A model and student who bears a striking resemblance to Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, is one of the early favorites in the Miss Manila 2017 pageant organized by Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
Glenn Aeela Krishnan, one of 30 young Manileñas vying for the Miss Manila 2017 title, has slowly been gaining a lot of online supporters, most of whom are Pia fans who mistook her for the beauty queen’s younger sister.
The pageant is one of the highlights of the 446th Araw ng Maynila weeklong celebrations, which kick off today, June 24.
The winner will be crowned at tonight’s Grand Coronation Night at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The titleholder will become the Manila’s ambassadress and will be involved in the city’s charitable projects and will represent the country’s capital in various events and functions.
The winner will also receive P1 million worth of prizes consisting of a management contract, and P500,000 cash. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th runner-ups will win P350,000, P250,000, P150,000, and P100,000 cash prizes, respectively.
A model and student of Trinity University of Asia-College of Business Administration, Krishnan is the younger sister of former courtside reporter Ganiel Krishnan, who finished third in the Miss Asia Pacific International 2016 beauty pageant. Their mother is a Filipino, while their father is Indian-Singaporean.
Krishnan is featured on Mayor Estrada’s official Facebook page “Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada” (https://www.facebook.com/mayorjosephestrada/).
Netizens immediately noticed the similarities between Krishnan, whose photo was placed side by side Pia’s on the faceook account.
The same photo of Krishnan could also be seen in the Facebook page’s “Miss Manila 2017 (swimsuit)” album (https://www.facebook.com/pg/mayorjosephestrada/photos/?tab=album&album_id=140357623196568).
“Me hawig nga”, one netizen named Lilian Rosales commented.
“Akala ko si Pia ‘yung isa,” added Queen Mae Recapente Ambetic.
Yet another netizen named Canon Montecillo described Krishnan as a “potential title holder.”
Pia and Krishnan have actually already met at an event in January. Their photo, which was uploaded on Instagram, garnered over 2,300 “likes” just a few days after it was posted.
The beauty tilt was revived by Estrada when he assumed office in 2013 as the highlight of the yearly Araw ng Maynila celebrations. Estrada revived the annual pageant to bring attention to the city’s rich culture, and “to the beauty, intelligence, inherent generosity, and kindness of the Manilenya.”
The beauty pageant, he said, symbolizes his administration’s continuing vision to bring back Manila’s old beauty and as Asia’s “Pearl of the Orient.”
He recounted that Miss Manila originated from the Miss Carnival Queen in the early 1900s, a title subsequently won by his mother Maria Marcelo in 1925.