The crowning of MISS America 2001, Angela Perez-Baraquio - A Filipina Lady, Miss Hawaii. AGUILAR, Pangasinan--Angela Perez Baraquio's crowning as Miss America 2001 came as big news for this small town in central Pangasinan. Highlights of the trip will be a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and a visit to her paternal grandfather, and other members of her family, whom she has never met.
Miss America 2001 is a Filipina Lady
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Thu. Apr. 12, 2001,
Philippines
MISS America Angela Perez-Baraquio paid a courtesy call Wednesday on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who congratulated her for being the first woman of Asian descent to win the US beauty pageant. Perez-Baraquio, 24, of Honolulu, is a daughter of a Filipino couple who emigrated to Hawaii before she was born. She was in Manila for a three-day trip in her first visit to her parents' homeland. The statuesque beauty had to stoop to accept a congratulatory kiss on the cheeks from the petite president, who said she had watched the Miss America pageant closely. "It's a great honor for us that a Filipina like you won the Miss America pageant," Ms Macapagal said. "I'm so very happy that the most beautiful woman in the United States is a Filipina." Perez-Baraquio later toured a historic church where she posed for photographs with street children. AFP |
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The
Manila Bulletin
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HAWAIIAN-FILIPINA IS MISS AMERICA (AP) - Miss Hawaii Angela
Perez Baraquio, the daughter of a Filipino couple residing in
Hawaii, walks as she competes in swimsuit competition Saturday
at Atlantic City, New Jersey Boardwalk Convention Hall. Baraquio
was named Miss America 2001. |
Her father, Claudio Fernandez Baraquio, is from Pangasinan, while her mother, Rigolette Perez is from Manila.
Angela's younger brother, Albert, 21, told this reporter in an interview over the phone that the victory of his 24year-old sister was "a complete surprise and amazing." But for some reason, he was the last to see the television presentation over on-air network, ABC, since the program was blacked out in their area while the contest was in progress Saturday night (Sunday in Manila). "But I first came to know that my sister won it when a news agency guy and my brother called up our home and told me about it," Albert said.
He said his dad, his mom and sisters Tess (Therese) Rose and Berna (Bernadette) were in Atlantic City to witness Angela's crowning of this country's most prestigious national beauty title.
This is the second time that his sister joined a beauty contest. The first time was in 1996 but she did not win it, according to Albert, a fifth-year working student in business administration (major in marketing) at the University of Hawaii.
Albert said his sister will travel around the world and she will be very excited to visit the Philippines. She also wins a $50,000 scholarship, aside from the title and appearance fees that will come her way. She will be promoting character education during her reign.
Aside from his three eldest siblings - Lucy, 32, Jerome, 33, and Cecilia, 34 -- who were all born in the Philippines, none of his other five other brother and sisters - Gloria, 20, Rose, 26, Bernadette, 27, Therese, 27, John, 30, himself and Angela - has visited the Philippines.
"Of course, it will be a thrill if some of us can join Angela to visit the Philippines," Albert said.
He said his parents have been to the Philippines three times. The last time was last year.
He said his parents both speak Pangasinense and Tagalog while the eldest of his siblings still speak a bit and understand both Philippine languages, while "we, the younger ones, understand a little." Albert disclosed that his sister already has a boyfriend.
His name is Tini Fuloe Gray, an architect, "my sister's age." An elementary school teacher and athletic director by profession, Angela's ambition is to become a motivational speaker and to hold a masters degree in education. A graceful hula dancer which she demonstrated during the talent portion of the pageant where she represented her native state as Miss Hawaii, Angela took up her education program at the University of Hawaii Manoa where she was in the Dean's List; a member of Golden Key National Honor Society; recipient of Donna Mercado Kim Academic Scholarship and Evelyn Siu Foo Scholarship in Elementary Education.
Her parents own a pest control company - Able Termite Control - in Honolulu.
Miss America 2001, Angela Perez Baraquio, will visit the Philippines, the home country of her parents, on April 10-13.
Highlights of the trip will be a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and a visit to her paternal grandfather, and other members of her family, whom she has never met.
The trip of the reigning Miss America is hosted by the Department of Tourism and is sponsored in part by Northwest Airlines.
Ms. Baraquio, 24, the first Miss America of Asian and Filipino descent, will be accompanied by her parents, Claude and Letty Baraquio, who immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines more than 30 years ago.
"This is a dream come true for me and my family, and I owe a deep of gratitude to Northwest Airlines, the Philippine Department of Tourism, The Miss America Organization and many other people who have made this trip possible, " Ms. Baraquio said.
"I'm looking forward to taking in sights and
sounds of Manila and to becoming better acquainted with the culture and
the people of my parents' home country," Ms. Baraquio said.
Filipina-American,
Miss America 2001 in Manila
Posted: 0:26 AM (Manila Time) | Apr. 09
2001
MISS America 2001, the Filipino American
Angela Perez-Baraquio, is in town, visiting the home country of her
parents for the first time.
