8b.

PIlIpInasUnIverse 2010, |arIa 7enus Faj 8ayonIto,

0ethroned

|arIa 7enus Faj 8ayonIto has been crowned 8b. PIlIpInas - UnIverse last |arch 6, 2010 at the
Araneta ColIseum has been dethroned by the 8b. PIlIpInas CharItIes, nc. because there has
been a questIonable Issue wIth regards to her bIrth records.
"There have been InconsIstencIes wIth 7enus Faj's bIrth certIfIcate", as stated by 8b.
PIlIpInas PF |anager Jenny nocencIo|arcIal.
AccordIng to theIr submItted bIrth records, 7enus Faj was born In the PhIlIppInes. However,
7enus Faj and her mother saId that she was born In 0oha, Quatar.
|arIa 7enus Faj 8ayonIto Is a 21 year old that stands 5 feet and 9 Inches tall. She currently
resIdes In CamarInes Sur. She Is a half ndIan, half FIlIpIno beauty.
ThIs Is the statement from the 8b. PIlIpInas CharItIes, nc.:
"Today |arch 29, 2010, 8b. PIlIpInas CharItIes, nc. decIded, wIth a heavy heart, to let 8b.
PIlIpInasUnIverse 2010 |arIa 7enus Faj go, after the organIzatIon dIscovered InconsIstencIes
contaIned In her bIrth records, In contrast to her personal account of her bIrth."
8ased on the rules of 8b. PIlIpInas, when one tItleholder gets dethroned, the fIrst runnerup
wIll replace her. However, the 1st runnerup, 0Ianne NecIo, Is only 17 years old. The |Iss
UnIverse pageant's age lImIt Is 18 to 26 years old. n thIs lIne, the second runnerup wInner,
Helen Henson, wIll then fIll the vacated posItIon.
A sImIlar IncIdent happened last 1999 when 8b. PIlIpInasUnIverse wInner Janelle 8autIsta was
dethroned because of some IrregularItIes In her resIdency papers as well. |IrIam QuIambao
was then asked to replace her whereIn |IrIam went on to become the 1st runnerup In |Iss
UnIverse 1999.

BINIBINING PILIPINAS CHARITIES, INC. STATEMENT

Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. ("BPCI) is bound by the rules of its Ms. Universe
Pageant License, which rules were put in place to maintain the integrity and credibility
of the pageant. As it stands, Ms. Maria Venus Raj is a Filipina as authenticated by
the National Statistics Office (NSO), the same document she submitted and
certified to be true and correct during her application and which was accepted
by BPCI. However, she publicly refuted the information contained therein and further
publicly declared that her kin wrongly declared some entries in her official birth records,
as evidenced by her and her mothers signed declaration.
There has been a lot of speculations about the decision of BPCI to dethrone Ms. Raj as
Bb. Pilipinas-Universe.
There have also been calls for action against BPCI and against Mrs. Stella Marquez de
Araneta.
The language in some communications has been hysterical, shrill, malevolent, violent
and vicious.
We are clearing the matter now, so as to prevent further speculation and to set the
record straight for all concerned parties.
Maria Venus Bayonito Raj (born July 7, 1988) is a Filipina beauty queen. She was
crownedBinibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines)-Universe on March 6, 2010 during the
pageant's Grand Coronation Night at the Araneta Coliseum. She represented the
Philippines in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and placed
fourth runner-up to Ximena Navarrete ofMexico.
[1]

arIy Iife
Maria Venus Raj was born to an ndian father and a Filipina mother. Raj was taken by her
mother to Bato, Camarines Sur in Bicol Region, Philippines as an infant and was registered
by an aunt as a Philippine-born child to Roman Catholic parents.
[2]
Raj grew up with her
mother, a former tenant farmer and dressmaker who brought Maria Venus Raj up as a
child.
[3]
A former Roman Catholic, She is now a Born Again Christian
Raj lived in a nipa hut made of wood, bamboo and anahaw leaves with no electricity in the
middle of a sprawling rice field in the rural Bato town for more than twenty years. She
allegedly used rice paddy dikes for her early training where she eventually developed her
distinct catwalk.
[3]

The youngest among five children, Maria Venus Raj started joining local beauty pageants.
She also joined oratorical contests at San Vicente High School where her English teacher
served as her coach. With her victories in major contests, Venus Raj had started to buy land
on installment basis for her mother as a means of improving their livelihood.
[3]

