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| MISS MAGNOLIA, the search for the dairy company's brand ambassador ran for 7 years. |
In 1974,
the Magnolia Division of San Miguel Corporation, the country’s leading maker of
dairy products, and “the finest name in ice cream”, embarked on a PR event to
elevate the brand image of its ice cream line. 1974 was an auspicious year, as
the country was all agog at the prospect of holding the 1974 Miss Universe
Beauty Pageant in Manila.
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| THE FIRST MISS MAGNOLIA, VIVIAN AVILA, 1974 |
A year
before, our very own Bb. Pilipinas, Margarita Moran won the 1973 crown in
Greece, a feat first achieved by Gloria Diaz only 4 years before, in 1969. This
was the start of modern day beauty contest mania that continues to this day
among Filipinos.
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| MISS MAGNOLIA received extensive national coverage in its time. |
So,
Magnolia jumped into the pageant bandwagon and organized an annual contest to
find their own “Miss Magnolia”, a brand ambassador envisioned to be the face of
the wholesome ice cream brand, a corporate spokesperson for the ice cream
division, and an product endorser and model of Magnolia’s popular line “Flavor
of the Month”.
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| "FLAVOR OF THE MONTH" GIRL |
With the
help of its ad agency, J. Romero & Associates, the quest for the first “Miss
Magnolia” was organized and staged at the posh Hyatt, with 5 finalists. “Miss
Magnolia” gained enough traction in the next few years and became a major media
event, receiving extensive coverage at the same level as established national
beauty searches.
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| THE LAST MISS MAGNOLIA, DINDIN LOPEZ |
It had a
successful 7-year run, producing winners all noted for their wholesome, winsome
kind of beauty, their impeccable background and
educational attainment. Some went on to become well-known figures in the
fields of entertainment, showbusiness, broadcast and PR industry. Here once
more are the 7 Miss Magnolia beauties from 1974-1980.
VIVIAN
AVILA, 1974 MISS MAGNOLIA. The
first Miss Magnolia, Vivian “Viv” Avila was a 21 year old commerce graduate of
UST. She was the college muse, a corp sponsor, and a member of her school’s dance troupe. A
working student, she was a receptionist at the Hospital of Infant Jesus after
school, and modeled part-time. Avila was also the top graduate of Cora Doloros
Modelling School. She holds a string of beauty titles: Miss Summer Sports and Miss Tourism Mindanao.
At the time of the contest, she was connected with Grolier’s as education
counselor. The four other finalists were: Diana Robinson, Malou Camesa, Leni
Palaypay and Rebecca Villavicencio.
MARIA
CHRSITINA VALERIANO, 1975 MISS MAGNOLIA. 18-year
old Ma. Christina “Mari” Valeriano was a 2nd year A.B. Psychology
major at St. Paul when she won Miss Magnolia 1975.
MALOU
PEREZ, 1976 MISS MAGNOLIA. Malou
Perez emerged as the 1976 Miss Magnolia during the finals at the Hyatt Regency.
She was a product of Poveda, and the University of the Philippines, where she
took up Psychology. Perez also forayed
into print and commercial modelling in her time. She later went to La Salle for her MBA. Her finalists
included Tonette Pineda (2nd), Lydia Mabanta (3rd) and
Chiqui Toledo (4th). Mabanta became the wife of singer Jim Paredes
of APO Hiking Society. Toledo joined Cathay Pacific.
GINA
ARAGON, 1977 MISS MAGNOLIA. Another
U.P. coed went on to win Miss Magnolia 1977, in the person of Gina Sarena
Aragon a Hotel and Restaurant Administration student. Aragon was an active
member of UP Junior Management Association, and an avid athlete. Her early
schooling were spent at St. Scholastica College. She has appeared as a TV ad
model for a toothpaste and tissue commercial. There were 12 finalists that
year, including Susan Brodett, Yolanda de Dios, and Jocelyn Domingo.
MARY
MASSAB, 1978 MISS MAGNOLIA. Maryknoller
Mary Massab was chosen as Miss Magnolia 1978, but found greater fame
post-Magnolia, as part of the original cast of the hit movie “Iskul Bukol” (1980),
based on the popular Tv series starring Tito, Vic and Joey, and “My Juan and
Only”, with Dolphy and Panchito (1982). She is now Mrs. Carandang.
JOANNA
PARAS, 1979 MISS MAGNOLIA. In 1979,
Joanna Paras was acclaimed the winner of the Miss Magnolia title. The daughter
of a Procter & Gamble executive Renato Paras and Aurea Gutierrez, Paras was
a 3rd year Marketing and Management student of Assumption, a Dean’s
Lister, no less, when the contest beckoned. A member of the famed Bayanihan
Dance Troupe, she has traveled extensively and has perfomed in Europe, South
America, U.S. and some socialist countries. Her court included Ruby Ann Bonanza
(2nd, an HRM sophomore0, Joy Alindada (3rd, a senior Psychology student), and Nadine
Ramirez (4th, staff nurse, Philippine Heart Center). Bonanza
appeared in one movie, “Condemne”(1984), and then joined the PR division of
Magnolia.
GERALDINE
LOPEZ, 1980 MISS MAGNOLIA. Geraldine
“Dindin” Lopez was the last Miss Magnolia, elected in 1980. It was a hotly
contested battle between her and another Geraldine—Geraldine “Dina” Bonnevie. But the popular University of the
Philippines-HRM student pipped her in the finals. After her reign, she took up
her MBA at the Asia Institute of Management, and joined the banking industry,
with stints at Citibank, PBCom and Security Bank, She is now Mrs. Nakpil. Her
court included included runner up Dina Bonnevie (actress, dubbed as ‘Drama
Queen”), Thelma Aranda (3rd, TV newscaster at RPN , turned
children’s book author, now Mrs. Sugay), and Ma. Lourdes “Malu” Maglutac (TV
host, now Mrs. Chiongbian).
SOURCES/CREDITS:
I am indebted to Mr. Tony Paat for providing the photos and news clippings of Vivian Avila, Malou Perez, Gina Aragon, Mary Massab. Many thanks, Tony!
