International beauties
dazzle Bacolod

They came like goddesses of beauty and dazzled the people of Bacolod with their incredible looks, charm and talent. Twenty-eight stunning young ladies from all over the world descended on our fair city like a constellation of blinding stars, holding the people spellbound.

They were part of the 80 candidates who vied for the title Miss Earth 2009. The girls' visit under the program entitled, “I Love Planet Earth”, included a short stop at Brgy. Punta Taytay's Mangrove Plantation where they were warmly welcomed by officials and students of VMA Global College headed by its president Elizabeth Salabas. Local officials led by Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco hosted lunch for them at Planta Hotel.

In the evening, 15 candidates participated in the Talent Competition at L'Fisher Hotel's La Proa Grand Ballroom. The venue was filled with lovers of beauty who could only gape at the Heavenly creatures strutting their stuff onstage.

The Board of Judges: Girlie Belzunce, Dr Ver Lacson, former Bacolod Vice Mayor Chick Garcia, former Valladolid Mayor Ricardo Presbitero, Leonor Kilayko, Sev Pacete, Roy Balicas and yours truly, had a difficult time choosing the winners in the Talent Contest.

There were five ladies who stood out and grabbed the audience' attention, earning the approval of the judges. Miss Brazil Larissa Ramos (who eventually won the title Miss Earth 2009 in the finals) stunned the audience with her Brazilian Carnaval performance and won the Miss Talent title hands down. Another attention grabber was Miss France Magalie Thierry, who gave us a glimpse of gay Paree with her classic Can-Can dance full of high kicks and ending with an explosive full split finale.

The crowd loved the way the charming beauties mingled with them and everyone scrambled to have a photo op with the dazzlers. It was a fabulous night for beauty, indeed!*