A full week after the crowning of the country's longest running beauty competition's new queens, pageant fans are still abuzz with questions left unanswered by the contest outcome.  While most people are in agreement that this year's roster is a strong collection of potential winners in the international stage, many are still trying to hatch some theories that point to a hocus pocus on the eventual results (which is not surprising at all given that this year is an unusually competitive year based on the quality of delegates who joined the race). In an effort to shed light on the most pressing questions lingering on the minds of pageant fans, Thrillmaker decided to do its own research and talked to some highly-respectable, credible and unbiased insiders of this year's pageant. Based on what had been gathered so far, most of the stories are turning out to be consistent and are devoid of any hints of cheating.

QUESTION: Why did Graciela Lehmann fail to advance to the top 12?

While highly-qualified and after having made a good impression in last year's edition, Graciela went on to make sure she is leaving no stones unturned in her quest for a crown this year.  She and her team made sure that all their bases are covered even if these required some enhancements to her natural beauty.  Alas, she must've been overdone by competition time. "She was beyond recognition from the Graciela we knew before," was the comment made by the Binibini insider the Thrillmaker got to talk to.  It was even added: "She must have tempered a bit on those enhancements, and things would have been better for her."  

QUESTION: Why didn't Karen Laurrie Mendoza make it to the final 6?

Touted as a Miss International prototype with her soft and delicate beauty, many believed that this Binibini second timer was a shoo-in for any of the crowns during coronation night. Then again, the insider shared: "She lacked energy and enthusiasm on stage.  It's as if she was holding back, she looked nervous and unnatural.  It saddened us to see her go crownless again this year, but she was simply underwhelming that night."

QUESTION: Why was Roberta Tamondong still given a crown after failing to nail her final Q&A?

Having been an international pageant winner and a stunning beauty, Roberta was initially expected to be a major contender for the top plum, which was the Binibining Pilipinas-International crown.  Well, until that question came along.  While many people thought she'd be left out in the cold, her overall performance that night was enough to propel her to a top 6 finish.  She, along with Herlene Nicole Budol were said to have gone head-to-head for the Miss Grand International-Philippines crown, but according to a judge who I got to talk to after the pageant said: "At least Roberta can communicate in English, which is important when the winner eventually competes internationally." The judge went on to share: "There was one judge in the panel who heavily lobbied for Budol for the MGI crown, however, we decided, in the end, that maybe she can join one more time when she improves on her communication skills."

QUESTION: Who really won the Binibining Pilipinas International crown?

The judge who also wanted to clarify that everything that people witnessed on the Araneta stage were all fair and square revealed that the final choices for the MIP crown were eventual winner, Nicole Borromeo, and best in swimsuit and gown winner, Gabrielle Basiano. Ït was hard deciding between the two.  However, the Miss Intercontinental pageant will happen later this year, while this year's MIP will be sent to next year's Miss International pageant.  For practicality reasons, the one to be sent to the MIC pageant should be the more "competition-ready"delegate, while the MIP winner will have more time to prepare for her competition."  Obviously, since Basiano's on-stage Binibini experience as former first runner up is far more advanced than Borromeo's, she was chosen to be the one sent to Miss Intercontinental.  Borromeo was then decided on as the country's Miss International 2023 bet.  The judge also shared: "Besides, in terms of beauty, the female judges said one has a fierce beauty and the other has a sweet, delicate one.  They said a sweet face is more preferred in Miss International."

QUESTION: What was the onstage commotion before the announcement of the Binibining Pilipinas International title all about?    

Our insider said: Öh, it was a member of the production staff who got a wrong pick-up of the winners on her paper during the deliberation process.  She got the winners of the top two titles interchanged in her notes, so she had to run over to the hosts, Catriona Grey and Nicole Cordoves, to check on what was written on their official SGV cards, after she heard that Basiano was announced as Bb. Pilipinas-Intercontinental.  When she realized she only got a wrong pick-up, that's when the announcements were pushed through.  Too bad, the onstage discussions took a while."

So there.  These didn't come from me, but from our reliable sources, whose identities, I will surely not squeal.  In the end, we got a new set of queens to raise our flags on the international stage.  Let us just cheer for and support them the best way we could!