Published on Page E1 of the September 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE Miss World Pageant, traditionally held near the year's end, will be staged Sept. 30 this year in Warsaw, Poland. But Bb. Pilipinas-World Anna Maris Igpit wouldn't mind moving up the date.

"I'm really prepared," said the 19-year-old Boholana during her sendoff party last week at the Araneta Coliseum Gazebo in Cubao, Quezon City. To prove she was, she said, in straight Polish: "We in the Philippines love Pope John Paul II forever." Which was of course met with riotous applause.

As an added treat, Anna performed a traditional dance choreographed by Douglas Nierras of Powerdance. TV director Fritz Ynfante, who collaborated with Nierras on the number, explained that Anna was set to present the "stylized" T'boli dance during the Miss World Talent Night Special.

"There's a special emphasis on talent this year," Ynfante said. "Talent Night is being aired as special show prior to coronation night."

Aside from Polish and dance lessons, Anna went through Dale Carnegie personality development sessions and trained in catwalk, makeup and styling with previous titleholders. Unlike recent beauty queens sent to Colombia for prepping, Anna had an all-Filipino makeover.

The girl is not new to pageants at all. Since she was 16, she has been joining beauty contests on the prodding of family and friends. "It was my family's dream for me to become a beauty queen," Anna said. "I just want to finish my studies and work in local tourism." Anna is a sophomore Tourism student at the Southwestern University in Cebu.

She recalled that when the Miss Universe pageant was held in Manila in 1994, she wondered "how the Miss Philippines sash would look on me." She was six years old.
Now that she was wearing such a sash, Anna vowed to "bring home the country's first Miss World crown."

Of the major international titles, Miss World has proven to be the most elusive for the Philippines. Evangeline Pascual came closest to winning it when she placed second to Miss USA Marjorie Wallace in 1973. Actress Ruffa Gutierrez came in third 20 years later.

Anna left for Poland on Sept. 1, trusting that through the global vote via e-mail and SMS-and the Philippines proving that it's the texting capital of the world-she would get that much needed extra lift to launch her quest.