Bea Rose clarifies residency issue

MANILA – Fresh from her triumph in the Miss International pageant, Philippines’ bet Bea Rose Santiago shrugged off questions about her citizenship.

This comes after an entertainment blog alleged that Santiago was supposedly being eyed to become the Binibining Pilipinas Universe but this did not materialize because the Masbate beauty has some residency issues.

In an interview with “Mornings@ANC” on Wednesday, Santiago said it doesn’t matter anymore because she has already bagged the Miss International title.

“For Binibini Miss Universe, you have to stay here for at least six months. My passport has many stamps in it. I don’t know if it’s that. But I really don’t care right now. I won. Ara was our representative for Miss Universe. I think it doesn’t matter anymore right now,” she said.

Putting an end to speculations, Santiago said: “I was born in Alabang and then I moved with my grandparents in Masbate. I went to elementary and I went to two years of high school there because my grandma is a teacher. I was raised in a province. When I was 15, I moved to Toronto and continued school there until college.”

The beauty queen said she returned to the Philippines only last year.

“Just last year, I came back to the Philippines. My dad speaks Ilonggo and my mom speaks Bisaya so I get all these. I understand Ilonggo and Bicolano and Waray. But I’m very fluent in Tagalog and Bisaya because staying with my grandparents, that’s the dialect I grew up with,” she said.

With Santiago's victory, the Philippines now boasts of five Miss International winners -- Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Melanie Marquez (1979), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Gemma Cruz (1965).

Placing second to Santiago was Netherland's Nathalie den Dekker, followed by New Zealand's Casey Radley. Completing the Top 5 were Colombia's Cindy Aguilar and Hungary's Brigitta Otvos.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Miss Philippines is Miss International 2013

The Philippines' Bea Rose Santiago was crowned Miss International 2013 on Tuesday, adding to the string of victories of fellow beauty queens in the country.

The four-hour finals night of the 53rd Miss International pageant was held at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan, gathering over 60 candidates from around the world.

Placing second to Santiago is Netherland's Nathalie den Dekker, followed by New Zealand's Casey Radley. Completing the Top 5 were Colombia's Cindy Aguilar and Hungary's Brigitta Otvos.


For the final round, the remaining five contestants each gave a 30-second speech on the subject, "What I will do if I am crowned Miss International."

"The whole world saw how my country suffered," Santiago said, referring to the devastation caused by super typhoon "Yolanda" in parts of central Philippines. "One by one, other countries helped. I would like to thank who helped my country in our darkest hours. You have opened my heart and eyes on what we can do to help each other."

"If I become Miss International, I would uphold international camaraderie. I will work to sustain the spirit of sympathy and spirit of hope. As long as we work together, there is hope."


One of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the Philippines, and said to be the most powerful typhoon to ever make landfall, "Yolanda" killed at least 6,000 and injured over 27,000 after it hit central Philippines on November 8.

At least 3.4 million families or 16 million individuals were affected by the typhoon, with 4 million people displaced.

Before leaving for the pageant two weeks ago, Santiago said she would dedicate her stint in Tokyo to the Filipinos who were affected by the typhoon. "For me, what they need the most now is probably happiness," she said at the time. "And if I win, if I make it, that will bring happiness to them, to make them more proud and happy this Christmas."




"Iyon ang gusto kong ipakita sa mga tao -- na the Philippines, no matter what happens to us, kahit na bagyo man tayo... I'm going to bring the storm in Japan, that's what I'm going to do," she said.

5 crowns from Miss Int'l

With Santiago's victory, the Philippines now boasts of five Miss International winners. Before the Masbate-born beauty, Filipinas who took home the title were Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Melanie Marquez (1979), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Gemma Cruz (1965).




The country remains second to Venezuela, which has the most number of Miss International titles with six.

The Philippines is on a roll when it comes to beauty pageants this year, led by the country’s first ever Miss World win courtesy of Megan Young.

Ariella Arida finished third runner-up in the Miss Universe 2013 pageant, while Mutya Datul was crowned Miss Supranational.

On top of these, the Philippines also placed in several other pageants this year, such as Miss Grand International, Miss Intercontinental, Mr. International and Miss Teen Expoworld.

Santiago, who is the last Philippine delegate to compete in a major international pageant this year, earlier expressed confidence that the country has "saved the best for last."

"I want to give a merry Christmas to the Philippines. I want to close the pageant this year with a slam," said Santiago.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com