Venus Raj is a deaf beauty queen in 'MMK'

ABS-CBN’s “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (MMK) will share this Saturday (January 17) the inspiring life story of deaf beauty queen Christine Balaguer, who became one of the Top 13 candidates in this year’s Miss World Philippines pageant. Christine will be portrayed by Miss Universe Philippines 2010 Venus Raj.

Discover how Christine grew up to be optimistic, living a normal life despite her physical challenges, and how she became an inspiration for the deaf and other differently abled people like her to reach for their dreams.

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apl.de.ap releases ‘Going Out’ music video

apl.de.ap has released the music video of his single, Going Out, that features Damien Leroy.

The music video also features Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up Venus Raj.

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Shamcey Supsup and Venus Raj in ‘Tapatan Ni Tunying’ hot seat

Miss Universe beauties Venus Raj and Shamcey Supsup are grilled by broadcast journalist Anthony “Tunying” Taberna as he asks them straightforward questions about their personal lives in Tapatan Ni Tunying this Thursday.

For one, Venus’ recent break-up with her former Umagang Kay Ganda co-host, Andrei Felix, still intrigues a lot of her fans.

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Venus Raj and Andrei Felix part ways

Quite sad that Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up Venus Raj has already broken up with Andrei Felix, her boyfriend of one year.

Rumor has it that the two parted ways last April 29. That’s just ten days ago and both camps are surely still hurting right now.

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Shamcey, Janine, Venus cover Preview magazine May 2013

Beauty Queens Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugonon and Venus Raj are on the cover of Preview magazine’s May 2013 issue.

Photographed by BJ Pascual and styled by Liz Uy, these beauties put the Philippines on the (beauty pageant) map when they made it to the Top 5 of the Miss Universe beauty pageant for three consecutive years. Venus was 4th runner-up in 2010, Shamcey was 3rd runner-up in 2011, and Janine was 1st runner-up in 2012.

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Venus Raj covers The New You magazine Sept-Nov 2012

Venus Raj is on the cover of The New You magazine’s The Asian Beauty Issue (September-November 2012). She was photographed by Dense Modesto who is also the mag’s creative director.

The New You is the one and only aesthetic medical tourism magazine in the Philippines, and inside the issue, popular procedures for the mestiza, chinita and morena are featured.

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“Pridyider” – behind-the-scenes footages (Video)

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming horror movie from Regal Entertainment, Pridyider, coming to theaters on September 19.

Starring Andi Eigenmann and JM De Guzman, Pridyider was a story/episode from the very first Shake Rattle and Roll movie which starred Janice de Belen. 28 years later, Pridyider has been remade into a new movie of its own.

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Venus Raj makes acting debut in “MMK” (July 21)

Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up Venus Raj shares her own life story this Saturday (July 21) as she takes on her first acting stint via “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”

Discover the trials that Venus had to go through before she joined Miss Universe through her empowering personal tale. How did she deal with the public’s criticism on her physical appearance?

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“Pridyider” – Movie poster and promo pics

Regal Entertainment has released promo photos for the upcoming movie Pridyider.

Pridyider is a story/episode from the very first Shake Rattle and Roll movie which starred Janice de Belen.

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Venus Raj goes public with relationship with UKG co-host Andrei Felix

Beauty queen Venus Raj revealed in Gandang Gabi Vice that she is currently in a relationship with her Umagang Kay Ganda co-host Andrei Felix.

The 2010 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe told Vice Ganda that she and Andrei have been together for four months already. Andrei is her first boyfriend since winning the beauty pageant and joining showbiz. Their being together on the show almost every day of the week gave them a chance to get close, which eventually became love.

In a recent interview with PEP, Venus also revealed that Andrei didn’t court her.

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Venus Raj for Folded & Hung Summer 2012 Campaign

Venus Raj is in the Summer 2012 campaign of the local retail brand Folded & Hung.

She became part of the Folded & Hung family last year and got introduced in the brand's Summer 2011 campaign. It even created a stir among fans of Angel Locsin because they were expecting the actress to be the one in that campaign.

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Shamcey Supsup and Venus Raj Together on Inside Showbiz January 2012 Cover

Beauty queens Shamcey Supsup (Miss Universe 2011 3rd runner-up) and Venus Raj (Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up) are together on the cover of Inside Showbiz January 2012 issue.

In the issue, "read who fared better and discover revealing statements on their insecurities, fears, views,and plans."

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Venus Raj Stars in Julien Drolon's "Ipagpatawad Mo" Music Video

Venus Raj stars in the music video of Julien Drolon's version of Ipagpatawad Mo, a popular (if not classic) Filipino song by the VST & Company. The song had been revived so many times, the  most popular of which was the version done by Janno Gibbs. Other artists who had recorded the song were Noel Cabangon and the alternative rock band, Mayonnaise

A description in the music video's YouTube url reads:

French singer/songwriter, Julien Drolon's version of the OPM song "Ipagpatawad Mo" by the VST Company. The video features Venus Raj, Miss Universe - Philippines 2010 The video was made in Paris and Manila.

Watch Julien Drolon's Ipagpatawad Mo music video after the jump.

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No Truth About Oprah Winfrey's Statement Regarding Miss Universe 2011 Results

The moderator of Oprah.com has denied that the Queen of Talk, Oprah Winfrey, ever issued a statement regarding the results of the Miss Universe 2011 pageant held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 12th (13th in Manila).

