Miss World search goes to the malls

MANILA, Philippines—The search is on for Miss World Philippines and pageant organizers have widened their search to the provinces and have even gone to the malls to accept applications.

Cory Quirino, chairman and CEO of CQ Global Quest Inc. and licensee of Miss World Philippines, said the provincial search for aspirants is in full swing after it kicked off in Naga City earlier this month. The search, she said in a press statement, yielded several young first-time beauty pageant applicants.

The second provincial stop was Cebu City where a mini beauty pageant attracted hundreds of mall-goers at the SM supermall.

Future searches include a Metro Manila wide gathering Friday at the SM Mall of Asia, tomorrow at SM City Pampanga in San Fernando and June 18 at SM City in Davao. Other provincial cities are still being considered.

Miss World Philippines is being presented by CQGQ and SMDC together with Banco de Oro, Petron, Smart, Philippine Airlines and the City of Puerto Princesa, with SM Supermalls as official search partners.

In a press conference in January, Julia Morley, chairman and CEO of Miss World Organization, presented the Miss World license to Quirino in the presence of Miss World 2010 Alexandria Mills and 2nd princess Emma Wareus.

Upon receiving the license, Quirino announced the biggest prize in Philippine pagenat history—a grand prize of P1 million plus an SMDC condominium unit.

Miss World Philippines slogan is ‘‘Beauty in Giving” inspired by the Miss World slogan ‘‘Beauty with a Purpose.” The pageant has adopted as beneficiaries the Tuloy Streetchildren Foundation headed by Father Rock Evangelista and Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation led by Dr. Greg Alvior.

Deadline for submission of application forms is July 31. Coronation and Pageant Night is set for Sept. 18 at the Philippine International Convention Center.