MANILA, Philippines?Beauty queen Charlene Gonzalez is the new host of the QTV women?s show ?Proudly Filipina,? taking over from original host Daphne Oseña-Paez who resigned recently.

Gonzalez, who previously hosted rival station ABS-CBN?s lifestyle show, ?At Home Ka Dito,? is crossing network lines to do ?Proudly.?

QTV is a GMA 7 channel geared for upscale women.

?We are happy to welcome Charlene,? Gigi Santiago-Lara, assistant vice president for Alternative Productions, told Inquirer Entertainment, adding that Gonzalez?s target launch on ?Proudly? is end of February.

Melo Esguerra, program manager, said Gonzalez ?epitomizes the show?s ideal of a proud Filipina.?

Esguerra explained, ?She?s a full-time mom and career woman who endeavors to be the best that she can be, both in and out of the home.?

Gonzalez is married to actor Aga Muhlach. They have twins, Andres and Atasha, now 6 years old.

?But she leads a very active lifestyle,? Lara noted. ?She?s into sports and fitness. Her mom Elvie told me that she?s into wakeboarding.?

Esguerra pointed out that Gonzalez ?has a good image? ? which, he said, was in keeping with the show?s inspirational/aspirational goals.

Few innovations

The show ?will remain technically the same,? said Lara.

?We still have the same director, Tim Jimenez, and the same staff,? Esguerra added.

The concept remains the same as well, said Lara.

?We are still doing profiles of successful and inspiring Filipinas,? Esguerra said. ?That is, women who have touched other people?s lives and made a difference in their communities.?

Audience participation is an innovation in the revamped ?Proudly,? said Lara.

For example, Esguerra said, ?Viewers can nominate their own ?Proud Filipinas? via e-mail and/or snail-mail.?

Lara stressed that nominees could be ordinary women from all walks of life.

Featured celebrities can likewise nominate their own ?Proud Filipinas.?

?She can be a yaya or a teacher whom they look up to,? Esguerra said. ?We want them to pay tribute to their idols.?