Rumors about the alleged statement circulated on the internet a few hours after Angola's Leila Lopes won the crown. According to the statement, Oprah wasn't satisfied with the results of the pageant and that Philippines' Shamcey Supsup should have won.

The alleged statement read: “I have reservations with the results. If the only basis is the Q and A portion, after having been trimmed down to 5, Ms. Philippines deserved to win. What made her different from the rest is that she had no seconds to rethink of her answer as she had no interpreter to break the ice. The rest had their interpreters and having breaks on seconds to think about their answers. Hands down, Ms. Philippines answered straight to the point.”

To verify if the statement was true, a Filipino asked Oprah (through her website) about it. The website's moderator responded with this statement: "There is no truth to the statement. Ms. Winfrey has not made any comments of this nature. thank you for asking."

Majority have been doubtful about the authenticity of this statement, by the way, since there are no videos or the likes to support it considering that it was allegedly said over an interview with NBC News.

Shamcey Supsup, on the other hand, is happy with the results of the pageant, and happy with her 4th place finish. Who wouldn't be? She battled it out with 88 other girls from all over the world and ended up in the 4th spot!

I should say that we Pinoys shouldn't be bitter about it at all. We're 5th last year with Venus Raj, 4th this year with Shamcey Supsup... Who knows what our next year's representative would bring back home?

Related stories:
- Oprah Winfrey: "Philippines Deserved to Win"
- Philippines is 3rd Runner-Up; Angola Wins Miss Universe 2011

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Miss Universe 2011 List of Contestants

Miss Universe 2011, on its 60th year, will be held on September 12 at the Credicard Hall, in São Paulo, Brazil. Our very own Shamcey Supsup will be representing the Philippines and try to snag the crown that Venus Raj almost wore last year.

Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete of Mexico will crown her successor on the pageant night. Natalie Morales and Andy Cohen will be the presenters.

The list of Miss Universe 2011 contestants below.

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Venus Raj for Folded & Hung Summer 2011 Campaign

Venus Raj for Folded & Hung Summer 2011.

Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up is now part of the Folded & Hung family joining the likes of Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis, and Sam Milby who are also image models of the brand.

Fans of Angel are not happy about it, though. They wanna see their idol in the Summer 2011 campaign but it seems that only Venus has a billboard out for the brand's summer collection.

But Folded & Hung was quick to explain why Angel Locsin isn't in the summer campaign. On its Facebook page yesterday morning, the brand posted: "For the record, Angel Locsin is still part of the family. Her summer shoot was postponed due to her busy schedule (tv and movie shooting)."

So Angel's pictorial was just postponed. If the actress could find time in her schedule to do the shoot, does that mean Angel will still have a new billboard for the summer campaign?

More Venus Raj for Folded & Hung photos after the jump.

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Umagang Kay Ganda Gets a Revamp

Umagang Kay Ganda will make our mornings prettier by the inclusion of Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up Venus Raj.

Andrei Iya Donita Venus Winnie Anthony Pinky Alex and Phoemela

Venus is a journalism graduate from Bicol University and it has been her dream to host a television show.

In Umagang Kay Ganda, she gets to deliver showbiz news, features, and public service.

Iya Villania and Ted Failon will also be seen on the morning show starting February 7, 2011. Iya will do a youth-oriented segment called “Youth Tube” which will update us on the latest viral videos hitting the web. Of course Ted will do what he does best – deliver news.

Meanwhile, Donita Rose, Rica Peralejo, and Ginger Conejero are said to be removed from the show.

And who will stay? Anthony Taberna, Pinky Webb, and Phoemela Barranda are the names dropped to be staying as co-hosts. But what about our favorite Alex Santos? Well, we’ll see this coming Monday, Feb. 7th.

You excited to see the new hosts? Or are you sad with the removal of the three ladies?

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Bb. Pilipinas Turns Kapamilya

Binibining Pilipinas, the country’s most prestigious beauty pageant responsible for choosing representatives to the Ms. Universe, Miss International, and Miss World pageants has now turned Kapamilya.

After years of partnership with GMA-7, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. has signed a five-year partnership contract with ABS-CBN. That means we now get to watch the pageant on the Kapamilya Network, rather than the Kapuso channel.

Not only did Binibining Pilipinas changed network but also its top beauty queen to date. Venus Raj, Ms. Universe 2010 fourth runner-up has also turned her loyalty from GMA-7 to ABS-CBN.

Is it a correct move? We shall see sooner or later.

The 2011 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, which airs on March, will be directed by the network’s ace director Johnny Manahan.

Moreover, 2011 Ms. Universe pageant, which will held in Brazil, will also be aired on ABS-CBN on September.

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Congratulations, Venus Raj!

Our very own representative to the Miss Universe 2010, Venus Raj, has won us a place in the top 5 of the most prestigious beauty pageant on earth.

Venus Raj, who was almost dethroned of her crown as Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, bagged 4th runner-up in the pageant held in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was a crowd favorite together with the Jamaican representative who won 1st runner-up.

Many, though, thinks that Venus Raj could have taken home the crown if not for her answer in the Top 5 Q&A, where the actor William Baldwin threw her the question of what was one big mistake she have made in her life and what did she do to make it right.

Watch her answer below:

Well as for me, she had done her best and had put the Philippines in good light after that hostage drama at the Quirino Grandstand last night.

Venus Raj did a fantastic job and she deserves to be honored. We don’t always land in the Top 5, do we?

Venus Raj, we are so proud of you!

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