208. Celebrity Endorser: AURORA MCKENNEY PIJUAN, Miss International 1970

MISS INTERNATIONAL 1970 AURORA PIJUAN

Just as Gloria Diaz was winding her reign as Miss Universe of 1969, Aurora McKenny Pijuan of Bacolod extended the winning streak of ur beauty queens when she won the 1970 Miss International title in Osaka, Japan on 16 May 1970.

IBA NA'NG MATANGKAD. Pijuan starred in a tar margarine commercial tha highlighted her height
advantage. "Magaganda sila..matatangkad...buti, ako rin..." so went the establishing opening copy.

The southern belle (b. 11 Nov. 1949)  daughter of Marcelo Pijuan and Lucielle McKenney. was a St. Scholastica student when she joined her first contest-- Miss Teen Philippines 1966 contest. She placed second behind Mary Jane Madamba.  Four years later, she joined the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant and bagged the Bb. Pilipinas-International title, alongside Simonette delos Reyes who won Bb.Pilipinas-Universe.

PAL INTERNATIONAL AD WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL QUEEN. 1970.

Au-au, as her friends called her, was sent to Osaka, Japan for the international contest, as a side event of the Expo ’70 of Osaka. She was singled out from among 47 beauties to succeed Valerie Susan Holmes of United Kingdom. Her runners up included Argentina (Margarita Briese), Australia (Karen Papworth), Toshie Suda (Japan) and New Zealand (Susan Greaves).  The initials of the countries that placed coincidentally spelled out J-A- P-A-N.

WATCH AURORA PIJUAN'S CROWNING MOMENT

AS MISS INTERNATIONAL 1970 HERE:

The tall Filipina beauty stood out for her regal bearing, and stunning mixed American-Irish-Native American-Filipino and Spanish features, scoring the first double win for the Philippines  in the popular pageant (Gemma Cruz had won the crown 6 years before).

ESKINOL GIRL AURORA, 1970

It is also interesting to note that when crowned at the Exposition Hall Fairgrounds,  Au-Au was wearing a beaded midi-dress (a mid-calf dress worn with a pair of pants) instead of a gown—a non-traditional outfit for a royal crowning. While in Japan, she graced the Philippine Pavilion in Osaka and created a sensation.

PIJUAN DOES PEPSI. ca. 1970. Her Miss Universe counterpart modelled for Coke. 

She received a welcome fit for a queen, with beau Tommy Manotoc, in attendance. She was greeted by the First Lady, Imelda Marcos, whose daughter, Imee, would be involved controversially with Tommy, a few years after her marriage to the top golfer and basketball coach. As Au-au refused to grant a divorce, Imee’s status was that of a mistress.

Her Miss International reign was so hectic that she lost weight and often fell sick due to lack of sleep. Still, she was the toast of her proud country, and appeared in a number of high-profile ads long after her queenly duties were over. She had actually dabbled in commercial modeling even before she became a national beauty figure, doing ads for Eskinol.

MR. & MRS.MANOTOC FOR LOYOLA LIFE PLAN, 1974.

Au-au went to Long beach to crown the new Miss International 1971, Cheryl Jane Hansen of New Zealand. Her Bb. Pilipinas successor, Evelyn Camus, placed 3rd in the finals. 

Au-au had two children with Tommy Manotoc—Mavis (now Fuentebella) and sportscaster TJ Manotoc. An activist who supports many political and social advocacies, the former beauty icon is a member of  Gawad Kalinga, that works for the upliftment of people’s lives in rural Philippines.

PITCHING FOR FILSYN. Pijuan in a Christian Cordero outfit, 1979 

SOURCES: 

Miss International 1970 Aurora Pijuan from the Philippines, via Manny Tonogbanua, posted Oct.  22, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeoBAh7lQzc