CJ Opiaza to bag Philippines’ first ever Miss Grand International crown

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

May 29, 2025 | 10:46am

MANILA, Philippines — Miss Grand International (MGI) is set to crown Christine Juliane “CJ” Hinkle Opiaza as the new 2024 winner, the Philippines’ first ever MGI title.

This is after the 2024 winner, Rachel Gupta, was dethroned for allegedly failing to fulfill her duties. Gupta won the first ever MGI title for India. Opiaza was the first runner-up.

On Instagram, MGI teased about CJ becoming the new 2024 queen that would likely pass on the crown to the 2025 winner.

“Being a queen isn’t just about outer beauty — it begins within. Stay tuned!” MGI said.

Although MGI, on Wikipedia, said that “The replacement has not yet been disclosed” for the 2024 winner, Opiaza’s Wikipedia profile said, "Following the resignation of the winner Rachel Gupta in May 2025, she is expected to assume to title, becoming the first Filipino to hold the title. She was previously crowned Miss Grand Philippines 2024 and competed in Binibining Pilipinas 2022."

Prior to Gupta, Myanmar’s Thae Su Nyein was stripped of her 2nd runner-up title after she returned her crown last year. MGI revoked the title, citing "inappropriate behavior and actions that violated several regulations.” 

In her Instagram Stories, Opiaza shared posts by others already congratulating her as the new Miss Grand International.

Even non-Filipinos are already celebrating Opiaza’s victory even before the official announcement by MGI.

A comment on social media, originally posted in Spanish, said: “I'm still thrilled, CJ is living proof that what was born to be yours, one day comes to you! Whoever accompanied her knows how much she deserves this crown, a lifelong dream, and now her efforts were no longer useful because the contest was already over, but the purpose of her life still had to be fulfilled, so finally! First crown for the Philippines and CJ deserves a worthy crown and a wonderful reign that is already getting better and better!”

Filipinos most sleepless people in Asia, 4th in the world — study

 

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Did you know that Filipinos are the most sleepless people in Asia? 

According to the 2023 study of consumer research and data analytics company Milieu Insight, Philippines had the most people in Asia (56%) who had less than seven hours of sleep per day, followed by Thailand (49%), Indonesia (44%), Vietnam (43%), Singapore (42%) and Myanmar (39%). 

The same study claimed that Filipinos are also the fourth in the world to be lacking in sleep.

A sleep tracking application, Sleep Cycle, showed from its survey that Filipino adults only get an average of six hours and 30 minutes per day of sleep.

Harvard Medical School recommended at least seven hours of “quality” sleep for every person, no matter what the age, for body restoration and to prevent higher risk of acquiring diseases such as Diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and mental health problems like depression and anxiety. 

Last December, a video of a three-year-old Filipino child sleeping in an Ikea showroom bed went viral, with over 4.5 million views on TikTok.

In its new campaign, “Wake up! It’s time to sleep,” the Swedish lifestyle brand features three different customers falling asleep at their showroom, including the three-year-old girl. The campaign aims to call on Filipinos to give more attention to having better sleep. It also encourages Filipino customers to experience sleep solutions before purchasing at its showroom in Pasay City.

According to the brand’s Life at Home Report 2023, 44% of Filipinos consider sleeping as the main driver of nurturing at home. Understanding how vital sleep is to Filipinos, the brand offers sleep solutions focused on different elements that contribute to better sleep — from comfort, to light, temperature, sound, air quality, and organization. 

Feeling comfortable is a basic need for achieving “quality” sleep. In a comfortable bed, the right mattress and pillow are important for a good night’s sleep. Among the good mattresses that Ikea recommends are Åfjäll foam mattress or firm ones like Valevåg Pocket spring mattress. While for ergonomic pillows, options include Mjölkklocka, which has memory foam for full comfort whether you’re a side or a back sleeper. 

In general, the darker the bedroom, the better it is for sleep quality. Dimmable lights like the Tärnaby table lamp are a great way to get yourself ready for sleep. Even better are lights that you can dim and turn on and off from a distance using the Trådfri remote control kit. 

Key for a good night’s sleep is a comfortable indoor temperature no matter the season or climate. As such, the brand offers a wide range of cooling pads and pillows. The best-selling Klubbsporre ergonomic pillow aims to give both comfort through its memory foam and cooling effect with its gel layer on one side. For those looking to make their beds cooler, there is Rexbegonia cooling pad. You can even place it on the fridge before use for extra cooling while sleeping. 

The brand’s Life at Home Report 2023 also found that 31% of Filipinos listen to music, podcast, or wellness apps to get better sleep. The Symfonisk Sonos Wifi bookshelf speaker has a rich and vibrant sound that can fill the entire bedroom and allows you to create the right atmosphere for sleep. 

