Ma. Venus Raj
Ma. Venus Raj was eventually reinstated by Bb. Pilipinas Charities after she got her Philippine passport. She will compete in the Miss Universe 2010.
I had a million questions burning in my mind when I called up Ma. Venus Raj yesterday afternoon. Her sudden dethronement as Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2010 last March 29 had shocked the beauty pageant community and I was praying that inspite of the controversy this has brought to her life, she would answer all my questions instead of giving calculated responses.
And I got my wish! Ma. Venus Raj did not balk at any of my questions and recieved my call with warmth and openness.
Photo on the right from OPMB Worldwide…
NO CASE HAS BEEN FILED YET
From the onset of our talk, Ma. Venus Raj made one thing clear: No case against Bb Pilipinas has been filed by her lawyers as of yet. Venus says they are still studying the case and weighing the impact this could have on her and her career in the future.
At the moment, she is hoping that the whole thing can be fixed somehow; that she will be reinstated so that she can take back what she feels is rightfully hers – The Bb Pilipinas Universe 2010 Crown which she won on the evening of March 6, 2010.
Her dream has always been to represent the Philippines in most pretigious beauty pageant in the world – the Miss Universe. But after all the embarrassment and heartache, would she still take the crown back? Without skipping a beat she told me: “Of course! If I’m reinstated, I will take back the crown!”
But inconsistencies between her birth certificate and her verbal account of her birth have taken it all away.
Ma. Venus Raj receiving a special award at the Bb. Pilipinas 2010 Beauty Pageant. If you look over her left shoulder, you'll see Nikette Henson, the candidate who will replace Venus in the Miss Universe 2010.
VENUS’ CURIOUS BIRTH HISTORY
Ma. Venus Raj says, from the very start, she never hid the story of her birth from the Bb Pilipinas screening committee. The main points of her story are:
1) that she was born in Qatar, out of wedlock, to a Filipina mother and an Indian father.
2) that her only birth certificate (which was filed by her Aunt in Bicol when she was 3 years old) says she was born in the Philippines to a Filipina Mother and Filipino Father.
3) that her birth certificate uses the name of her biological father (and that’s why her last name is Raj) but lists him down as a Filipino.
I asked Ma. Venus Raj why she even bothered telling them this story when she could have very well kept the information to herself and no one would be the wiser. But she says people ALWAYS ask her why her last name is Raj and so, she gives the details mentioned above – according to what her mother has always told her.
Venus says, she has no reason to lie about it. She adds that when she joined Ms Earth in 2008 she was honest with them about her background and was allowed to join. I had the chance to chat with Lorraine Schuck, head of the Miss Earth organization and Lorraine confirmed that Venus was honest with her birth history.
Ma. Venus Raj in swimsuit at the Bb. Pilipinas 2010 Beauty Pageant.
QUESTIONS QUESTION QUESTIONS…
Ma. Venus Raj couldn’t help but ask the same questions all other pageant fans are asking – Why did Bb. Pilipinas allow her to join if she did not meet the birth requirements in the first place? Why let her go through the whole exercise only to dethrone her in the end? And also, why didn’t Bb. Pilipinas just ignore the inconsistencies since she was honest about them? She is half Filipina anyway and has lived most of her life in the Philippines.
I have sent an email to Bb. Pilipinas to get their side of the story but have not recieved answers to all my questions.
HOW BB PILIPNAS BROKE THE NEWS TO VENUS
Ma. Venus Raj said that in the days leading up to her dethronement, some Bb. Pilipinas officials kept asking her questions regarding her birth certificate, but she had NO idea that those questions would lead to her shocking dethronement.
Venus says it happened this way: she was invited to the Bb. Pilipinas office where lawyers sat down with her. They told her that there was a serious problem because she was born in Qatar and not the Philippines and mentioned the other inconsistencies between her birth account and certificate.
Then the most shocking thing happened. Venus said the lawyers gave her two options: resign or be dethroned. She had initially thought that they were there to help her iron out the problem. Instead, they were there to take her dream away.
She broke down in tears, in total disbelief. But she held on to what honor she had left by refusing to resign. After the lawyers had given her the bad news, the Bb Pilipinas leadership and staff arrived but there was no consoling the girl.
The result: Ma. Venus Raj was dethroned on Mar. 29, 2010 by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc.
WAS BB PILIPINAS BIASED AGAINST VENUS?
That’s another valid question I couldn’t help but asking. Did the pageant organizers dislike her in any way? But Ma. Venus Raj said that she had NEVER felt any animosity or felt any ‘intriga’ coming from the Bb. Pilipinas camp. In her heart and mind, she was loved and prized so the dethronement came as a major surprise and felt like betrayal.
Venus says she had never cried so much in her entire life. When she returned home to her Mom and four sisters, it didn’t stop; they all hugged and cried together. Venus said it was one of the most painful days in her life.
Blog author Joyce Burton Titular with Ma. Venus Raj on the night she won Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2010.
