AMERICAN HIP-HOP star Usher?s catchy single ?OMG? set the mood for the 2010 Mutya ng Pilipinas coronation night held last August 28 at the newly built Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila.
The Grammy-award winner?s hit song was used for the pageant?s opening number while the Philippine All Stars, two-time winners in the World Hip Hop Dance Championships, delighted the crowd with their dance moves.
Modern dance grooves enveloped in an unadulterated version of an infectious beat are certainly not a staple of local pageant productions.
But this year?s competition, dubbed ?Viva Pilipinas: Mutya ng Pilipinas 2010? pageant, is not your run-of-the-mill beauty contest.
When ScribbleWorks Production Inc. signed an agreement to manage the 42-year-old pageant, it promised to elevate the competition, modernize it and make it the most prestigious pageant in the country.
It appears to be making the right steps. This year, with a female-dominated team steering the pageant, Mutya has made bolder moves in achieving its goal of modernizing Philippine pageants.
The predominantly white stage was sleek and elegant and made the delegates? beauties pop out. A runway set in the middle of the stage gave it a more fashion-forward atmosphere.
The 24 delegates are identified by the town, city or province they are representing, diminishing the cattle-call imagery of bearing numbers glued to one?s hips.
They were also impeccably styled. An able image-making team led by top models Ria Bolivar and Charmaine Palermo made sure the ladies looked hot yet classy. Lourd Ramos and his team handled the contestants? hair and makeup.
The contestants donned gold cocktail dresses matched with gold and black gladiator shoes when they entered the stage. During the swimsuit round, they strutted in white Charina Sarte string bikinis embellished with semiprecious stones in strategic places.
But the most flavorful segment was the evening gown parade. Instead of the usual heavily beaded numbers seen in local pageants, the Mutya delegates glided on the ramp wearing the marvelous creations of some of the country?s best fashion designers, some of whom are JC Buendia, Rhett Eala, Carrie Santiago, Tina Daniac, Eric DLS, Ronaldo Arnaldo, Veejay Floresca and Frederick Peralta.
Even the hosting was almost spotless. International model and veejay Sarah Meier handled the program, along with TV personality and magazine editor RJ Ledesma. Model-host Phoemela Barranda looked stunning. The minor booboos she committed every now and then provided a bit of a ?comic relief,? which was missing from the question-and-answer round.
Yes, the ladies could talk. The delegates did not give in to pressure and handled their questions with confidence. All the semifinalists are articulate.
The intermission numbers, meanwhile, should not be relegated as sideshows. The trio of Ukrainian acrobats displayed breathtaking routines that kept the audience at the edge of their seats.
Julia, dubbed ?the greatest hula hooper in the world,? also entertained the audience with her impressive skills.
The intention to make the Mutya finals a world-class event was evident in Saturday night?s program. It has not arrived there yet, but the pageant appears to be doing a lot of things right.
Starting on time would have helped elevate it some more. The pageant began more than an hour later than the published 8 p.m. opening. But it lasted only three hours, which is relatively short based on customary practice.
The pageant coronation night will be telecast on ABS-CBN on September 5, 10:30 p.m.
