When 19-year-old Czarina Catherine Gatbonton was announced as the new Binibining Pilipinas-World, eyebrows reached arches high. The Hotel and Restaurant Management sophomore was obviously not one of the crowd favorites and her answer to the final question in Filipino was far from being witty or smart.
Pageant critics doubted the 5'7.5 tall Czarina's capacity to bring home the elusive Miss World crowd for the Philippines. Others even thought her win was a big joke. I completely disagree with them. I am convinced that the Filipina beauty is one of our strongest bet in British-organized pageant. I see in her looks the ideal Miss World template-- naturally beautiful, innocent-looking, simple, level-headed, and friendly.
Just like Venus Raj, our Miss Universe fourth runner-up this year, Czarina has an inspiring story to tell. She is the daughter of Juanito, a fisherman, and Magdalena, a day-care teacher, from the nearby island of Pamarawan in Malolos, Bulacan. She helps her grandmother dry fish (daing) for a living and rides the bangka each time she leaves her place.
"I am proud of this place... this is where I came. I will never forget that I am a fisherman's daughter and I used to help my lola make daing," said Czarina in a TV interview.
She caught the public's attention in April this year when she left unharmed in car accident. Months after, another beauty queen, Miss International finalist Melody Gerbasch, had a fatal car accident in Bicol.
Czarina is exactly the girl Miss World is looking for-- someone who has the charisma and likability to draw people to its many causes. I believe that she can easily pull a surprise and become our first-ever Miss World.
Goodluck Czarina! Mabuhay ka!
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