Baraquio, who is the first Miss America of Asian and Filipino descent,
will be meeting with President Macapagal-Arroyo and visiting her paternal
grandfather and other members of her Filipino family whom she has never
met.
"This is a dream come true for me and my family, and I owe a deep
sense of gratitude to Northwest Airlines, the Department of Tourism, the
Miss America Organization and many other people who have made this trip
possible," said Baraquio in a press statement sent by the Miss
America organizers.
Baraquio who arrived last April 1 and will be staying until April 13, is
being accompanied by her parents, Claude and Letty Baraquio, who emigrated
to Hawaii more than 30 years ago.
"I’m looking forward to taking in sights and sounds of Manila and
to becoming better acquainted with the culture and the people of my
parent’s home country," she said.
As part of the visit, Baraquio will visit the White Cross Children’s
Home, a Manila orphanage supported by Northwest Airlines and tour Nayong
Pilipino. – Inquirer News Service
Pangasinan town awaits
Ms America
By Yolanda Fuertes
PDI Northern Luzon Bureau
AGUILAR, Pangasinan--Angela Perez Baraquio's crowning as Miss America 2001 came as big news for this small town in central Pangasinan.
Angela's relatives here said their friends, and even complete strangers, have sought them out and congratulated them for Angela's feat. ''It was as if I won the contest,'' said Remedios Baraquio, Angela's aunt. Remedios, principal at the Aguilar Central School here, is a younger sister of Angela's father Claudio.
She said the news of her niece's winning came as a surprise and at a time when they came from a vigil for the miraculous image of Our Lady of Manaoag at the Catholic Church here. The Baraquios are devout Catholics. ''First, it was unbelievable, we became very quiet. When we got home, the news that Angela won the Miss America title hit home. We cried tears of joy then we embraced each other,'' Remedios told the INQUIRER on Monday.
Remedios said she had just come out of church with her father Alejo, 80, when they learned about her niece's feat. Angela's grandfather Alejo, who has not seen his granddaughter since she was born, was also ecstatic. ''God is showing me His love and grace,'' he said in the Pangasinan dialect. ''I thank Him that I'm still alive when Angela won (the Miss America title).'' Remedios said she has not also seen Angela, 24, who has not visited her father's hometown since she was born in the United States on June 1, 1976.
Angela's parents Claudio and Rigolette emigrated to Hawaii in 1970. Angela is the eighth of 10 children. Her siblings are Cecilia, 33; Jerome, 32; Lucy, 31; John, 29; twins Therese and Bernadette, 27; Rose, 26; Albert, 21; and Gloria, 19. Bernadette is a television reporter for Hawaii's Channel 2.
Despite the distance, Remedios said the Baraquios are a typical closely-knit Filipino family. She said she has a regular telephone conversation with Angela and the rest of the family. ''She always asks us to take care of ourselves,'' Remedios said. She said she is very happy for the accomplishments of Angela, whom she has seen only in photographs when she was a little girl. ''They were always sending pictures when they were younger. But now, they do not. Maybe they are busy,'' she said, speaking of Angela and her siblings.
Angela was crowned Miss Hawaii last June. The Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant magazine quoted Angela as saying that she wanted to become an exemplary classroom teacher and explore the world as a motivational speaker. After Angela won the Miss Hawaii pageant, she sent a video cassette tape of the pageant night to her relatives here. Remedios said they took a big television set and a video cassette player and showed the tape to their neighbors in their front yard.
''Everyone was so excited then. Now, everyone is more excited and happy. Her winning the Miss Hawaii was easier to believe. But Miss America? Wow, it was really unbelievable and overwhelming. We really cried,'' she said. She said if her brother Claudio sends the tape of the Miss America pageant, she would not hesitate to show it to all their neighbors.
Angela's parents returned to the country in July when Geromina, a sister of Claudio, died. ''They (Angela's parents) told us that she was joining the Miss America contest and asked us to pray for her,'' Remedios recalled. And she is hoping that Angela, her parents and her siblings would come home this year. ''That was her (Angela) promise. That she will come home if she wins,'' Remedios said. Mayor Emma Ballesteros said in case Angela returns home, the municipal government would honor her through an official reception.
Angela obtained her degree in elementary education last year from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She excelled in academics and sports. She graduated magna cum laude from the Moanalua High School in 1994 and was included in the dean's list of the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1995 to 1999. She volunteers her talent in music for church activities and involves herself in volunteer teaching work. Angela works as physical educator and athletic director of the Holy Family Catholic Academy in Hawaii and as a certified sales representative for the Able Termite Control Inc.
She plays keyboard for an all-girl rock group called High Tide. She has also appeared on TV as host/interviewer for HIT-TV on 'Olelo public-access TV and competed in the Miss Hawaii pageant twice when she was 18 and 19 before copping this year's title.
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Updated: November 20, 2008
