Bb.Pilipinas World Marie-Ann Umali

Beauty queens Marie-Ann Umali and Daisy Reyes left separately on Nov. 5 to represent the country in Miss World and Mrs. World, respectively.

Umali, according to the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI), which organizes the annual search for representatives to major international pageants, flew to London in the afternoon.

Hours before her flight, Umali declared in a send-off given by BPCI that she would do her best to become the first Filipina to be crowned Miss World.

The BPCI later told Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online that the 22-year-old Batangas native who won Bb. Pilipinas-World last March at the Araneta Coliseum would participate in a week-long series of pageant-related events before proceeding with the rest of the candidates to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the Dec. 12 coronation night.

Miss World’s website lists 112 contestants from across the globe who would take part in the pageant’s 59th edition. Ksenia Sukhinova of Russia is the reigning Miss World.

Reyes, on the other hand, flew to Vietnam early morning of Nov. 5 to compete in Mrs. World with coronation night slated on Nov. 22.

Q Channel 11’s “Balitanghali” reported that Reyes was doubly honored to represent the country because around this time 13 years ago, she competed in Miss World and bagged the special award, Miss Personality.

After her reign as Bb. Pilipinas-World 1996, Reyes tried both acting and singing. She’s now married and has a five-year-old child. She said in the TV interview that she’s happy to have the full support of her family.

The Mrs. World pageant, in contrast to the British-made Miss World, traces its roots from Mrs. America and was only born in 1985. Natayla Shmarenkova of Ukraine is the reigning Mrs. World.