We are driven to so may cliches when we describe what beauty is all about…well its just a skin deep…beauty comes from within….ang kagandahan ng tao ay hindi sa kanyang pisikal na katangian lamang kundi sa pagiging busilak ng kanyang puso….naks The very idea of defining beauty has always been distinct from one another, we are not just talking about beauty queen with some conventional statistics to boot….curvilicious….voluptuous… sliver…..fashion-model thin with anorexic silhouette but it is more often seen in a whole package which truly embodies what “maganda” is all about.

The power of mass media dominates over diverse definition of beauty, we learn to appreciate the standards of what considered sexy and desirable which have been constantly changing, the growing number of mestizo/mestiza offspring from inter-cultural partnerships have produced great looking guys around us.

This year’s batch of candidates for Mutya ng Pilipinas 2009 represent wide range of beauties from native slash exotic to caucasian slash fair mestiza features….the concept of beauty broadens in years as we have various physical types- short, tall, morena and mestiza…wait i have yet to choose my top 15 yet haha….its too early to ponder on it.

Athena Mae Imperial hails from Casiguran, Aurora…a younger version of Eula Valdez and a deadringer of ABS-CBN reporter and PBB Celeb Edition I alumni Gretchen “Gege” Malalad…de baga?

Rene Rosario McHugh represents East Coast USA, hailed as Ms. Photogenic during a press presentation held last July 29, 2009…ahh is she a Bianca King lookalike? well…


Samantha East hails from Canada… has a slight resemblance to Pia Magalona right guys?

Jacqueline Schubert representing Northern Germany…she’s ala mega daughter KC Concepcion huh?

Nadine Halvorsen from the Filipino Community of Norway

Sheryl Rose C. Guerrero from Baler, Aurora won Aurora Beauty Award during a designers presentation held at EDSA Shangrila.

New standards will emerge time and again to define beautiful not just with the aid of cosmetic surgery fall under today’s conventions but with an attitude and an aura of confidence…the IT quality that sets her apart from the rest….whew