Ganiel Akrisha Arun Krishnan of the City of Manila was named Darling of the Press at the conclusion of the press presentation for the 30 official candidates of the 48th Mutya ng Pilipinas search at Hotel 101-Manila, in Pasay City on Wednesday afternoon.
Krishnan, a 21-year-old Mass Communication student at Far Eastern University, is a familiar face among UAAP college varsity followers, working as a court-side commentator of the ABS-CBN sports team during the televised ballgames. Krishnan has emerged as one of the top favorites together with Lynette Bradford of Melbourne, Michelle Thorlund of California, Joanna Rose Tolledo of Caloocan City, Joanna Marie Rabe of Zambales, Mary Theresa Erna Gomez of Tarlac, Marielle Cartagena of Cebu, and Mayu Murakami of Japan.
Three major titles are at stake at the 2016 Mutya ng Pilipinas, the second longest running national beauty search. Some 30 candidates chosen from across the country and several overseas Filipino communities will compete to win one of those titles – Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific 2016, Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International 2016 and Mutya ng Pilipinas – Overseas Communities 2016, winners of which will vie at the Miss Tourism International 2016, Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2016 and Miss Asia Pacific International 2016 pageants.
Preliminary competitions will be held at the Puerto Princesa City Sheridan Beach Resort on July 18 to 21 with the Long Gown competition at Hannah’s Beach Resort in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on July 22 to 25 and the National Costume show and Talent Competition on July 26 (host city to be announced).”‹
Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific International 2015 Leren Mae Bautista competed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on New Year’s Eve and brought home the title of Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015. Bautista, together with Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International 2015 Janela Joy Cuaton and Mutya ng Pilpinas-Overseas Communities 2015 Nina Josie Robertson will crown their successors at the grand coronation night on July 30 at Resorts World Manila to be telecast 10 a.m. on ABS-CBN in July.
Jacqueline Tan, president of Mutya ng Pilipinas Inc., expressed pride and excitement for this year’s batch of candidates and hopes that they would continue the tradition of Mutya beauties bringing honor to the country over the years.
Mutya ng Pilipinas promotes “Beauty Tourism” within Asia and the West Pacific and aims to contribute to the promotion of the Philippines as a major tourism destination. Overseas-based women of Filipino descents are again represented to raise the level of competition of the annual pageant, coming from the Filipino communities in USA’s Northern and Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Midwest, East Coast and Hawaii, and in Canada, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.