Air quality is not the most obvious factor in getting a good night’s sleep, but unclean air or unbalanced humidity levels in your home can disturb your sleep and affect your health. As such, there is the Vindriktning air quality sensor that can check the air quality based on particles with stylish and easy-to-use sensor, making it ideal to combine with Förnuftig air purifier to improve one’s bedroom’s air quality, so one can breathe cleaner air while one sleeps. 

To make the room a better place for sleeping, the brand presents tools for organization such as Malm chest of four drawers and Skubb box of six, to separate your shirts, accessories, and undergarments and easily find them. The brand’s Life at Home Report 2023 also showed that 12% of Filipinos have a chair or a similar piece of furniture in their bedroom that dabbles as wardrobe. 

“Proper sleep has many health benefits and is essential for optimal well-being,” Harvard Medi

Russian ballet stars in Manila for Ballet Manila's 'Giselle'

Russian ballet stars call Philippines ‘Paradise on Earth;’ decline to comment on ongoing war

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — “Paradise on Earth” – this is how Russian couple Renata Shakirova and Aleksei Timofeyev described the Philippines, coming here for the first time as guest performers for local ballet company Ballet Manila’s 2024 staging of the classic “Giselle.”

At a press conference early this week for “Giselle,” the Russian guests raved over the Philippines.

According to the couple, they have always heard about the country from a Filipino ballet dancer friend, and now that they have come to the country for the first time, they agree with their friend that the country is just as their friend described, a “paradise on Earth.”

“Giselle,” "a tragedy... sad but beautiful story" of a peasant girl who fell in love with a nobleman, is the third offering for Ballet Manila's 26th Performance Season, said Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Philippine prima ballerina, the first foreign soloist to join the Kirov Ballet and Ballet Manila’s Artistic Director.

The Mariinsky Ballet artists are in town to headline Ballet Manila’s “Giselle” in Aliw Theater on August 31 at 8 p.m. and on September 1 at 5 p.m.

“’Giselle’ has been a staple in Ballet Manila, but now, what makes this year different from previous seasons, aside from the fact that we have two guest artists, is the fact that it is onstage with the new Aliw Theater, with our LED (light-emitting diode) projections, with all those effects, may upgrading na kahit papaano…” Macuja-Elizalde explained.

Lisa said she learned about the couple through a recommendation from her ballet teacher in Russia. She invited the pair so that her company’s relatively new dancers (she lost many dancers during the pandemic) would be able to experience dancing with guest artists, who are also new to the country.

“Of course, it is so hard to say ‘no’ to Lisa because she is full of energy and life…” Alexei enthused.

“What is very special with Ballet Manila’s ‘Giselle’ is that I’m dancing it for the first time with my husband,” shared Renata, “and that kind of artistry and performance with somebody you are very close to will just make the performance very special. And I’m very excited to know the artists of Ballet Manila."

“It didn’t really need a lot of convincing or a lot of time to think about it. When the possibility came to perform in Manila, Philippines, there was really no question about it. We would accept because we were very excited to be able to perform in Manila. And we heard so much about the country. And so now, coming to the Philippines is just very exciting and we are looking forward to it.”

Their first performance as a couple was “Don Quixote,” and since then, they have performed in other shows together such as “Anyuta.” 

The pair admitted that sometimes, it is also hard to work together as husband-and-wife, as they sometimes fight during rehearsals. But overall, it is now a “fun and pleasurable” experience for them, “especially in the acting and artistic exchange as a couple.”

“'Giselle’ is one of my favorite ballets,” said Aleksei. “And dancing ‘Giselle’ with my wife Renata, it is even more interesting for me to find out what’s going to happen… We are getting a good kind of jitters because we are performing in front of an audience we don’t know.”

“We don’t know the Philippine audience at all,” confessed Aleksei. “It is going to be the first time for the both of us. So we don’t really know what to expect from the Philippine audience, but what we want to do is to invite them to come and see our performance of ‘Giselle’.”

When Philstar.com asked how as artists were they affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine, Macuja-Elizalde said, “Sorry, I promised no politics!” — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo; video editing by Martin Ramos

Kylie Verzosa finds business success through e-commerce

 Kylie Verzosa (center) with fellow models of her own products

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines —  Aiming to encourage the community to embrace the uniqueness of their bodies and to feel comfortable in their own skin, actress and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa and her friends launched an affordable but high-quality shapewear line, Solá, in 2023.

A year since the brand was launched, it has distinguished itself by leveraging on the distinct features and enhancing the brand's reach and appeal to consumers via opening in TikTok Shop.

“As an e-commerce startup, Solá has adopted TikTok Shop to maintain a two-way communication with its consumers, allowing them to connect with the brand's shapewear products,” the e-commerce platform stated.

Through the online shop, the brand “was able to achieve its main goal to directly connect with consumers. The brand reached a vast audience of engaged and interested users, which built trust and created a sense of community,” the statement added.

