Quarter stunners: PMAP at 25
MANILA, Philippines - In the year 1987, Kylie Minogue began her career as a pop star, retail emperor Ben Chan started the clothing line Bench and a group of good-looking individuals joined forces to help uplift and protect the rights of certain Filipino citizens. No, not the people behind the Philippine constitution (okay, fine, you could say that; yeah, happy 25th, Charter!), but the Professional Models Association of the Philippines or PMAP. The need to establish an organization among models was not to compare tips on fighting aging or how to update signature model looks; PMAP was formed to “uplift, protect and professionalize the modeling industry in the Philippines” in a time when professional fees and working hours were being abused.
To this day, PMAP is the only non-profit organization established and run by models boasting industry icons such as supermodel Tweetie De Leon, PR beauty and Project Runway judge Apples Aberin and designer Tina Maristela-Ocampo in its roster (to name a few). It has consistently dominated the modeling industry for so long, young mothers of our generation probably use PMAP models like Aberin and Wilma Doesnt as examples for their daughters, the way our mothers told us to finish our vegetables so we could look like the legendary Hyatt models.
Last Nov. 5, The Marriot hosted its Silver Homecoming-themed show — only everybody still looks like a jock or a Queen Bee and instead of a hideous retro dance medley, the highlight of the night was a fashion show introducing the next generation of models and designers. The night’s host was actor/director Eric Quizon who introduced the audience to past PMAP presidents, namely Ronnie Asuncion, JB Abesamis, Tweetie De Leon-Gonzales, Den Abesamis, Apples Aberin, Grace Molina, Baba Parma, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and Ariel Atenido, as well as current PMAP president Phoemela Baranda.
The PMAP models from different generations who walked the runway were Kara Gozali, Maxine Medina, Aya Abesamis, Maan Marquez, Kylie Versoza, Natasha Bautista, Nikita Mc Leroy, Melissa Frye, Dindi De Leon, Valerie Weigmann, Samantha Lewis, Van Leaño, Miko Raval, Jarius Ferrer, Sam Adjani, Sky Yang, Ornussa Cadness, Mia Ayesa, Ana Sideco, Hye Wong Jang, Wendy Tabusalla, Irish Ong, Angel Agustin-Co and Grace Tagle-Arigo. The models wore designs made by some of the country’s hot and emerging designers namely Joel Escober, Chris Diaz, Vania Romoff, Jerome Salaya-Ang, Pablo Cabahug, Maureen Disini, Kristel Yulo, Nino Angeles, Mark Tamayo, Eric Delos Santos and Martin Bautista.
Unlike most shows, the highlight was not a current top model wearing a designer’s showoff piece but the longest curtain call featuring dozens of PMAP members who’ve still got it, like Marina Benipayo, Myrza Sison and Desiree Abesamis. We did not get to ask these women their secrets to looking and staying beautiful at any age, but we got to ask fashion director and founding member Jackie Aquino about the secret of PMAP’s longevity in the business.
“Well, I guess because they’re not an agency. It’s an association. They stayed long in the business because they really police the ranks in terms of being professionals. They defined their generation and they continue to be the standard for everyone to follow. The reason why they stayed all these years is because they’re not earning from their models. In fact, they’re protecting what their models are earning and making sure everybody earns what they’re supposed to earn in a fair manner. So your working hours are protected… that’s why they stayed there.”
Knowing PMAP survived all these years and has senior members to educate and learn from the new roster, we know for sure PMAP will not have to go through quarter-life crisis. Happy 25th birthday, PMAP!
