An “improved” Janina?
This was what online Filipinos commented after watching a video of former beauty queen Janina San Miguel joining the Mrs. Face of Tourism Philippines 2023 pageant.
Pageant website Missosology Philippines on Saturday shared a video of Janina during the special screening of potential contestants for the annual tourism-centered beauty pageant.
The Mrs. Face of Tourism Philippines describes itself as a pageant aiming to bring the beauty, excitement and wonder of the Philippines by putting focus on the country’s tourism industry and its allied services and aspects.
The pageant is ideal for married women or mothers who love traveling and have a knack for tourism promotions.
It will have 30 candidates to be presented in February, who will take part in a food crawl and familiarization tour in partnership with the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies.
The candidates will also participate in a Santacruzan in May with the support of various local government units.
Meanwhile, one of the pageant panelists who screened its potential applicants took a video of Janina and shared it with Missosology Philippines.
“She is back! Janina San Miguel screened for Mrs. Face of Tourism Philippines 2023. Check out her answers during Q and A portion screening,” its social media caption said.
Janina in the video said that she wanted to join the pageant to “have an impact [on] our county.”
“I have my courage, perseverance and patience and I think those will take me far,” she added.
The video has earned over 175,000 likes, 1,800 likes and reactions and more than 300 comments so far.
Some Filipinos took notice of Janina’s communication skills during the screening.
“Wow, magaling na [siya] sumagot,” a Facebook user commented.
“This is inspiring. She just manifested her courage that despite being mocked by many, she can still prove them wrong. A better version of herself!” another online user wrote.
“Na-enhanced [niya] ang comms [communications] skill sa call center… obvious na confident na [siya] sumagot… literally!” a different Pinoy said.
Janina previously became famous in the pageant circle for how she answered during the Question and Answer portion of Binibining Pilipinas 2008.
Back then, she was asked by host Paolo Bendiones the following: “So you won two of the major special awards… do you feel any pressure right now?”
“No, I don’t feel any pressure right now!” Janina confidently responded. She was just 17 years old when she joined the national pageant.
She was also asked the following by Vivienne Tan, the daughter of tycoon Lucio Tan: “What role did your family play for you as candidate [of] Binibining Pilipinas?”
Janina gave the following answer that would make her memorable among pageant fans:
“Well, my family’s role for me is so important because there was the wa- they’re, they was the one who’s… very… Hahahaha… Oh, I’m so sorry, ahhmm… My family… My family… Oh my god… I’m… Okay, I’m so sorry… I… I told you that I’m so confident… Eto, ahhmm, wait… Hahahaha, ahmmm, sorry guys, because this was really my first pageant ever because I’m only 17 years old and ahahaha I, I did not expect that I came from, I came from one of the tough 10. Hmmm, so… but I said that my family is the most important persons in my life. Thank you.”
She was able to win the Bb. Pilipinas-World crown but gave it up due to experiencing indecent sexual propositions, social isolation and the rigid standards imposed by contest organizers.
In a 2020 interview, Janina said that she was working as a call center representative.
READ: Where is Janina San Miguel now? Ex-beauty queen bares ‘ugly truth’ behind Philippine pageants
