When beauty pageant fans watch the developments of Miss Venus Raj's bid for Miss Universe 2010, they tend to focus their attention on the news and disregard everything else.
Unemployment, poverty, love quarrels, and all other problems that are bugging them are temporarily thrown to the bin. Forgotten for a short while, only to be remembered afterwards.
Maria Venus Raj suddenly becomes a national figure. A modern day Filipina heroine. At the very least, the hope of her town, Bato, Camarines Sur.
Regardless of the result of the Miss Universe 2010, at least people would surely will be able to experience some kind of happiness that they normally don't feel in times of economic depression. They will be genuinely entertained. They will have successfully escaped from life's problems for at least an hour.
In my country, the Philippines, the economic conditions are far worse than those of the United States. More than half of the people are living below poverty line. Slum areas are a common site and it seems there's not much to look forward to considering our government is ranked as the most corrupt in Asia.
The year 2010 may seem like any other year but to the Filipinos this was the year when they found their symbol of hope. This was the year when a ray of light pierced through the darkness that has engulfed the country for decades. Not only that a new President of the country was elected, this was also the year when Maria Venus B. Raj rose to beauty contest superstardom by barring all the impediments to carry the Philippine flag to Miss Universe 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Since then, Filipinas have been identifying themselves with Venus Raj. She is the source of their new found pride. She is their unlikely paragon. She is the hope of that skinny kid, with a funny name, that she, too, has a place in this world.
The way Venus Raj behaves towards her detractors is another thing worthy of emulation.
She never resorts to trash talking and she respects her critics even if they hurl mud against her. Some beauty enthusiasts from other countries have insulted Venus Raj many times but she never retaliated. This kind of attitude is an embodiment of her being a Roman Catholic Christian.
She is a role model not just for the Filipinos but for everyone else around the world.
What makes Venus Raj different from other beauty queens is that she carries the hopes of more than 90 million Filipino people. Every words she says carry with it the aspirations of an entire nation.
Every time we hear of her painful experiences, every Filipino feels the pain.
The bliss brought about by a Venus Raj's reinstatement and if ever she would win in the Miss Universe 2010 will mean that Philippine economy will receive a temporary boost as many fans will be flocking to their nearest liquor store to celebrate. They will be talking endlessly about the contest, analyzing each performance and predicting what the future holds for Venus Raj.
For some Filipinos, a Venus Raj victory represents overcoming the hardest obstacles in life. Her rags to riches story is an inspiration to us all. Unknowingly, she has made a statement that poverty is not a hindrance to success.
Venus Raj. More than just the hope for the crown.