Raj obtained her Diploma in Communications Arts, major in Journalism, at Bicol
University in Albay, with Latin honors (Cum Laude).
[4]
She graduated through the scholarship
that she received from the Francis Papica Foundation.
[3]
Back in the Philippines, she works
as an nformation Assistant for the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources in Region V.
[5]
n addition to this, she also works as a part-time fashion model in
her native Bicol and Manila.
!ageantry
Miss !iIippines-art 2008
Following her victory as Miss Bicolandia, Raj represented Legazpi City and competed in
the Miss Philippines-Earth 2008, and was named as Miss Philippines Earth Eco Tourism
2008, and fourth runner-up to eventual Miss Earth 2008 winner Karla Henry on May 11,
2008 at the Crowne Plaza Galleria, Manila.
Binibining !iIipinas-Universe
After joining Miss Philippines-Earth in 2008, Raj took a break from beauty contests and
worked as an nformation Assistant at the regional office of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources.
[citation needed]
On March 6, 2010, she was crowned Binibining
Pilipinas Universe during the pageant's Grand Coronation Night at the Araneta Coliseum.
She won the right to represent the Philippines in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant in Las
Vegas, Nevada, USA.
[1]
She also won the special awards Best in Long Gown, Best in
Philippine Terno, and was a co-winner for Miss Friendship - a rare feat for a major title
winner.
[citation needed]

%e Four Honor Guards during Cory Aquino's FuneraI

Last August 5, 2009, Philippines four honor guards stood for more than 9 hours (snappy, straight,
no food and water, no rest even through rainy day, bumps, dryness on the road and inclines) to
escort ormer President Cory Aquinos remains from the Manila Cathedral in ntramuros to the Manila
Memorial Park in Paranaque City, which is a 23 kilometer route. The four honor guards boarded the truck
at past 11 a.m. when police generals, acting as pallbearers, carried Cory Aquinos wooden casket out of
the cathedral after the more than two-hour Requiem Mass.
They got off the truck past 8 p.m. when they reached Manila Memorial Park where the revered People
Power heroine was laid to rest next to her martyred husband, former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy Aquino Jr. The
honor guards were given the highest honor and commendation and a cash of 25,000 pesos each. What
they did seem ordinary to us. But try standing up for hours on the truck without moving and you'd see how
difficult it was. t's harder than walking, it's harder than running, stand in one position for eight hours is a
very tough job, however, they quietly did their job.

How has the passing of President Cory Aquino

affected you?
(philstar.com) Updated August 06, 2009 12:00 AM Comments (0)

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: The death of Ninoy gave birth to the spirit of Edsa, while the death
of Coty recived that almost dormant spirit. No two lives and deaths have been so
entwined into the tapestry of the ilipino peoples history as those of Ninoy and Cory.
ose Fabello r., Cagayan De Oro City: Cory, like her husband, did not die wanting. In
life and in death, the couple touched so many lives. They will always be remembered by the
ilipino people for putting democracy in its rightful place. Thank you to both of you.
Her death unites us
immy Donton, Puerto Pricesa City: When I was a child, I heard adults talk about people
power taking place in 1986. President Cory was the unifying person of divided political
groups and believers in restoring democracy peacefully. Her passing reminds me of the
great sacrifice she and her family did for the country. Truly, the ilipino is worth dying for,
as Ninoy once said.
Leonard Villa, Batac City: My heart aches over Tita Corys passing. Her death has once
again galvanized the unity of ilipinos who cherish democratic ideals espoused by President
Cory.
Robert Young r., San uan: I feel a little sad and wish her death would be able to unite
the opposition so it can come out with a lone candidate to fight any administration nominee
so we can start on a clean slate. Corys funeral can turn out to be the biggest in our history.
People from all walks of life want to bid farewell to the icon of our democracy.
Romeo Nabong II, Saudi Arabia: Undeniably, being a ilipino, I was affected by the
death of former President Cory Aquino. She advocated nationalism and unity among us.
Thats enough reason for me to lament her passing.
Sad and grief-stricken
im Veneracion, Naga City: Seriously, I cant help but shed tears watching th TV
coverage of Corys death since day one. The lyrics and melody of Magkaisa move me to
tears.
Concepcion Gaspar, Laoag City: Kris poignant account of her Moms motherly advice and
agonizing pain caused me to shed a river of tears because I could relate as I remembered
when I lost my eldest daughter and husband, three years apart, to cancer and cardiac
arrest with complications respectively.
D. Floro, Quezon City: The passing of Cory makes me sad because she is a former
president and she stopped martial law by peaceful means.
Narciso Alano, Metro Manila: I am sad and grief-stricken. Ninoy was my idol and I
admire Cory for her courage, simplicity and for being very spiritual.
Medel Verzosa, Ilocos Sur: I come to appreciate again the Cory magic that I felt 33 years
ago. I get emotional and shed a tear for her. How time flies.
ulius aylo, Metro Manila: Sad and deeply affected emotionally. She is a great loss.
David Velasco, Metro Manila: Mrs. Cory Aquinos trials in this valley of tears and her
demise made me reflect on accepting destiny with humility, under the pain of trials.

cory aquino's 4 honor guards give us pride and honor to the

country - photos & news
we think the four honor guards of cory aquino during the burial were magnificent men
of honor and duty. they stood there for more than 8 hours, snappy and straight without
rest through heavy rain, dryness, bumps on the road and inclines.
we think these gentlemen of the military deserve the highest honor and commendation.
we will publish here more photos of these four gentlemen as our tribute to their
professionalism and dedication. they make us proud.

