People refer to the Philippines as the powerhouse of beauty in Asia, having bagged practically all the major international crowns in the world of pageantry. On the global level, the distinction is held by Venezuela, with the country winning all the crowns multiple times. In the local setting, certain provinces are also lording it over the rest for having won the most number of national titles: Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna and the entire Bicol region, homes of the country’s best looking kings and queens.

Of late, however, it seems Cavite is also catching up on the race with its winners and potential crown-getters starting to build up the southern Luzon province’s beauty points.

The trend started this year with the victory of Samantha Alexandra Panlilio in the 2021 edition of the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant. The 25-year old Cavitena model won the Bb. Pilipinas Grand International and is filling up the big shoes left by last year’s Philippine delegate, Samantha Bernardo, who placed a strong second in her international pageant stint. Standing 5’5’, this business and computer science graduate has pageantry running in her blood. She is, after all, the niece of the late Myrna Panlilio, the first ever Binibining Pilipinas winner in 1964. Panlilio loves to cook and is an advocate of eating healthy. While Philippine born, she lived and studied in the US and only decided to come home to have a taste of local pageantry. The Miss Grand International Pageant is set to crown its new queen in Phuket, Thailand on December 4.

Another Cavitena who is making waves in the pageant scene is Ganiel Krishnan of Kawit, Cavite. Krishnan is half-Indian and is the current top bet in the ongoing Miss World Philippines competition. Prior to joining this year’s search for the country’s Miss World delegate, Krishnan worked as an Entertainment and Lifestyle News Anchor for ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol. Surely not a newbie on the pageant stage, she was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International in 2016 and then took home 2nd runner up honors in her international contest. At 26, this 5’6’ stunner started her media career as a courtside reporter for the UAAP broadcast coverage ABSCBN Sports+Action. She has so far been shortlisted as among the finalists in the Miss World Philippines’ Major Preliminary Challenges including the National Costume, Head to Head, Evening Gown, Beach Beauty competitions. Her “People I Met,” advocacy, which solicits support for interesting personages she meets in the course of her being a reporter, also gives her a strong Beauty With A Purpose platform in the MWP. She has so far been clear in her goal from the national beauty competition. She stresses: “It’s Miss World or nothing,” everytime she is asked which crown she is actually eyeing for.

When competitions started for this year’s Miss Universe Philippines, all attention was drawn to familiar personalities who threw in their hats to this year’s pageant: actress Kisses Delavin; Asia’s Next Top Model winner Maureen Wroblewitz; Binibining Pilipinas Tourism 20212 Katrina Jayne Dimaranan; and undefeated Cebuana queen Steffi Aberasturi. However, when the results of the most-awaited Interview Challenge came out, all attention was suddenly turned to Cavite representative, Victoria Velasquez Vincent or “VVV” (as most fans would call her). The statuesque half-Kiwi, half-Filipina bested her rivals by being very smart and natural in her interview responses. An architect and a heritage conservationist, she is not the kind who will most likely pick the usual for her choices: “Aside from being a lover of everything visually creative, I also am a lover of poetry and anything underrated. Be it the food that people usually don’t like or the places less travelled, you will always find me going against the grain.” Beautiful, tall and definitely well-spoken, she truly has what it takes to bring home the MUPh crown.

Cavite’s competitiveness rests not only on the strength of its representatives to the major pageants. Even in the ongoing Mrs. Universe Philippines search, it is a Cavitena who is leading the pack of top contenders for the crown. Forty two year old former That’s Entertainment Star, Sarah Javier, is also turning out to be the top pick for the prestigious title for married women. Now a mother of a fully grown up young man, this singer/songwriter is an advocate of mental health awareness. Especially at this time of the pandemic, Javier has had personal experiences that she has woven into words and music, to serve as inspirational pieces to those who may be suffering from some mental issues at the moment. Competing along with 19 equally gorgeous and accomplished married women, Javier stands out for her genuine personality and natural star factor.

With these ladies now proudly wearing the province’s sash on their chests, I’m sure the country’s first President, General Emilio Aguinaldo is smiling, seeing just how far the women of Cavite have gone since his time.