EKSAKTONG isang linggo mula ngayon ay may bago nang tagapagmay-ari ng mailap na korona ng taunang Miss Universe. Isasalin na kasi ni Pia Wurtzbach ang kanyang bejeweled crown sa mapalad na kandidata sa prestihiyosong timpalak na dito sa ating bansa idaraos.
Probably next to the most widely watched na boxing sa tuwing sasagupa si Manny Pacquiao ay ang Miss Universe. Well, as far as the gay communities here, there and yonder are concerned.
Pero iba ang adiksiyon ng “sanbekihan” sa ating bayan, their predilection for beauty pageants—local or international—is as intense, or even more intense than participating in socio-political issues that confront the country.
And of all the events in any beauty pageant, ang pinakainaabangangan without fail ay ang Q & A portion, not as much sa casual interview ng mga candidates whittled down to 10 kundi ang huling yugto ng panayam sa limang natitira grappling for the crown.
Dito kasi mistulang mga hurado rin ang mga tagapanood na bading, holding on to their imaginary score sheets, silently rooting for our Miss Philippines bet while earnestly praying that she pulls off the final question with aplomb.
But this part of the whole exercise only stirs an air of excitement kapag nakapasok na si Miss Philippines. Kung nganga kasi ito sa listahan ng mga semi-finalists ay parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang mga beki with their feet stomping in dismay, faces frowning and their collective dream shattered as if the Miss Universe meant the whole world—or universe for that matter—to them.
The Philippines being this year’s host, may ngiti kaya ng nagbabadyang tagumpay ang nakalaan para kay Maxine Medina? Will she be Pia’s successor? Using gay lingo, alin sa dalawa—“Winnie Santos” (read: win) o “Luz Valdez” (read: talo)?
“Winnie Monsod” man o “Lucy Torres” si Maxine, no doubt she will have delivered her darnest best to make us all proud as a nation.
Yes, as a nation famous for its incurable “trafficitis,” Oplan Tokhang left and right, and the ever-changing government decisions.