Confident that Filipinas will once again bring honor to the country, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) showed its support to the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) by providing P1 million sponsorship for its 2014 pageant.

PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications Maricar Bautista said the agency believes that supporting the BPCI is a worthy undertaking given the similarity of the mission of both organizations that is to discover promising Filipinos who can bring pride to the country as well as contribute to government’s nation-building efforts.

According to Bautista, BPCI aims to bring honor to the country by honing beautiful talented Filipinas who can compete in international beauty pageants. “They also reach out to the marginalized sectors of society. On the other hand, PAGCOR supports promising Filipino talents and also undertakes relevant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects,” she added.

Among PAGCOR’s projects that promote Filipino talents are its nationwide singing search, chorale contest, art and photography competitions and the nationwide beauty search to honor the modern Filipina through its annual Miss Casino Filipino pageant. “PAGCOR believes in the beauty, talent and intelligence of Filipinas. We hope that with this humble gesture of generosity, we can help our Binibining Pilipinas candidates bring honor to the country,” Bautista noted.

In 2013, PAGCOR was also a major partner of BPCI. It gave P3 million financial support to the organization.

To show their appreciation to PAGCOR, the 40 Binibining Pilipinas candidates visited PAGCOR last March 19, 2014 at the agency’s Corporate Office in Malate, Manila. According to PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento, they were glad to meet and greet the candidates. “We are very happy that they’re here. Napa-kahirap ng trabaho namin pero kapag puma-pasyal sila dito, sumasaya kami,” he quipped.

BPCI Spokesperson Gines Enriquez expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR for its continued support. “The sponsorship will be a huge help. On behalf of the BPCI board, maraming-maraming salamat sa PAGCOR at nag-kasama ulit tayo this year,” he said.

The 40 candidates vying for the Binibining Pilipinas 2014 crown underwent a stringent screening process to produce the best candidates. “All of them have what it takes to win international crowns. We set the bar higher in selecting the candidates. But we are proud and happy that the quality of our candidates is improving year after year,” Enriquez said.

He added that this year’s candidates are all achievers and competitive. “Some of them graduated from the country’s top schools. There are medical students, accountants, teachers, registered nurses, entrepreneurs, artists and former Overseas Filipino Workers. There are also freelance models, a sports writer, news anchor, and varsity players.”

The 40 Binibining Pilipinas 2014 candidates are aged 18 to 26. They come from various parts of the country like Aklan, Albay, Baguio, Bataan, Bicol, Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Davao, Isabela, Misamis Occidental, Nueva Ecija, Noth Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Rizal, Tarlac, Tuguegarao and Zambales.

Enriquez shared that BPCI is confident Filipina beauties will once again bag international titles just like last year. “We hope to get more crowns for our country. The candidates are training very hard.”

In 2013, the Philippines received historic back-to-back victories when Ariella Arida emerged as 3rd runner-up in Miss Universe; Bea Soriano took home the Miss International title, and Mutya Johanna Datul won the Miss Supranational title.

Datul, a 5’8” stunner from Isabela province, was a finalist of PAGCOR’s Miss Casino Filipino 2012.

Meanwhile, candidate no. 39 Ladylyn Riva is excited to be back in PAGCOR. Riva is the reigning Miss Casino Filipino 2013 winner and she is trying her luck in this year’s pageant hoping that she will clinch one of the most coveted titles. “Winning Miss Casino Filipino indeed helped me improve. It is also one of the reasons why I joined Binibining Pilipinas,” she shared.

Riva first joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2011. Unfortunately, she did not make it. “I remember the first time I joined the competition. I was shy and was not yet ready to compete. But now, I’m back with a better version of myself. I’m stronger and more confident,” the registered nurse from the province of Aklan said.

PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Entertainment Bong Quintana expressed his support for Riva. “I am very proud that Lady is one of the 2014 Binibining Pilipinas candidates. I wish her all the luck. I am confident that she will deliver her best because of the experiences she learned from previous beauty pageants, like the Miss Casino Filipino 2013.”

Now on its 51st year, BPCI has been the Philippines’ prestigious discoverer and mentor of young ladies. Apart from producing the best candidates to represent the country in international beauty competitions, BPCI also conducts fund-raising activities for projects that benefit underprivileged sectors.

Among the beneficiaries of Binibining Pilipinas this year are Gawad Kalinga (GK) – a foundation that provides low-cost housing for impoverished Filipino families and Operation Smile - a non-government organization that provides free surgery to children with harelip and cleft palate. Both organizations had been previously supported by PAGCOR.

The Binibining Pilipinas coronation night will be held at the Araneta Coliseum on March 30, 2014.

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