 Miss Philippines Anna Maris Igpit in Poland's scenic tourist attraction. | Poland
is for everyone Fortunately, it came unexpectedly. |
Originally,
there were 20 who would attend the Miss World pageant in Poland . Then, only seven
had the Polish visa: Aniceta Arcay and her son Redgil of Tierra Azul Beach Resort,
Clarita Jorserada, Edna Momongan, Maricor Igpit and the head of Philippine delegation
Panglao Councilor Nila Montero.
 Boholanos from the US came to Poland to support Maris. In photo are (l-r) Maribeth Garcia, TBTK chairperson Betty Veloso-Garcia and Raoul Tidalgo of the Filipino Reporter in New York. | I also got my media accreditation pass from Miss World Media coordinator Marcus Agar making me as the only Filipino media in the Miss World pageant. The Philippine delegation? I went to Poland (Polska in their native tongue) with Maam Nila, (who along with her husband Panglao municipal administrator Ondo supported Maris financially and morally throughout her quest) and Maris' mom Maricor. On the other hand, the US delegation arrived ahead of us headed by TBTK chairperson Betty Veloso-Garcia and her daughter Maribeth, Raoul Tidalgo of the Filipino Reporter and Boy Echavez who flew in from New York just to support Maris. Again, I made a realization-- that if Filipinos are like these people who supported Maris unconditionally, kind and supportive, the Philippines would be a great nation. Maam Nila is working smartly for the good of Panglao and Maam Betty is heading the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) calling all Boholanos/Filipinos to come home and love our place with pride and dignity. |
Warsaw
Our
flight was from Manila to Frankfurt , Germany (via Guanzho , China ) and to Warsaw
, Poland via Lufthansa.
There
are stories that Poland is a poor country and nothing is exciting about the place.
Although we had bad experiences in Frankfurt , Germany when I set on-foot in Warsaw
everything changed-the country is wonderful.
The Republic of Poland abounds
in culture and beauty, which betrays its size as the ninth biggest country in
Europe , and 63rd in the world. It has a population of more than 38.6 million.
Warsaw City is our point of entry to Poland . It is a city with many faces where tradition mixes with modernity.
I never mind the language barrier I'd encountered in Germany and Poland (because only a handful few speak English) as long as I was able to reach out through sign language.
I also observed that most Polish youth are not friendly and I understand because the country has "liberated" a few years back . Yet, there are those Polish youths who are warmth and hospitable who offered me a drink of whisky.
We stayed at Novotel, a first class hotel in downtown Warsaw whose manager's wife is Pinay.
During
the first and second days in Warsaw , we didn't met Filipinos. I asked myself
if where are the Filipinos because they said Filipinos are everywhere.
Maybe
I could find a Filipino later, I consoled myself.
We were also sudden stars when we were in Warsaw … not to forget the title am wearing as LiNC Babe. To their eyes color brown is "rare" and "attractive."
The Miss World candidates were staying inside Polonia Republika, a five star hotel fronting Novotel. At the lobby, I met the 103 beautiful candidates succulent and fragile wearing their best dress. There, I could not believe that I was there myself rubbing elbows with them and with the international press which was I used to see on TV.
The candidates were all lovely, beautiful, sexy and sophisticated. When we were introduced...I received comments like "I really like you" from Miss Australia , Miss Malaysia and other candidates. I thought I would have a heart attack when I was rubbing elbows with the girls.
On the other hand, Maam Nila and I were busy judging the girls. We examined their gowns, lips, hips and arms only to find our if their beauty is natural or a product of salamat po doktor. Exactly, we've found out that there were candidates whose beauty are "enhanced" by doctors.
Maris' Polish instructor Josef Zarach was with us the whole day who was telling us more about the Polish culture and tradition and giving us "tips" on living and traveling in Poland .
And
during the pageant…
Maricor wore an elegant dress provided
by Madame Araneta, Maam Nila was dignified on her barong tagalog and I wore the
"sarubanggi" costume designed by a famous Boholano couturier Maximiel.
From hotel we already donned on our Filipino dress walking down the streets going to the congress where the Miss World was held.
