Ariella ‘pressured’ to win

Curtain-raisers:

Tom Hanks (whose starrer Captain Phillips is currently showing) admitted that he’s Type 2 diabetic, joining stellar company of Gary Valenciano (Type 1/juvenile) and Halle Berry (insulin-dependent).

Sorry, Eric (a.k.a. Dennis Trillo), but Vincent (a.k.a. Tom Rodriguez) is already spoken for. Tom’s current squeeze is theater actress K-La Rivera. Before he hit the big time, Tom went steady with starlet Princess Manzon for three years.

Did you know that Radha, the protégé of Lea Salonga on The Voice of the Philippines (won by Mitoy Yonting), is the granddaughter of longtime-US-based Lolita Rodriguez? Back then, I remember Lolita telling me in an interview that her one big frustration was her inability to sing. She must feel “vindicated” when she hears Radha singing.

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In 2010, Venus Raj placed fourth runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant. In 2011, Shamcey Supsup finished third runner-up and in 2012, Janine Tugonon first runner-up.

The fact that the Philippines has just won two world titles within one month, Mutya Johanna Datul as Miss Supranational and Megan Young as (the country’s first ever) Miss World, has put even more pressure on Ariella Arida to equal, if not surpass, her predecessors’ records.

They say that it comes in three. Will Ariella benefit from that trend and bring home the country’s third Miss U title from Moscow where the pageant will be held on Nov. 9?

“The pressure has been there right after I won (2013) Bb. Pilipinas-Universe,” admitted Ariella (a product of the Aces & Queens team like Megan, Venus, Shamcey and Janine; Mutya is from another team) at the despedida presscon last Thursday, reported Funfare’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas who covered it. “It’s a good sign that Mutya and Megan won because they serve as a motivation for me to work harder.”

Celso said that before leaving for Moscow on Monday, Oct. 21, the 24-year-old, 5’8” stunner has been trained on Q&A, speech and language, social graces, pasarela, hair and make-up and poise by Venus and Shamcey.

Ariella will be competing with 86 other beauties including Riza Santos, who worked here as an actress, as  Canada’s bet (as she did also for Canada in the 2006 Miss Earth and 2011 Miss World).

Said Celso, “Ariella is the daughter of Arlesito Arida, a retired elementary school teacher, and Estela Arida, currently a principal at Alaminos Elementary School in Laguna. Ariella’s parents and two aunts were present at  the send-off to give her moral support.”

Fashion with a mission

Miss Magnificent Woman International 2013 second runner-up Joyce Pilarsky recently showcased her daring collection and jewelry designs at the recent Brooklyn Fashion Week in New York City. Another Filipino designer, John Guarnes, showed his Sakura-inspired collection in the same event.

A recent Manila visitor, Joyce made a courtesy call on Consul General Mario de Leon during her week-long stay in NYC. Not many people know that Joyce has been helping the less fortunate. While in the Philippines, she spearheaded a feeding program for cancer-stricken kids at the Philippine General Hospital. She recently published a book titled YSG! Young, Sexy & Gorgeous. Proceeds from the sales of the book will go to the Gintong Palad Balikatan, Inc. and Jocelyn & Gunter Pilarsky Foundation which build schools for marginalized children.

— Reported by New York-based Felix Manuel (one of Funfare’s “beauty experts”)

What’s up?

From reader Vykes Palanca, this rejoinder: You missed the following in Funfare’s recent item on Asian winners in three major beauty contests: For Miss Universe – Lebanon’s Georgina Rizk (1971) and Israel’s Rina Messinger (1976); Miss World – Israel’s Linor Abargail (1998); and Miss International – Lebanon’s Christina Sawaya (2002) and Japan’s Ikumi Yoshimatsu (reigning). Lebanon and Israel are both in the Middle East and very much part of Asia.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)