MANILA, Philippines-or Police Officer 1 Danilo Malab Jr., standing on top of a moving
truck for more than eight hours amid heavy rains as a guard at the cortege of former
president Corazon Aquino was one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life.
He did not feel thirst nor did he feel the need to relieve himself despite long hours of
standing snappily on top of the flat-bed truck.
"Hindi ko na inisip yung hirap kasi isang malaking karangalan ang mapaglingkuran ang
dating pangulong Aquino (I did not think about the difficulties because its a great
honor to serve former president Aquino), Malab said in an interview Thursday.
Malab was one of the four honor guards that stood guarding the casket of Aquino as
she was brought from the Manila Cathedral in Manila to the Manila Memorial Park in
Paranaque City on Wednesday.
During the length of his interview, Malab was still standing snappily, holding his cap
close to his chest.
The timid, 25-year old rookie policeman said the only thing he thought of as the
cortege slowly made its way amid a sea of crowds was God.
"Dasal lang ako ng dasal para mabigyan ako ng mahabang stamina na maihatid si
Maam Cory sa Manila Memorial (I just kept praying that I would be given the stamina
to be able to bring Maam Cory to Manila Memorial), Malab said.
He revealed that he only learned that he was to serve as honor guard for Aquinos
funeral procession early Wednesday morning. MANILA, Philippines-or Police Officer 1
Danilo Malab Jr., standing on top of a moving truck for more than eight hours amid
heavy rains as a guard at the cortege of former president Corazon Aquino was one of
the most unforgettable experiences of his life.
He did not feel thirst nor did he feel the need to relieve himself despite long hours of
standing snappily on top of the flat-bed truck.
"Hindi ko na inisip yung hirap kasi isang malaking karangalan ang mapaglingkuran ang
dating pangulong Aquino (I did not think about the difficulties because its a great
honor to serve former president Aquino), Malab said in an interview Thursday.
Malab was one of the four honor guards that stood guarding the casket of Aquino as
she was brought from the Manila Cathedral in Manila to the Manila Memorial Park in
Paranaque City on Wednesday.
During the length of his interview, Malab was still standing snappily, holding his cap
close to his chest.
The timid, 25-year old rookie policeman said the only thing he thought of as the
cortege slowly made its way amid a sea of crowds was God.
"Dasal lang ako ng dasal para mabigyan ako ng mahabang stamina na maihatid si
Maam Cory sa Manila Memorial (I just kept praying that I would be given the stamina
to be able to bring Maam Cory to Manila Memorial), Malab said.
He revealed that he only learned that he was to serve as honor guard for Aquinos
funeral procession early Wednesday morning.

Senute to commend q honor gourds oI Cory
AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV
08/06/2009 | 02:53 PM


A resolution commending the four honor guards of the late former President Corazon Aquino
during the funeral procession will be filed at the Senate.

Senator Pilar Juliana Cayetano said PO1 Danilo Malab Jr., Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd
Class Gener Laguindam, and Navy Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez were role models of
what a public servant should be.

"They did their job well and I will file a resolution commending them because it is symbolic
of what people in public service should do. Whatever your job is, do it well," Cayetano said
Thursday during the weekly news forum at the Senate.

The four honor guards stood on the hearse carrying Mrs. Aquino's remains for eight hours
from Manila Cathedral in Intramuros to Manila Memorial Park in Paraaque amid strong
winds and rains.

"or the soldiers who did their simple job but did it well through rain and storm, without
food, without rest, I think that was an effort on their part that they did it without need of
attention. They did not speak, they did not call attention 5074 ka5ansin-5ansin ang ginawa
nila," Cayetano said.

Interviewed in Camp Crame in Quezon City, the 25-year-old Malab, a member of the
Headquarters Support Service of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said he owed his
stamina to God.

"asal ak4 nang dasal 5a7a mabigyan ak4 ni G4d ng stamina (I prayed to God to give me
more stamina)," he said when asked on what kept him up for eight hours.

He also said he was prepared for the job since he was a fresh graduate of the Public Safety
Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC).

Cayetano said commending the four honor guards was one of the messages the late
President wants to relay to the people.

"I think one of the messages of President Cory was to commend the people for the little
jobs that they do and this was the little job with a major impact. I think they are role
models."

The senator, a triathlete, added that standing in one position for eight hours was harder
than running or walking.

"It may seem like a simple job but I challenge anyone to try to stand for 8 hours. Its harder
than walking. Its harder than running for 8 hours," she said. - GMANews.TV