MELANIE: Don�t judge Janina; She�s Not a Book!

The whole country�s post-pageant excitement and interest on the annual Bb. Pilipinas search has reached a new high, thanks to Candidate No. 15 Janina San Miguel, at 17 the youngest of the batch of 24, who was so overcome by nervousness during the grand finals last Saturday that, well, you know what happened (it�s all over the YouTube). Her �classic� answer (or lack of it) during the Q&A portion has become part of Manila�s pop culture.

But being unquestionably the most statuesque (awarded Best in Swimsuit and Best in Long Gown) among the aspirants, Janina won the judges� nod anyway (80 percent on beauty of face and figure, according to the criteria) and went home with the Bb. Pilipinas-World crown which qualifies her to represent the country in the 2008 Miss World contest scheduled later this year in Ukraine.

Have the heckling at the Big Dome and the ensuing put-down comments disheartened the UE Broadcast freshman?

Hardly.

In fact, Janina is taking everything with a grain of salt, laughing at herself along with everybody else. She�s likened to Melanie Marquez whose �I love my long-legged� answer to the final question didn�t stop the judges from declaring her Bb. Pilipinas-International in the 1979 pageant, saying �Beh!� to her critics and detractors by proceeding to bag that year�s Miss International title (the third Filipina to do so, after Gemma Cruz in 1964 and Aurora Pijuan in 1970, followed by Precious Lara Quigaman in 2005).

�I may not be good in English,� Melanie would joke again and again. �But look, what I have (And a Supermodel first runner-up trophy to boot. � RFL). Magaling nga �yung ibang mag-English pero may international beauty title ba sila?� Well said. Beh!

Contacted by Funfare for comment, Miss Malaprop herself naturally came to Janina�s defense.

Is Melanie (whose compilation of her quotable quotes is taking time off the launching pad) offended being compared to Janina?

�Not at all. I can only sympathize with Janina. She�s 17, baguhan sa beauty contest. I was only 15 when I joined the Binibini. Siempre, natural na ma-nerbiyos si Janina.�

The public shouldn�t be hard on Janina, according to Melanie who said, paraphrasing her own quotable quote,

�Don�t judge Janina; she�s not a book!�

Melanie�s sisterly advice to Janina?

�Sige lang. Don�t be discouraged. You have seven months to improve and prepare before the Miss World contest. Take crash courses in speech; you can overcome your weak points. Remember, what counts most is your bearing and your total look. If your morality and breeding are okay, then wala kang dapat ikahiya o ikatakot.�

Source: RFL, philstardotcom