Although the Manila hostage drama that happened on August 23, 2010 was a black-eye to our country, on the positive side of the news was the 4th Runner-Up win of Ma. Venus Raj of the Philippines in the 59th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant held at Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas, USA (August 23, USA time). It took eleven years before a Filipina beauty won a top five place in the prestigious beauty pageant watched by millions of people all over the world. The last time the Philippines won a placed on the Miss Universe pageant was Mirriam Quiambao who won 1st Runner-Up in 1999 held at Trinidad & Tobago. As for my personal opinion, Ma. Venus Raj should have won the Miss Universe title hands down if she did not made a blunder to that controversial "major, major problem" answer. But for me, she is a goddess of beauty. A beauty with enormous class, intelligence, and glamour which represents a typical Filipina girl. At least at the day and moment of that shameful hostage drama that took place in Manila, a Filipina beauty somehow restored the respect we needed so badly as a Filipino people. My heartfelt congratulations to Miss Ma. Venus Raj. You made us proud as a Filipino.
