We congratulate Miss Universe Philippines for its FB post encouraging all delegates in the pageant to express themselves in the language they are most comfortable with including native Filipino languages. It said in the FB post that “sometimes, the clarity of their thoughts and the impact of their responses are compromised by the challenge of articulating in grammatically precise English. Let us take pride in our native languages. Kung gagamitin ang English language, ok lang iyan. Pero hindi rin masama mag- Tagalog, Waray, Ilocano, Bicolano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Chavacano, at iba pang Filipino language.” The inference is that inner beauty can be expressed in any native language.

Miss Universe Philippines smashes the haughty and contemptuous view, perhaps we can even label it as a racist view, held by many foolish Filipinos of people who cannot speak English. The beauty and brains of a pageant candidate is not measured by fluency in English. What is essential is being able to articulate one’s thoughts in the language that one knows best. American Linguist Benjamin Lee Whorf said that, “we dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language. Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it.” Your soul speaks in your native language.

The Miss Universe Pageant began in 1952 and the crown was won by Armi Kuusela of Finland. Many of those who later wore the crown came from different continents (Latin/South America, Europe, Asia and Africa) where the dominant language was not English. The list includes Amparo Muñoz of Spain who won in 1974 and was crowned right here in Manila. In the crucial question and answer portion of the final round of the pageant, Señorita Amparo needed an interpreter to translate the question and answer from English to Spanish and vice versa. The judges did not consider her inability to speak in English as a demerit. It is clear that in the history of Miss Universe, English fluency is not vital in winning the crown as it respects all languages.

The FB post of Miss Universe Philippines resonates throughout the archipelago.
It will be spectacular to witness Filipinas being crowned Miss Universe after delivering the winning response to the juror’s question in Tagalog, Binisaya, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan and other native Filipino languages.