering how the Philippines can win the Miss World title by sending someone who cannot express herself well and who cannot answer the question correctly.
Is she going the way of Melanie Marquez who won the Miss International pageant despite butchering the English language effortlessly?
Or Lauren Caitlin Upton, Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2007 candidate who struggled with maps, US Americans, and everywhere like such as?
Anyway, the best of luck to Janina (and to us!) when she competes in the Miss World 2008 pageant!
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May 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 am
sino mas global?
Intsik na di marunong mag-ingles?
Koreano - di marunong mag-ingles?
Hapon -di marunong mag-ingles?
Vietnamese na ilang dekadang gera - di marunong mag-ingles?
Malayasian - di marunong mag-ingles?
o PIlipino na napa-galing mag-ingles at napa-kaarte mag-ingles?
April 24th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
She should just answer in Tagalog in the international setting. So she can express herself better.
April 18th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
ok lang yun kung hindi siya nakapagsalita ng tamang grammar. I know na marunong siya magsalita ng proper english kaya lang na tense lang yun si janina. yan mga ugok na magaling na magsalita ng english pero wala naman pera ang bulsa, ay judge ng judge ang akala nila ay perfect sila. kung magsasalita ka ng carabao english sa amerikano ay ok na yun sa kanila as long na naiintindihan nila pero dito sa pinas pagbabantayan ka talaga, i publish pa sa newspaper, maglabas pa sa telebisyon para mapahiya ang ating contestant. aba naman think na lang sana di naman tayo amerikano na required na magsalita ng english kasi we have our own kundi tagalog. mga hapon nga o chinese hindi nakakapagsalita ng english ay puro matatalino pa rin. nakakaimbento pa. diyan natin basehan ang talino ng tao at hindi sa wrong grammar. ganun talaga ang pinoy, kahit nga sa pulitika pag nandun ka sa taas, hihilahin ka pa pababa, ayaw umasenso
April 16th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
that was terribly awful..good thing simon cowell wasn’t there..hahaha
April 5th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
The term F.O.B. can also be a reminder to Filipino-nationals who use the term “PROVINCIANOS”.
The sword cuts both ways, and both terms are equally insulting to those on the “receiving” end of the slurs.
Don’t be so quick to judge…something to think about.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Upon reading the comments, I saw the people using the term F.O.B. Many people in the Philippines, probably don’t know what this term means. Let me explain. There are derogatory terms when verbally-viciously attacking groups. Examples are;
white people……………or WHITE TRASH,
African-Americans……….or niggers,
Latinos………………..”wetbacks, or spicks”
Filipinos……………Fresh Off the Boat (F.O.B).
When a filipino american refers to a Filipino-national as a F.O.B, it is the worse insult that can be given to another Filipino-national.
It is so insulting, that you can be beautiful or rich in the Philippines. But if you speak with an accent (even the slightest), or speak Tagalog (and admit it), or you have what someone mentioned “Manila-mannerisms” you will be scorned, particularly by high-school and college-aged youth. Janina would be eating lunch at school, probably by herself. They are not jealous of her, they would not like her because she is different from Filipinos born in the U.S., whether she is from an affluent upbringing or not. Being rich or poor does not matter. F.O.B. is a racial slur.
The F.O.B.’s usually are not included in Filipino-American circles, sadly, until the Fil-Am circle gets a little more matured.
This is an important FYI bulliten. F.O.B. is a total insult of the worse kind.
