Whatever happened to Jennifer Cortes?

Before Ruffa Guiterrez (who finished Second Princess in the 1993 Miss World), Megan Young (2013 Miss World) and Pia Wurtzbach (2015 Miss Universe), a few others competed in beauty contests when they were already in showbiz. One of them was Jennifer Cortes who was shooting her debut film, Celso Ad Castillo’s Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagputi ng Tagak (topbilled by Vilma Santos and Bembol Roco), in Majayjay, Laguna, when she was spotted by Romy Vitug (cinematographer on the movie) who recommended her to Pitoy Moreno, at that time very active as an executive of the BPCI (Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc.)  

That was in 1978. Jennifer beat 43 other aspirants for the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and competed in that year’s Miss U pageant in Mexico, won by South Africa’s Margaret Gardner (now a TV journalist who goes to Oliver Tolentino’s shop in L.A. for her gowns when she covers events such as the Oscars red carpet).

Jennifer’s court included Luz Policarpio, Bb. Pilipinas International and Miss Photogenic; Anne Rose Blas, Bb. Young-Pilipinas; and Ligaya Pascual, Bb. Maja Pilipinas. Runners-up were Kathryn Manuel (also Best in Long Gown) and Maria Luisa Montinola. Among the semi-finalists was Visitacion “Tetchie” Agbayani, also named Best in Swimsuit and Miss Close-Up Smile, who later joined showbiz and is still active in movies and television.

Find out how Jennifer is now in Funfare’s broken “Whatever happened to” series.

Now based in Los Angeles, Jennifer told Funfare’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas in a Facebook interview, “I left for the USA in 1984. I have only a child, Ryan, who’s now 27. He is a baseball player, playing internationally (Europe and Australia) as a US import. He is actually on a roster of Team Philippines for the World Baseball Classic Qualifier. The tournament was held last February in Sydney. I’m a proud Nanay, obvious ba?”

When not busy with her work as an Inventory Control Supervisor (at one of the biggest manufacturers of cabinets in the US), Jennifer enjoys the company of her family and friends.

“I’ve been to the Philippines three times since I left,” she said. “I was there for five days last year, had a short reunion with my batch mates, Luz and Anne,” adding that she enjoys Celso’s postings of pictures of food and sceneries in Bulacan on social media. “Those pictures make me miss the Philippines.”  

After her reign, Jennifer did the following films: Temptation Island (Dina Bonnevie, Azenith Briones, Deborah Sun and Bambi Arambulo, 1980); Tatak Angustia (Rudy Fernandez and Ace Vergel, 1980); Kalibre .45 (FPJ, 1980); Tatlong Hari (Bembol Roco, Philip Salvador and Robin Aristorenas, 1980); Tong (Ace Vergel and Bambi Arambulo, 1980); Kamaong Asero (Lito Lapid and Alma Moreno, 1981); Solid Alas (Ace Vergel and Julie Ann Fortich, 1981); Hari ng Stunt (Dante Varona and Vivian Velez, 1981); and Daniel Bartolo ng Sapang Bato (FPJ and Marianne dela Riva, 1982).

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