The brand embraced content creation spearheaded by Kylie, boosting the brand's visibility and consumer recognition. The company plans to include collaborations with more content creators to expand their reach, showcasing the platform's potential in fostering organic growth in a competitive shapewear market.

This initiative includes partnerships with L’Oreal Paris, offering complimentary products during key livestream sessions.

“We want to be on an e-commerce platform where we’re able to communicate with our audience two ways. So not just selling them, but really communicating and resonating with them through the content.  Through (the e-commerce platform), we got a lot of audiences interested with the brand,” Solá General Manager Ally Gao explained.

Gao added that their unique livestreams allow them to come up with competitive pricing. 

"We don’t have this every single day and it’s for a limited time only and I think our audience knows that so they really tune in to livestreams to communicate with our host and the brand and partake in lower pricing. We really love seeing that because not only do they get a discount, they’re also able to really engage with us.”

Explainer: Santacruzan, Flores de Mayo: What’s the difference?

 Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

May 22, 2024 | 12:37pm

From left: Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon is Reyna Elena, her mom Zsa Zsa Padilla is Reyna Emperatriz at Intramuros' Santacruzan procession for 2024

MANILA, Philippines — Every May, apart from Mother’s Day and National Heritage Month, the country observes many summer festivals, particularly, Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo.

Specifically popular in provinces, Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo both involve ladies parading all over town in elaborate gowns, and oftentimes, with an escort and a decorated arch being carried over their heads.

People usually use “Santacruzan” to refer to “Flores de Mayo,” and vice versa, and although there are similarities between the two, they are still different from one another, said The Philippine Heritage Society, an organization dedicated to preserve, promote and disseminate Filipino culture.

According to the Society, Santa Cruz de Mayo, or more popularly known as Santacruzan, “is a highly anticipated event in the Filipino calendar, celebrated across towns and cities in the Philippines. 

“This event is rich in history, religion, and features a beautiful and elaborate parade,” a Society’s representative said in a speech at a grand Santacruzan in Intramuros last Sunday.

“Introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines in 1800s, actually it all started here in Intramuros, is a popular Filipino Catholic tradition that commemorates and retells the story of Queen Helena or Reyna Helena, mother of Constantine the Great who found the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and was brought back to Rome.”

According to the Society, one difference of Santacruzan from Flores de Mayo is that in Santacruzan, every participant is assigned to represent a Biblical character.

“The virtues associated with the Santacruzan are hope, faith and charity, so these can be seen in the lineup (of queens in the parade),” the Society’s representative explained.

“Today, Santacruzan has evolved from a purely religious parade into an extravagant fashion (presentation)… Beautiful girls from each town are chosen to portray historical figures… and participants wear stunning multicolored costumes…”

The difference between Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan, said the representative, is that Flores de Mayo is a month-long event in May. 

“(It is) a processional pageantry, which honors the Virgin Mary,” the representative said.

“But, the Santacruzan held at the end of Flores de Mayo celebrates the Queen Helena of Constantinople’s finding of the true cross, lending historical reverence to a colorful procession.”

The representative added that the Catholic Church originally used Santacruzan as a preaching tool: “The actual parade of the Santacruzan is an effective way for the younger generation and the Catholic faithful to be (evangelized).”

Philippine Heritage Society President Kate Bellosillo, in a speech before the Intramuros parade last Sunday, said, “We’re going to have a procession to commemorate the search for the Holy Cross after the death of Jesus Christ, by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. Kaya po ang tawag sa ating celebration today ay Santa Cruz de Mayo.”

“Iba po ito sa Flores de Mayo – a flower festival that pays tribute to the Virgin Mary,” she stressed.

“Truly, the Santa Cruz de Mayo is a symbol of our strong religious tradition as a nation and our deep respect of our religious roots and heritage. Mahalaga pong maalala natin saan ba tayo nanggaling para alam natin kung saan tayo pupunta bilang isang bansa.”

National Food Month: Go for indigenous vegetables instead of imported crops – DOST, The Farm at San Benito

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo - Philstar.com

April 16, 2024 | 12:02pm

The Farm at San Benito's Halal-certified Alive! Restaurant serves tasty Vegan food such as (clockwise): Plant-based Meat and Cheese Pizza; Vegetable Crudités with Hummus; Mung Bean and Rice Noodles; and Eggless Ube Cake

MANILA, Philippines — When one says “healthy diet,” salad is among the first things that come to mind, and to make a salad, people think about vegetables such as lettuce and kale.

While green leafy vegetables like arugula and parsley are nutritious and sound fancy, doctor Michelle Domalaon of holistic medical wellness resort The Farm at San Benito echoed the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) recommendation for local Philippine diners to prioritize eating indigenous vegetables over imported ones.

