Bb. Pilipinas queens name their fiercest competitor during pageant

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 13 2021 06:35 PM

The winners of this year’s Binibining Pilipinas pageant pose for photos after their coronation. Bruce Casanova, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc.

MANILA — The newly crowned winners of the recently concluded Binibining Pilipinas pageant can now reveal whom they considered their fiercest rival in the competition, with no less than pageant mentor and host Boy Abunda pressing them for answers.

Sitting down with Abunda in their first live interview as titlists on Tuesday were Hannah Arnold (Binibining Pilipinas International), Samantha Panlilio (Grand International), Cinderella Obenita (Intercontinental), Maureen Montagne (Globe), Gabrielle Basiano (1st runner-up), and Meiji Cruz (2nd runner-up).

In one portion of the interview, which streamed on Abunda’s YouTube channel, he asked the girls to name the candidate whom they saw as their biggest competitor.

“Ito ang babantayan ko,” Abunda prompted them.

Obenita answered: “There are really a lot of girls who I would say are frontrunners, because these girls have proven themselves and the international and national competitions. Maureen, she competed for Miss World. Hannah, she competed for Binibini already. And then, we have Gab.”

She also mentioned top 13 finalists Francesca Taruc, Honey Cartasano, and Karen Mendoza.

Panlilio, meanwhile, named her fellow winner, Montagne, “because I saw her in Kagandahang Flores,” referring to their common pageant camp.

Basiano identified Arnold, pointing out the similarities in their image throughout the competition.

“Hannah, kasi pareho kami ng styling all the time. ‘Yung media, palaging sinasabi na si Hannah at si Gab, pareho na naman ng styling. Even in the coronation night, pareho kami ng hair, ‘yung ayos sa face, ‘yung tone ng colors,” she said.

Montagne answered similarly, mentioning Arnold.

“I honestly feel that she fits Miss International so much more. The judges know what they’re doing. She’s very delicate and classy, and she fits the mold. I feel like I’m a bit strong and opinionated, and I’m very bubbly,” Montagne said.

Addressing Arnold, who was seated in front of her, she added, “I’m so proud of you, Hannah.”

Cruz initially declined to identify a specific candidate, saying she opted instead to focus on her own journey in the pageant.

“Honestly, wala. Tiningnan ko ‘yung sarili ko lang. Kasi ako ‘yung type ng tao na 'pag inisip ko siya ang kalaban ko, parang nag-tsi-change ‘yung mindset ko. As much as possible, naka-focus ako sa akin,” she said.

When she mentioned that her team did monitor the performances of her fellow candidates, Cruz was prodded for names.

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“Of course, ‘yung mga frontunners — sina Hannah, Maureen. Iyong meron nang fanbase, meron nang pageant experience,” she said.

Arnold, who was last to be asked, was first made to respond to being named by all but one of her fellow winners.

She admitted getting “a bit nervous” towards the end of the pageant night last Sunday, “because I could feel it.”

“I was thinking, ‘If I win, will they clap for me?’” she recalled, triggering laughter.

Admitting she was dissatisfied with her evening gown performance, because she nearly tripped, Arnold said she was not expecting to be crowned — and was in fact mentally preparing herself for a return to next year’s pageant.

“When there was just the one crown left, I was thinking, ‘Okay, I’m coming back next year.’ It’s true. Honestly, I was thinking, I hope my parents are going to be okay if I’m not called,” she said.

At that point, Honey Cartasano and Karen Mendoza were still in the running for the final crown, Arnold noted. “I was looking, ‘Oh, they’re going to be called.’”

The two, however, ultimately settled for a top 13 finish, with Arnold clinching what is considered to be the top crown among the Binibining Pilipinas titles.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/07/13/21/bb-pilipinas-queens-name-their-fiercest-competitor-during-pageant