20 Philippine Showbiz Today
20 Philippine Showbiz Today
January 8 - 21 , 2017
Binibining Pilipinas titlists are The Amazing Race Asia 5 champs
Filipino beauty queens are on a roll proving they are a force to reckon with even in other fields of competition . The lovely tandem of Margaret Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah outraced 11 teams from countries across Asia and were declared champions nailing the second consecutive victory for team Philippines in The Amazing Race Asia 5 .
As host Allan Wu announced the pair as winners of The Amazing Race Asia 5 , best friends Consunji and Shah were overjoyed and hugged each other with tears in their eyes . They were exasperated even as they realized their extraordinary feat of overcoming tough tasks and challenges in a high-octane dash around the world in the finale of the two-month reality series .
“ We did it ! It was amazing . We ’ re just so happy we can help Parul ’ s family now , with our winnings ,” Consunji said in reference to Parul ’ s father who suffered several strokes , the last one was during the race . The team won $ 100,000 cash prize , which they agreed to split . Shah and Cosunji followed the team of Richard Herrera and Richard Hardin that won the The Amazing Race Asia edition in 2010 .
Consunji was the country ’ s representative to the Miss World 2007 in Sanya , China , while Shah was the third runner up in the Miss Grand International 2015 in Thailand Consuji , now 27 , is a VJ on MTV and has a four-yearold son , Conner , by husband Victor , a real estate scion whom she married in 2010 . She decided to leave the world of showbiz to become a full time mother and wife .
Shah , a 27-year-old model and graduate of Nursing , decided to join The Amazing Race Asia after Consunji , her mentor when she competed in pageants , asked her . Shah also thought about winning the prize to pay for her father ’ s medical expenses .
Both beauty queens admitted that the competition tested their patience and emotional strength , but more importantly , they got to change the perception of beauty queens during the course of the race .
Yvonne Lee and Chloe Chen , who represented Malaysia at Miss World 2012 and 2011 , respectively , finished as runnersup , while the Filipino tandem of Eric Tai and wife Rona Samson finished the race in third place . ● - E . B . Concepcion , MS
From pageant stage to “ Amazing Race ,” Maggie Wilson-Consunji ( first from left ) and Parul Shah ( center ) prove that beauty queens are a force to reckon with
Sheree ’ s wish
Sheree ( right ) with good friend Jaycee Parker s a young lass in
ABukidnon years ago , Sheree was punished by her grandmother whenever she was naughty by being made to kneel on mongo seeds or getting the belt . To hide from Lola , she would run to a nearby church where the caretaker would always tell her to write a letter to Papa Jesus and place it in the altar box .
So , everyday , Sheree wrote to God , asking Him to make her an actress so she can leave Bukidnon and be away from her disciplinarian grandmother . One day her prayers were answered .
In one of the road shows in Cagayan , actress Graciaaa suddenly couldn ’ t make it . Since Sheree would often win amateur singing contests in her barangay , the director of the show thought she ’ d be fitting proxy . Then as soon as actress Patricia Javier ( who was also part of the show ) saw Sheree , she told her to call her if ever she ’ s in Manila .
The latter did and the rest is history .
Sheree , a spitting image of sexy actress Vivian Velez , became a member of the Viva Hot Babes . But at the height of her career , she got pregnant . Sheree is currently raising her son as a single mother .
Whenever she ’ s not doing teleseryes , Sheree act in theater productions or perform pole dancing ( in legit concerts and shows , not in girly bars ), paint and design bags . Do you know Sheree ’ s designer bags can fetch up to P25,000 since you can commission her to paint your face on your leather bag ? True .
Her oil paintings , meanwhile , range from P6,000 to P60,000 – up to P100,000 depending on the size . Sheree loves painting nature , animals , and human forms . You can also commission her to paint your family picture .
Despite having a body to die for , a voice which is the envy of many , a grace a gazelle would have , and a beauty to covet , Sheree admits she still struggles to meet her rent every month .
“ If I really wanted to , I could have been so rich ( by now ). But then I would not be happy because I would be a concubine or a wife of a man I do not love . I am a staunch believer in love and will continue to dream that one day I will march down the aisle with a man I love .”
Right now she just wishes for a brighter career and more bags and paintings to sell . To see her paintings and bags you may go to her instagram account @ shereeartboutique or email sheree . vidalbautista @ yahoo . com
Happy New Year to all my Gossip Girl readers ! May God bless us all in 2017 . ● - Giselle Sanchez , MB
Sheree busy with one of her oil paintings