MA. VENUS RAJ ON NIKETTE HENSON, HER REPLACEMENT
I asked Venus about Nikette Henson but I hardly had finished my question when Venus jumped in with a very firm tone saying it was NOT Nikette’s fault; she had nothing to do with this. Venus added that the day she was dethroned, Nikette came over to see her in the evening and they had a heart to heart talk. They remain steadfast friends.
OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM FANS AND FRIENDS
In the days immediately after her dethronement Ma. Venus Raj confirms that the support for her grew overwhelming. She says the words of encouragement coming from texters, Facebook friends, bloggers and pageant fans have been giving her the emotional boost she needs to face this battle.
But is she going to take this battle into court? Ma. Venus Raj is uncertain. But what is sure is that she needs your prayers so that she can make the right decision.
Venus, you will ALWAYS be the one I saw crowned on the night of March 27 6, 2010. And although the crown has been given to someone else, it will never erase the vision I have in my head that keeps playing over and over again: of you looking so beautiful while trying to keep that crown balanced on your head. As I recall, it almost fell but it didn’t! And I’ll take that as a sign that you haven’t fallen; God has you SAFE in His hand.
And who knows what will happen next? Your story ISN’T over YET!
by Joyce Burton Titular, the blogging beauty queen…
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MA. VENUS RAJ’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS… CLICK HERE!
Ma. Venus Raj (center) a beauty queen forever...
Thank you Joyce for this very informative article! Just one comment though…
erratum: “Venus, you will ALWAYS be the one I saw crowned on the night of March 27, 2010″ (shouldn’t it be March 6, 2010?)
LOL! Duling na ako by the time I ended my article. Thanks for your sharp eyes. Will make the correction na! How embarrassing…
Hi miss Joyce. I love the article. Can you please verify if krista, the girl who won miss international was born in the Philippines. I know for certain that she is from the united states.
Didn’t Henson won the PAL sunniest? Could the pressure to dethrone her came from the sponsors?
Can we also check if any of the past winners who got dethroned Were replaced by girls who won any of the sponsorship awards.
Thanks
so nice of a story..i’m one of those people who have been smitten by Venus’ beauty..she sounds very sincere when she speaks, and that makes me love her even more…
Great article. Kudos for your open-mindedness and sense of fairness to give Venus’ plight some space in your blog.
Thanks for shedding light on what she actually said during the screening process and I still believe that she should have not been dethroned. She would have made a big impact if she was given a chance to compete in Miss Universe 2010. I think its about time to change the franchise holder of Miss Universe-Philippines. Enough is enough!!!
Miss Burton I have always been a big fan of your and was happy when you won BB. Pilipinas Universe. I am so glad that I can still be updated with whats going on with you by reading your blog.
Hi Joyce.
Your article is very informative and well-thought of. Kudos! Obviously, it can only come from one smart lady/journalist/beauty queen like yourself.
I wrote to MUO as well and received a succinct reply last Black Saturday. I hope they really will look into the matter and come up with a decision regarding VR’s case.
I have a few questions you might wish to explore when you speak with BPCI:
- hasn’t any of BPCI’s past winners willfully misrepresented themselves with regards to their birth records to be eligible in the international pageants they competed in?
- hasn’t BPCI exercised discretion in an inconsistent manner in the past?
- to what extent do they allow sponsors/co-producers to wield power over them?
- what is their accountability in times that they err and/or commit the sin of omission in their tasks?
Thank you, Joyce. God bless, Maria Venus! More power, BPCI!
I think everything happens for a reason. God planned this to happen for her so she can set out her sights into something that is wider in scope and with a greater impact. Being a beauty queen is not everything. Sure, you get eh once in a lifetime thrill of representing our country and people abroad, but come to think of it, isnt that the same manner that our millions of Filipino OFWs and expatriates around the world doing too?
God closes a door but will open a wider one if you follow His plans for you. Pit your head up high Venus. You will always be remembered as the one who was crowned 2010 Bb. Pilipinas Universe. Move on with life in an optimistic note. Break free, fly like a butterfly. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose if you follow God’s plans for you.
With this being said, there is no doubt, someone or a certain group is behind Venus’s dethronement. I believe in the rule of “karma” and I know for sure that Venus will be the eventual winner in the midst of this controversy. Thank you for this very enlightening article Ms. Joyce. Let’s still hope for the best..
I remember that night. The crown from her head almost fell but she held it to stop it from falling…
Hi Joyce,
is there a reason why my comment was not posted in here?
Roy
Just saw your comment now when I woke up! THanks ROY!!! Your words made my morning, GOOD AM!
Hi Joyce,
No thank you for responding and sorry for being impatient. I am so glad that you responded an its so nice to hear from you. Keep up the good work and I really enjoy reading your blogs. It has become my favorite site to go to for an impartial news about Philippine pageantry.
Roy
Hi Roy, no worries, I would have missed your comment if not for your reminder. It somehow got buried under some other comments… glad you enjoy my blog
I myself can’t believe how wonderful keeping this blog has been 
To Venus and her lawyers. Do not give up. Please start filing the lawsuit. Furthermore, start correcting the birth certificate like right now. Time is still on your side. Do not wait. Once the birth certificate is corrected, this will further increase chances of winning the lawsuit.
