Two years after she quit as national director of another pageant, radio and television personality and wellness advocate Cory Quirino assumed the presidency of Mutya ng PIlipinas beauty pageant, one of the longest-running beauty contests in the country, during a press conference held at Ascott Hotel in Makati City last March 27.
"Why I have returned to pageantry is for one reason alone. What I long intended to accomplish in 2011 was left unfinished - that of discovering the Hometown Girl," said Quirino, during a jampacked press conference.
"With the full support of our dynamic Chairman Fred Yuson and the artistic expertise of Ogie Alcasid, I am confident that, together, we will take Mutya ng Pilipinas to the next level," she added.
Quirino, also current president of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), was the former national director of the Miss World Philippines contest from 2011 to 2016.
During the press conference, she finally revealed to the press why she left Miss World Philippines pageant. She said she was totally heartbroken when Filipino-Australian Catriona Gray lost in the Miss World 2016 beauty pageant held in the US.
Pageant fans believe Quirino's resignation as national director of Miss World Philippines was a sign of protest to the results of the Miss World 2016 contest.
Gray then joined rival national pageant Bb. Pilipinas 2018 and became the country's representative to the 2018 Miss Universe contest held in Thailand in December. She won and became the Philippines fourth Miss Universe titleholder.
Quirino has moved on from the heart-breaking loss of Gray and is now focused on Mutya ng Pilipinas. She said: "Mutya ng Pilipinas deserves nothing less than the continuance of its national tradition but with brighter dreams for aspiring candidates."
The granddaughter of Philippine president Elpidio Quirino said that she has been wooed to join Mutya ng Pilipinas since December 2018.
"It was Ogie (Alcasid) who recommended me to Fred (Yuson). And so we went to the house of Fred (Yuson) after Christmas. There they asked me to join Mutya ng Pilipinas," Quirino said. The rest is history.
Quirino said that Mutya ng PIlipinas "will now pursue its original platform by embarking on grassroots campaign with the Liga Ng Mga Barangay and under the auspices of the Department of Interior and Local Government."
Mutya ng PIlipinas signed a memorandum of understanding with Liga Ng Mga Barangay led by Kapitana Eden Pineda under the auspices of DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino.
NEW MUTYA NG PILIPINAS - Radio and TV personality and wellness advocate Cory Quirino (center) assumes the presidency of Mutya ng Pilipinas beauty contest during a press conference at Ascott Hotel in Makati City. Also in photo are OPM artist Ogie Alcasid (left), 'Mutya' Board of Directors; and Fred Yuson, chairman, Mutya ng Pilipinas.
Quirino said that talks are underway with ABS-CBN to open its doors to talented Mutya candidates who could possibly join the ranks of ABS-CBN Star Magic artists.
"We will discover talented candidates who will be given the chance to become a movie star, model or career woman," she said.
Now on its 51st year, Mutya ng Pilipinas will continue its international search with its existing partners abroad.
Alcasid joins the Mutya ng Pilipinas team as Board of Director. Known for his award-winning OPM masterpieces, the popular musician said that he will also be involved in the pageant's production through his A Team company.
He said that his wife Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez is excited about his production's partnership with Mutya ng Pilipinas.
This is not the first time Alcasid embraced a beauty pageant. During staging of the 1994 Miss Universe beauty contest in the Philippines, Alcasid toured with the candidates of the prestigious beauty pageant.
There Alcasid met and fell in love with former Miss Australia Michelle Van Eimeren, who was ranked No. 11 in the 1994 Miss Universe contest. They got married but split. Alcasid and Eimeren remain good friends through the years despite having their own families.
Alcasid and Velasquez later tied the knot. They have a son.
The grand finals of the 51st Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant will be held in August.
Organizers said that the pageant might be held either at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City or Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. - ROBERT REQUINTINA
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