MANILA, Philippines?Even a heavy downpour failed to dampen the spirits of the Mutya ng Pilipinas candidates who were officially presented to the media at the poolside of Resorts World Manila in Pasay City Wednesday.

The 24 contestants, who ignored the rain as they paraded in their black Charina Sarte swimsuits, may have good reason to maintain a cheerful disposition despite the gloomy weather.

The pageant?s new management team, dominated by women, has brought a higher level of excitement to the 42-year-old beauty contest.

The new team is led by Fortune Ledesma, consul general of Monaco, and national pageant committee chairperson Tati Fortuna, managing director of Scribbleworks Production Inc., which signed a partnership deal with the pageant?s owners.

Caloocan?s Sheehan Go said people should expect to see ?a very different Mutya this year. They have to watch out. We?ll give them a pleasant surprise.?

?It?s an honor to be a part of this group, and to celebrate the beauty of the Filipina in this way,? said 23-year-old Barbie Salvador of Pangasinan, who said she was drawn to the contest because of its tourism advocacy.

?We want to transform the organization and make it the most prestigious beauty pageant in the country,? said Fortuna.

But the Mutya ng Pilipinas has not been new to changes, having been the one to introduce some ground-breaking innovations to the local pageant scene through the years.

Mutya was the first national pageant to take advantage of the popularity of reality television through the weeks-long ?Beauty Beauty Queen? program on ABC5 in 2004.