In a nutshell, a corrected birth certificate, plus the fact the BPCI knew all along about Venus birth history, the court will decide in Venus favor. Let’s GO!!!!!
hi joyce,
just recently discovered your blogsite. i love it. it gives an intelligent dimension to pageant issues.
hello joyce,
Im so glad reading your article on venus & grateful as well to know that there are former beauty queens like you supporting venus’ fight to regain her crown.
Im a fashion designer here in Legazpi city & venus is my favorite muse. I’ve seen her worked hard to pursue her dreams when she joined several local pageants here & eventually national contests like Ms.PHil. where she won Ms. Phil. Eco-Tourism in 2008 & recently the Bb. Pilipinas-universe crown. I was happy & proud when she won because her victory is also my victory since I was one of those who discovered her beauty years ago. Honestly, I was depressed when I heard about her dethronement & moreso angered upon realizing the reason of BPCI.
My support & prayers for Venus is steadfast. I know her & love her. She is a woman of beauty & character & the whole Bicolandia is so proud of her.
Hi Anthony! Yes, many got depressed about her dethronement… but you know, while I am supportive of Venus, I am also supportive of BPCI because they ARE the top pageant in the country and they have discovered so many beautiful Filipinas from Gloria, to Melanie, Desiree, Chat, Lara Q, Miriam Q. and the list goes on. BPCI has been VERY gracious to me, I must add. Even when I was sort of a brat during my reign in ’85. So while I recognize the plight of Venus, I still love my BPCI family and respect them deeply.
BTW, I am married to a Bicolano!!!
Bring back the crown to Venus. Venus, we support you!
To the Author:
Great Interview of Venus. I think from all footage I have seen on TV and the ones written on print, your interview is the most concise and insightful. Keep up the great work and I love what you said in the end of the entry.
lets pray for venus!!!
Dearest Joyce, thank you very much for giving your precious time to interview Venus.Somehow, it’s nice to hear also her side from a reliable person like you than someone or from hearsays. I am loving your blog everyday.Been following articles and almost enjoy reading them all.starting my day with a coffee reading your articles until such time i decided to prepare to work (8:30AM to 2:00Pm) would you believe?Di naman kasi uso ang beauty contest dito sa Australia eh,di gaya jan sa atin sa Pinas na kahit maliit na barangay fiesta meron beauty pageant…hay nakakamiss ang Pinas,buti merong blog like yours to update me with the pageantry. I am praying that all problems of VR will be sort out the soonest.God bless.
yes true,that made us different hehhee.Even when they have 1st runner up last year in MU stint, no much motorcade or whatsoever for rachel finch.And Im not telling fibs,reading your blogs is like my comidor ,dito na ako nag aalmusal,tanghalian,exciting kasi ang pageant articles.Yung student ko rin na sumali sa BB.08 (Lady Lou Garidan) is trying in Miss. Earth ’10.Would be lovely if I can read some articles of her.Yes,she was my student at University of Southern Mindanao before.Nakakatuwa, dami sana akong ichika kaso nakakahiya na malanovela na ang reply ko sa blogs mo.Meanwhile, i will be always be here to get some updates.Sana matawagan man lang kita minsan to say thank you (live over telecast este the phone)
God bless.
George
Wow, such a pageant fan! I was at the Miss Earth 2010 press presentation. They have over 50 candidates this year! Do you have a facebook?
I have a facebook account.I would really appreciate if we can communicate through email.Im sure you can retrieve my email address Ms. Joyce? I can give some pictures also of my former students who won major pageant specially in Binibini ( Nadia lee Cien shami-dela Cruz).More power and it thrilled me when I get home from work and I have a reply from you.Nakakawala ng pagod.
Since I am not in the Philippines your blog keeps me updated on what’s going on with the pageantry back home. Keep up the good work!!
as for me.. Venus has triumphed! She’s a winner, she will always be an inspiration to all Filipino fighting for their right despite of all these crazy things trying to pull her down.. but no one can pull a good person down! Not ever!
I believe that God is with Venus and her family… She’s a very prayerful person, I see it..And she appears to be sincere because she is NOT empty! She has all what it takes to be our next pride being MISS UNIVERSE for 2010! I believe that!
Venus, keep it up! I am one of those who really admire you and your family..From the bottom of my heart, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Godbless and More power to You!!!
I just love seeing Venus represent our country this coming.. can’t wait to see her being announced as New Miss Universe from Philippines!!! Go Venus! I am just so proud of You!!
as for me.. Venus has triumphed! She’s a winner, she will always be an inspiration to all Filipino fighting for their right despite of all these crazy things trying to pull her down.. but no one can pull a good person down! Not ever!
I believe that God is with Venus and her family… She’s a very prayerful person, I see it..And she appears to be sincere because she is NOT empty! She has all what it takes to be our next pride being MISS UNIVERSE for 2010! I believe that!
Venus, keep it up! I am one of those who really admire you and your family..From the bottom of my heart, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Godbless and More power to You!!!
We pray for You..
[...] also reiterates that she made her birth history and birth certificate inconsistencies known from the very start, during t… of the beauty [...]
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