Everyone's eyes were on me. Maam Nila and Maricor made joke on my attire that if I were in the Philippines people might think I had nuts on my head. But sorry, I received smiles and appreciation from the Polish--to them wearing a national costume is a sign of pride and honor.
I have to describe my "sarobanggi" I had my sarok ( a native hat) with a tarsier doll as an added accessory. This made Boholano in me.
When we were about to approach the Congress, there everyone's eyes were on me until I went inside the hall. I wasn't alone wearing a national costume there were people wearing their national costumes too. Near our seat there was a lady from Africa who was with her native attire. I didn't wonder that I surpassed her just because everytime we raised the Philippine flag and tarpaulin she and her family members shouted on us, "hey, sit down we can't see..." Actually, they were just jealous of my attire.
An
impressive cast of international stars and music artists ensured that the 56th
Miss World Final was a dazzling event of global proportions.
The TV spectacular
with 104 contestants was hosted by top Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow and British
host Tim Vincent, both of whom make a return to the Miss World stage after carrying
last year's show. They were joined by leading Polish TV presenter Grazyna Torbicka.
Top notch musical entertainment at the Miss World 2006 Final came in the form of internationally-successful Irish band Westlife and Bee Gees singing legend Robin Gibb. Pop opera quartet Amici also performed.
After the pageant, Josef told us to wait at the entrance of the Congress to meet the three Miss Poland beauty queens (Marta Matyjasik, Katarayna Borowics and Carolina ) who visited the Philippines for the Miss Earth pageant.
When I was at the entrance and was about to step down at the red carpet...there the cameras were clicking and videos rolling capturing my "sarobanggi!"
The feeling was like that of the Oscars'. Instead of hiding, I just smiled and posed. The cameras and videos loved me and my Filipino attire with a tarsier hanging on my sarok and I remembered renowned comedian and traveler Tim Tayag who said am cute in a tarsier way.
| The
VIPs kept on admiring my attire. There were two ladies who could not help to hug
me and touch my hat yelling in happiness, "Little monkey. I just saw this
in the book!" referring to the tarsier hanging and swaying at my hat. Well, Maam Nila's tarsier dolls and flags were instant souvenirs as she dished it all to the guests, ambassadors from different countries. I really admired Maam Nila because even in a foreign country like Poland , she keeps on promoting Bohol ! She answered inquiries from the foreigners asking more about Bohol and Philippines . Imagine, she used a sign language to crush down language barrier in a country that only a few people speak English. Maam Nila helped and supported Maris from Bb. Pilipinas up to the Miss World spending lots of bucks for Maris more than the Bb. Pilipinas. |  Asian smiles. Panglao councilor Nila Montero with Miss Malaysia Adeline Wan Ling and Miss Philippine Anna Maris Igpit inside the Polonia Republika. |
While going to our hotel, we met police officers and take note, the male officer asked my sarok as souvenir and the female officer speaking in Polish kept on saying words we could not understand. I asked Josef to translate it for us and there I learned the woman liked me.
To our great surprise, we met Filipinos inside the hotel. There are only few Filipinos in Poland so they know each other. They see each other during weekends to establish ties and friendships to get rid of the loneliness they feel in a faraway land. Most of them are IT consultants in a US based company in Poland and others are entertainers. In a place like Poland , I didn't believe that I met my neighbor here.
The Filipinos we met toured us to interesting places in Poland though we already visited Praga (another town in Poland ) the day we arrived.
There
is a daily schedule-based sightseeing tour of Warsaw including a visit to the
impressive rooms of the palace on the water in Lazienki Park .
Also a
must-see is the Old Town (Market and Barbican), included on the UNESCO World Heritage
Site list. Here you can see "tiangge," with wood carvings, weavings,
pottery, paper cuts and embroidery that are characteristic of Poland . Indeed,
Polish are highly artistic people. You can also experience Polish music here and
hear composers who idolized Poland 's greatest composer Frederic Chopin.
The Royal Castle with is Square, residence of monarchs from 1596 to 1795,
as well as the residence of the Polish President in 1918. There is also a chance
to see King Sigismund's III Column-the first secular monument in Poland .
