The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Alvin I. Dacanay
Today, January 26, many Filipinos here and overseas will watch the 63rd Miss Universe Pageant to see if our delegate, 27-year-old entrepreneur Mary Jean “MJ” Lastimosa of North Cotabato province, succeeds in what her immediate predecessors failed to do: win the prestigious title that the Philippines last won in 1973.
There is tremendous pressure on Lastimosa to deliver: the last four Filipinas who participated in the competition—Maria Venus Raj in 2010, Shamcey Supsup in 2011, Janine Tugonon in 2012 and Ariella Arida in 2013—all earned a spot in the Top 5. Plus, Filipino beauty-contest watchers have been very, very vocal about their support for her, particularly on social-media sites.
If Lastimosa—who stands at 5’9’’—does feel that pressure, she doesn’t show it. What she does show—apart from her unblemished skin, a jaw-dropping figure and a smile so bright that she could light up a house—is her astonishing capacity to persevere: She won the Binibining Pilipinas-Universe title on her third attempt, just like the woman who inspired her, Maricar Balagtas.
The past several weeks have revealed much about where her capacity to persevere—to endure, really—came from: a childhood spent away from her parents (her father is an Arab; her mother, Filipino), who migrated to Saudi Arabia to ensure a good future for her and her siblings; growing up under the care of an uncle in a province where there is constant chaos; garnering three scholarships that enabled her to finish her computer-engineering degree, not minding that her course is dominated by men; and opening a slimming center in Davao City.
Clearly, Lastimosa’s background is heavy and serious, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a lighter, softer side. According to her profile on the Miss Universe website, she has been called by friends as the “love doctor,” dispensing advice about relationships; she enjoys theme parks in other countries; and kids gravitate toward her. And during last Thursday’s Miss Universe preliminary competition, co-host Roxanne Vargas revealed that Lastimosa also likes traveling alone and going to museums to learn about other peoples and cultures, and that she has become interested in acting.
Heaping hosannas
Since Lastimosa arrived at the site of this year’s pageant—the city of Doral, in Miami, Florida—the local entertainment media have been following her every move and documenting every word from and about her. And her rabid fans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been heaping hosannas on her, praising everything from her beauty (many, including foreigners, are so taken with her “million-dollar” smile) to her poise. Even the duration of her appearances in the Miss Universe pageant’s television trailers have been reported on.
All the pre-pageant attention that Lastimosa received was brought to another level during the Miss Universe preliminary show at Miami’s Florida International University Arena, which was streamed online. When she introduced herself to the audience in a sparkly and midriff-baring pink cocktail dress (that color, it seems, is her absolute favorite), many noted her unusually bubbly delivery and her quick lift of her chin, as if trying to project a more playful—and, therefore, more youthful—persona. (Let’s admit it: she’s probably the oldest Miss Universe candidate this year.)
Later, when she came out onstage—to very loud cheers—in a white, embellished mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline and an odd see-through panel that showed off the lower part of her thighs, many of her fans panned it, complaining that it didn’t showcase her at her best and accusing its Colombian designer, Alfredo Barraza, of sabotaging her chances. (To be fair, he did design the Miss Universe evening gowns of Raj, Supsup, Tugonon and Arida—maybe it’s a matter of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?) Despite that, those same fans lauded her bearing and walk, dubbing it the “Dyosa [Goddess] Walk.”
But as far as this writer is concerned, Lastimosa’s best moment came during the show’s swimsuit segment. Here, she rocked her sensational Yamamay pink bikini that spectacularly showed off her curves, trim waist and ample booty. Needless to say, her fans in the audience—and, one presumes, those glued to their computer screens—roared their approval.
A very good chance
Judging by what has been written about her, Lastimosa has a very good chance of duplicating—or even surpassing—the feat achieved by her four immediate predecessors, which is nothing to scoff at. Of course, there are those already standing in her way.
It has been reported that two of her fiercest competitors are Miss Colombia Paulina Vega and Miss USA Nia Sanchez, both of whom have their share of ardent supporters. Also reported as favorites to win the crown are Miss India Noyonita Lodh, Miss Jamaica Kaci Fennell and Miss South Africa Ziphozakhe Zokufa.
But no matter how she fares today, Lastimosa has already proven herself to be a winner, because of the example she has set for women, especially Filipinas, one that’s informed by her childhood, education and career: that women can persevere in life with pluck and poise. Having said that, this writer wishes Lastimosa the best of luck, not only in the competition, but also outside it.
