intro

ven before The Philippines to the World Entertainment Foundation, Inc.
(PWEFI) was established in July 1997, the idea for a search much like this one was already being discussed by the people behind the group.

In 1998, a plan was made to stage a competition among Filipinos in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where PWEFI, in a manner of speaking, was actually born. The contest was aimed at searching for a pair (male and female) who possess not only physical comeliness but also the ability to voice out the concerns of Over-
seas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and speak on issues that affect them.

But since the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia did not (and, perhaps, still does not) encourage such kind of productions even within the confines of the embassy compound, we dropped the idea.

NATATANGING GINOO AT BINIBINI NG MGA OFWs

Then, in December 2000, a personality search with exactly the same concept as this search's was supposed to have taken place. It was to be the culmination of "The Year of Overseas Filipino Workers" which, incidentally, was campaigned for by PWEFI in 1999 until it was declared by then-President Estrada on February 8, 2000. The pageant - which would have been dubbed "Natatanging Ginoo at Binibini ng mga OFWs" - didn't push through due to the volatile political situation in the country especially in the second half of 2000.

BODYSHOTS

When PWEFI's founder and executive director was still working in Riyadh, he was invited by a Manila-based friend (an ex-OFW and also a PWEFI member) to be part of a new group which would be involved in staging special productions and talent management. That was in
early 2000. The entity was aptly called
Our Group, Inc. or OGI. Its incorpo-
rators included Ogee Atos (one of the
country's top fashion directors), Jimmy
Esguerra (ex-Riyadh OFW and brother
to a former Department Undersecretary),
Jingky Ilusorio (famous make-up artist)
and former beauty queens Marilen
Espino-Mendoza and Celina Manalad.
Founding partners were male mannequins
Jet Alcantara and Bong Regala, and
PWEFI head Rhoel Mendoza.

OGI produced the highly successful
Bodyshots 2000.

Bodyshots, which is owned by the
FDAP, is the country's most prestigious
annual modeling competition. It has
produced several top fashion models,
beauty queens and even actors and
actresses. Bodyshots alumni included Bb. Pilipinas titleholders Anna Gonzales, Joanna Penalosa, Rachel Soriano, Patty Betita, Gem Padilla and Jewel Lobaton; top models & showbiz luminaries Eric Quizon, John Estrada, Wilma Doesnt, Calvin Millado, Gerald Lauron, Romano Navasero, Ricardo Cepeda, John Gaddi, Richard Nazareth, Lawrence Dyogi, Lou Bunyi, Emilio Garcia, Emma Ruiz and Baba Parma. Miss Globe International 2001, Maricar Balagtas (the first Asian woman to be so honored), was also a product of Bodyshots. Ditto, JP Abinuman, the current Wellcom Miss Globe (she was Miss Bodyshots 2000).

The task of producing the competition's twelfth year edition was offered to PWEFI after OGI backed out due to other commitments. And so, Bodyshots 2001 was co-produced by PWEFI with the FDAP. It was held on June 30 at the UP Theater and was directed by Joey Espino.

Visit its website at http://www.bodyshots.com.ph

AN EX-OFW, A DAUGHTER OF AN OVERSEAS FILIPINO, AND SEVERAL FOREIGN PASSPORT HOLDERS OF FILIPINO ANCESTRY WERE AMONG BODYSHOTS CANDIDATES

Bodyshots 2001 saw the partici-
pation of a former OFW who
worked in Riyadh (Eric Gonza-
lez, formerly of Saudi Telephone
Company), a daughter of a sea-
man (Gianne Laudato), two
Filipino-Canadians (Joyce Ortega
and half-Portuguese Jonathan
Camara - both from Toronto),
two Filipino-British (Paula White
and Luke Mucklin), and three
Filipino-Americans (Romina
Jeffrey, an MTB Miss Calendar
girl 2001 runner-up; Jennifer
McDonald, who just happened to
be vacationing in the Philippines
when the search was announced
in the first quarter of 2001; and
James Bautista, a Californian who
is currently pursuing higher studies
at the University of Santo Tomas.

Young men and women who are, more or less,
in similar circumstances now have something
of their own, a search that is specifically geared
towards them... the "Ginoo at Binibini ng Over-
seas Filipinos" contest.

The search hopes to bring together immediate
relatives of Overseas Filipinos (OFWS, permanent residents abroad, immigrants who have either retained their Filipino citizenships or are now foreign passport holders, and the like), as well as former migrant workers, for two weeks of fun-filled excitement, socially relevant activities, and culturally enriching experience in an atmosphere of friendly competition for the title of Ginoo at Binibini ng Over-
seas Filipinos.

Best of all, the event will be a unique way to celebrate the Overseas Filipino experience and, likewise, a unique tribute to our expatriate kababayans around the world.