Quezon City, Philippines – (from left) 2013 winners Bb. Pilipinas Tourism Cindy Miranda, Miss Universe 3rd Runner Up Ariella Arida, Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago and Miss Supranational 2013 Johanna Datul. Binibining Pilipinas is the Philippines’ most prestigious beauty pageant. (Photo by Mark Cristino/NurPhoto/Corbis via Getty Images)
Newly crowned Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago waves to the crowd during her victory parade in the financial district of Makati, east of Manila, Philippines, December 27, 2013. The Filipina won the title of the 2013 Miss International beauty pageant in Tokyo, Japan on December 17, 2013. Photo: Ezra Acayan/NurPhoto (Photo by NurPhoto/Corbis via Getty Images)
September 6, 2013 – Mutya Johanna Datul became the Philippines’ first ever Miss Supranational titleholder after winning the crown at the Minsk Sports Palace in Minsk, Belarus
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – NOVEMBER 09: The Miss Universe 2013 Top 5 pose after their announcement. Miss Philippines Ariella Arida (in yellow gown) was named 3rd Runner-Up. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)
Bb. Pilipinas Tourism 2013 Cindy Miranda made it to the Top 10 of Miss Tourism Queen International in China
There is a good reason why Gold is always attached to significant milestones. It equates to fifty (50) solid years of achievement – be it marriage or a corporation or personal age. In this case, the high standard is set for national pageantry. Binibining Pilipinas, that is.
Bb. Pilipinas 2013, or Bb. Pilipinas Gold if you will, earned its place in pageant history as one of the grandest and most exciting editions ever. Just imagine assembling fifty (50) official candidates instead of the usual forty (40) or less in the past. The gathering onstage of many previous titleholders made it extra special as well. And among the four titleholders, BPCI produced the country’s fifth Miss International crown, first Miss Supranational win, a fourth consecutive Top 5 finish in Miss Universe and a Top 10 placement in Miss Tourism Queen International. What’s more, this is the only year when only a sole runner-up was named – Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach – the woman destined to claim our third Miss Universe victory two years later.
Pageant fans and followers have always graded the success rate of each Bb. Pilipinas edition based not only on the performances of the actual titleholders, but also the future successes of a runner-up or semifinalist. But if we exclusively take the set of winners, the four queens of 2013 can still hold a candle if compared to the 2015 (a Miss Universe, a Miss Globe, a Miss Intercontinental 1st Runner-Up and a Miss International Top 10 Finisher) or the 2018 (a Miss Universe, a Miss Intercontinental, a Miss International 1st Runner-Up, a Miss Supranational Top 10 placer and a Miss Globe Top 15) batches. On top of this, being part of Bb. Pilipinas 2013 is already an honor. At the end of the day, there is one and there will only be one Binibining Pilipinas Gold.
Let me end this entry by sharing a video clip of a scene from the ABSCBN Drama Antholoy “Maalaala Mo Kaya” when actress Liza Soberano played the role of Pia Wurtzbach. This was the part where the 2013 winners had a Press Conference in front of members of the media.