St. John's Cathedral, a Gothic church and witness to some of the most important
events in the history of Poland with sarcophagi containing the remains of eminent
Poles.
Not to forget is the former Jewish Ghetto, the memorial to the
heroes of the Ghetto.
The Royal Route , with superb aristocratic residences
and famous monuments, including the Holy Cross Church with its urns containing
the hearts of both Fryderyk Chopin and Wladyslaw Reymont, the first Polish winner
of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Royal Park , a walk in the most
beautiful park in Warsaw commonly known as Lazienki or "the Baths" and
a visit to the interiors of the so-called "Palace on the Water", the
lavish summer residence of the last King of Poland, Stanislaw August Pomitowski.
Other important places of interest: the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the monument
to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 and the monument of the victims of Katyn.
Filipina
global beauties
 The pride of the Netherlands, Miss Sheryll Ann Baas representing Netherlands whose mom Susana Paderes-Bass is from Leyte. | Before we went back to Germany , I met Miss Netherlands and her family. Sheryll Ann Baas, 22, is a half Filipina because her mom Susana (is she related to Susana Herrera of Mexico , LinC babe 2005, a beauty queen?) is a Filipina from Leyte . It was her first time to join Miss Netherlands and luckily she made it to the Miss World. "I am very proud of her…kapunay siya busy," she said. Susana is a wonderful woman that she is inviting me to go to Netherlands . For
a one month stay in Poland , Maris treasured her experiences in Poland . "We
visited a lot of places, we transfer from city to city. We have a lot of fun.
We also visit the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. It was memorable as Roman Catholic
in me," she said. In a last minute twist, the judges were unable to decide between contestants in the Asia Pacific continental group, so three girls from that group went through to the final 17 semi finalists, not the proposed 16. |
When
I asked Maris about the results of the Miss World, she said she was a little disappointed.
"A little disappointing because for the years we are always in the top 16.
We are greatly affected by the strong typhoon we had experienced. In the Miss
World we need live SMS (text votes)..in the Philippines we could not send a text
message. It was difficult when I learned about the typhoon and I just prayed to
my country."
Maris likes Miss Singapore and Miss Sri Lanka, Mongloia
, China , Hongkong and Korea . "We are group in continents."
Maris
was a media blitz in Poland . She was featured in Polish newspapers and TV and
even featured as Poland 's top 5 (with Miss Macedonia , Canada , Poland , Zambia
and Poland ). It was flattering and great for me, she said.
After the
Miss World, Maris will be sharing her experiences to the Miss International who
will compete this November.
She said that she was confident that she
would be in the top 16. "Sa lahat ng mga dinaanan ko, the preparations I
got and trainings, I am really prepared for the Miss World. Sa mga tao dun..sa
mga judge.. so I am really confident I will get in. It wasn't time, we are not
lucky enough in the 56th Miss World and the time was against me…so maybe
another year that Philippines will get the crown."
Maris is thankful to all the Filipinos and the Boholanos who supported and voted for her.
"All the Filipino people especially those who voted for me in the Miss World…all Boholanos… to Cong. Edgar Cahtto, to Panglao Municipal councilor Nila Montero, to my family in Cebu and Bohol , my mother who was there.. to Leo Udtohan, Bb. Pilipinas family..to Mrs. Araneta, who are very supportive, my trainors Karen Agustin, Maricar Balagtas, Precious Lara Guigaman, Carla Baustista, Direk Infante, Josef Zarach and all people I missed to mention. I hope in the future we will bring home the 1st Filipino crown."
I would like to echo the words of Madame Stella Marquiz de Araneta, Bb. Pilipinas boss, "win or lose Anna Maris is still our beauty queen. Her family here at Bb. Pilipinas are so happy that she's doing her best in the Miss World."
Whew! I am talking lots of things here… to sum up, it was a magical experiences in Poland a trip to be remembered and I have this feeling I will be back soon. When the Polish people said that "Polska Wszystkich" it's literally true that " Poland is for everyone!"
I'll
be missing Polska!