Every person has 38 trillion cells, but “there’s no such thing as forever,” Domalaon told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview.

“Every cell has an average life span of only 120 days. Our skin just lasts 20 weeks. For as long as the body has ingredients, it can make new cells. If there are no ingredients, it will recycle what’s in the body, but of course, you don’t want to use the same ingredients for your cells for the rest of your life, because the more that you recycle red blood cells, the more that their production materials weaken. Of course, you have to give new construction materials for the body to create new cells," she explained.

These construction materials include green leafy vegetables. “I suggest that we use what’s readily available in the Philippines like malunggay, pechay, dahon ng sili, alugbati, talbos ng kamote, kangkong. We have a lot of indigenous vegetables in the Philippines. We can use them to make red blood cells,” Dr. Domalaon enthused.

“Since we’re Filipinos, indigenous vegetables are more appropriate to our body.”

According to DOST, “Vegetables are valued not only for their contribution to fiber in the diet, but also for nutrient content. Furthermore, green leafy and yellow vegetables are rich in iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and other micronutrients.”

DOST cited the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) revised in 2012, which not only recommends eating a variety of food every day but also eating more vegetables and fruits daily to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for regulation of body processes. 

The highlight of NGF, said DOST, is the promotion of 10 indigenous Philippine vegetables, and these include:

alugbati (Basella alba), 

ampalaya (bitter gourd) for leaves or bayok-bayok (Momordicacharantia), 

himbabao (Allaeanthusluzonicus), 

kulitis (Amaranthus), 

labong (bamboo shoot), 

upo or bottle gourd (Lagenariasiceria), 

malunggay (Moringa), 

pako (fiddlehead), 

saluyot (Corchorus), 

and talinum (Talinumtriangulare).

According to DOST, indigenous vegetables should be prioritized since these are grown in local farms whose processes are easily seen and known by its consumers, unlike imported ones where the use of chemicals and fertilizers are unknown. Likewise, vegetables are less likely to contact contaminants and other toxins if there is a shorter travel time between the farms and the market.

The Farm’s head chef Rosemarie “Chef Marie” Pagcaliwagan told Philstar.com that in The Farm, for example, the vegetables are smaller than usual, it is because these are spared from harmful chemicals and are picked straight from the resort’s own farms, to be directly prepared to be served in the resort’s four restaurants.

Such farm-to-table practice helped The Farm at San Benito to recently obtain a Halal certification that marks a significant step toward it becoming a globally-recognized inclusive healing sanctuary. The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) commends The Farm at San Benito for its dedication to providing diverse and culturally sensitive experiences for all guests.

“Having The Farm at San Benito as one of DOT’s partners in Halal and Muslim-friendly Tourism spells great news for the entire industry. The Farm offers a holistic wellness experience that is a reflection of our unique and vibrant national identity, and their efforts in keeping our Muslim brothers and sisters as top of mind is definitely commendable. We are hoping for more valuable partnerships, and for The Farm to be one of the flagbearers of the Filipino brand of Halal and Muslim-friendly Wellness Tourism,” said DOT Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderossa-Abubakar.

In response to the increasing demand for Muslim-friendly destinations, The Farm at San Benito has not only achieved Halal certification for Alive! Vegan Restaurant, but also as a Muslim-friendly accommodation destination. The Farm aims to provide a harmonious balance between luxury, cultural sensitivity, and holistic well-being.

The Farm at San Benito's restaurants serve Vegan, Pescetarian and Halal food and drinks using homegrown vegetables. Clockwise: Welcome drinks composed of young coconut water topped with edible butterfly blue pea flower petals; The Farm's Superfood smoothie from Alive! Vegan restaurant; Pomelo Salad from Prana Ayurveda restaurant; power breakfast from Pesce restaurant; Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and 

Apart from a healthy lifestyle, local gardens such as those in The Farm help promote the production and consumption of local vegetables for a sustainable and healthy living among the youth, said DOST.

In The Farm at San Benito, farm animals such as ducks, geese and peacocks roam around freely, and feeding them can be arranged to educate kids about farm life.

“Sustainable food sources, like gardens, are important especially in times of low food production, while the utilization of indigenous vegetables can provide a variation in the diet of the household that help in forming correct behaviors towards healthy eating among children,” DOST explained.

“The introduction of indigenous vegetables to school children familiarizes them with the local produce rather than solely consuming and opting for high-yielding and foreign crops. Using indigenous vegetables in supplementary feeding programs also decreases the cost of menu and allows for proper knowledge information to ensure continuous consumption of healthy foods among school-aged children.”

Starting 'em young at eating veggies: Alive! restaurant's Vegan kids menu include (clockwise) Potato Chips with Vegan Mustard Dip, Spaghetti Carbonara sautéed in virgin coconut oil, Chik'n Vegan Nuggets and Vegan Mushroom Burger