These Filipino-Americans using this term should be ashamed of themselves. Shame on you.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:46 am
ANSWER FOR A BEAUTY PAGEANT QUESTION HELLO????WALANG DAPAT IKAHIYA SI JANINA HINDI NIYA PAGKAKAMALI ANG MAGING MAHIRAP AT WALANG ACCESS SA PRIVATE SCHOOL WITH GOOD TEACHERS NA MAGALING SA ENGLISH IKAW INSTEAD NA YOU PUT DOWN ANOTHER PERSON WHY DONT YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF …DI BA MAS NAKAKAHIYA ANG GINAGAWA MO..HIRAP SA IYO KONTINGKNOWLEDGE LANG ANG ALAM MO KALA MO NAPAKAGALING MUNA..IKAW AY TAGAK NA AKALA MO EH MATAAS KA PA SA KALABAW..WHY DONT YOU REPRESENT THE PHILIPPINES BY BEING HUMBLE AND HELPFUL TO HIS COUNTRYMEN AND NOT PUTTING ANYBODY DOWN.. EMBA EMBARASS KA DIYAN EH IKAW ITONG NAKAKAHIYA..LETSE!!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 am
sorry,
Miss World -0, but 2 finalists and 2 semi-finalists between 2002-2005
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
sorry,
Miss World - 0, but 2 finalists between 2001-2004.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:26 am
P.S.,
Remember, the Philippines pageant resume looks like this…
Miss Universe - 2
Miss International - 3
Miss World - 0, but 2 finalists in the past 4 years.
What language did these ladies speak to achieve their high placings in their respective pageants?
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 am
Filipinos criticizing the contestant’s choice to use English oppose to Tagalog will point out that the Latin American ladies in international pageants use Spanish to respond to interviews or final questions.
Here is the reality, English and Spanish are world languages and two of the six official languages of the United Nations. Tagalog/Filipino, albeit important, is not a global language spoken by many nations. There is a certain dynamic when you come from a country traditionally renowned of being the best second language English speakers in the world. In addition, the Philippines’ other co-official language is English. There is a certain world-wide expectation that Filipinos in general, to speak good English.
This may be the heart of all the fuss towards this contestants respond. Most Filipinos who are embarassed for Janina San Miguel probably are fluent and good speakers themselves. If they weren’t fluent and good speakers, how would they know that Janina was speaking grammatically bad English?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:04 am
P.S.
PinoyMoneyTalk, rally around those who desire that English would be the instruction in schools.
Secondly, ponder Gloria Arroyo Macapagal’s notion of placing importance of studying the Spanish language in the educational system to “re-connect” with Latin America thus opening more windows of opportunity to the economy and culture as a whole. Continue to use Tagalog as a chief lingua franca.
It is all three where the Philippines finds their cultural identity.
Game-point, the Philippines wins.
Hasta !
April 1st, 2008 at 6:06 am
This video is a bittersweet example of Filipinos. On one hand, she definitely captivates one of the diverse and beautiful looks Filipinos are known for. On the other hand, her command of English, to say the least, could use some improvement.
Interesting note, of all the justifialbe reasons that American and Spanish influences have been “villainized”, did one ever ask why the Philippines, and not China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam or Indonesia?
Who knew then that these two imposing “foreign” powers, who undeniably conquered the Philippines with arguably self-conceived motives, that now, the Philippines can poise itself to be a culturual, economic and political liason between the Americas (both North and Latin), and Asia. They actually can identify with all three regions.
Play your cards right Philippines. Take advantage of your two colonial intrusions and call your hand. Nothing to lose, and perhaps everything to gain! You can do it.
Food for thought!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:33 am
FYI;
Amongst the minority groups here in the U.S., the Indian and Filipino minorities rank 1-2 of in achieving the highest rates of annual income for each house-hold. Both groups are also ranked above the average American and other Asian and Latino groups (percentage wise) of likely completing a Bachelors Degree.
The common denominator; English.
Don’t listen to the vocal and loud minority on how they view the importance of English. Nationalism is important, but in a global market, any door to put food on the table supercedes any truths of what a “real” Filipino should look and talk like.
Get in touch with the “silent” majority who probably feel English is necessary and important to the Filipino culture and consider it also to be part of the Filipino persona.
It would be wise to look at the Philippines in more of a “global” perspective, than just one nation in Asia.
Google “Filipino-American; Wikipedia”, and/or “Asian-American; Wikipedia”, or “Indian-American; Wikipedia.”
March 31st, 2008 at 10:50 am
P.S.
If the Philippines chose to, the whole country has the potential to speak English at a domestic level to where the country would have no problem to be in the same category as U.S.A, England, Canada and Australia.