The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
by Boy Villasanta
Because of her black color and unique features, 2024 Miss Universe Philippines winner Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan Province is criticized and bashed, unfortunately not by outsiders and foreigners but her fellow Filipinos.
She is being thrown with invectives of being “ugly” and asking if she could even stand the round one elimination in the international stage side-by-side with world beauties.
Yet the MUP judges had spoken that their choice could make a difference ordinary people doubted.
But entertainment journalist and talent scout Tonee Coraza is positive Chelsea stands a good fight in the Miss U to be held in Mexico.
Tonee also dressed down bashers and critics of Manalo. “Akala mo naman ay mapuputi gayong kakulay rin nila (They thought they’re fair-skinned but they’re of the same color),” lectured Coraza.
Meanwhile, film critic Mike Feria, former Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP), founder of Young Critics Circle (YCC) and organizer of FACINE (Filipino-American Cind Festival) in San Francisco, California and recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Awards for arts and culture in his community has this mouthful thoughts on Chelsea and Nora Aunor: “Interest in…Chelsea lies in her being the first black Filipina ever selected–true, Venus Raj may have been the first dark-skinned Filipina to win MUPH, but she is of Indian-Filipina parentage; a teaching moment since online bashing immediately came her way, presumably because she is black—consider that similar bashings had been constantly lobbed against Nora Aunor, she of an outstanding work as film actor/producer and of last, is National Artist, presumably because she is dark, of small build, hence undeserving of all these honors—both of them had been called, ‘baluga‘, ‘ita‘—needs inspire us to confront our own people’s ‘struggles with colorism, racism and legacies of colonialism’.”