Every nation has an event which everyone looks forward to -- just like the Super Bowl or the World Cup. But in the Philippines, while Filipinos do enjoy sports events as such, a great number of us look forward to one particular event – the yearly international beauty pageant competition, Miss Universe.

In the Philippine pageant history, there are a total of fourteen beauty queens who took home the crown from the most prestige international beauty pageants. There are four in particular – Miss Earth, Miss International, Miss World and Miss Universe. To enumerate, the Philippines has won Miss Earth four times, Miss International six times, Miss World once, and Miss Universe thrice – and there is a great chance that there could be four as this year Catriona Gray shows such a promising performance.

Whenever it is pageant season, almost every Filipino is glued to their screens to witness every round of the competition. This year, Catriona Gray represents the Philippines in the annual Miss Universe competition. Filipinos are also very much active on social media expressing their heart-warming support on the nation’s representative. We are very much updated with the pageant events and are fast enough to make jokes and memes about it.

While the Philippines is such a big fan of these international beauty pageants, this unique Filipino culture is also manifested through the local scene. Every time there is a fiesta in barangays all over the country, there is a beauty pageant held. Even more, beauty pageants here in the Philippines does not solely cater to women, but also to men, LGBT+ members, and the young and old. Time after time, these pageants evolve into something that is fit to the Filipino culture.

Photo from Binibining Pilipinas

But the question is, why do Filipinos adore beauty pageants so much?

There are many factors that contribute on why Filipinos love pageants, one of it is that simply because It is something Filipinos are good at. For so many years, the Philippines has been an underdog during the colonial rule. We Filipinos give our all in everything – we want to present ourselves in the best way possible. Especially through international contests. With our history of struggle, Filipinos feel a sense of victory whenever a beauty queen like Pia Wurtzbach or Megan Young brings home a crown back to our motherland.

Another factor that adds up to our adornment of pageants is that it is an escape from reality. With a great population of the Philippines live below the poverty line, an entertaining pageant is sometimes a break from all the problems most Filipinos have to face in a daily basis.

Pageants are also a great avenue for Filipino fashion designers and make-up artists to promote their work and craft.

Lastly, while some believe that beauty pageants are harmful to women as it sets unrealistic standards of beauty – pageants still are a stepping stone to empower women.  It is a way for women to promote their advocacies and inspire women to be confident and strong. It is an avenue for women to be powerful, influential, and to have a voice – perhaps what every woman should be.

While beauty pageants have also a great inspiring message, it is also important that with or without a crown or a title, girls can have the power to be as influential as a beauty queen. 

With all this said, there is nothing compared to our unique culture when it comes to beauty pageants. The Filipino culture is definitely one of a kind.