THE Mutya ng Pilipinas (MNP) Organization, now called Mutya Pilipinas (MP), is sending a delegate to the 24th Miss Tourism International, after not sending one to last year’s edition which was held virtually because of the COVID 19 pandemic.
This year, MNP decided to appoint Keinth Jensen Villamer Petrasanta, 23, from Cabuyao, Laguna, as MP Miss Tourism International 2021. She will vie for the coveted title which will again be staged virtually on December 18, 2021.
Petrasanta, a relative newcomer in major beauty tilts, was a top 12 finalist at the MP 2019 finals. Prior to that, she was fourth runner-up in Binibining Laguna 2019 which we covered in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and Miss Silka Laguna 2019, among other local titles.
We had the chance to talk to Petrasanta recently when she graced the Christmas tree lighting at The Manila Hotel. We noticed that, aside from her height (5’8”) and fair skin, her name Keinth Jensen was uncommon.
“My mom told me that ‘Kenneth’ and ‘Keinth’ were the in names for newborns in 1998,” Keinth, who is a Tourism Management graduate of Asia Tech, narrated. “My second name came from the name of a Norwegian sea vessel docked at the pier when my mom was on her OJT. She vowed to name her first daughter as Keinth Jensen who will become a beauty queen.”
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Coming from humble beginnings, Petrasanta is, according to MNP president Cory Quirino, “a genuine example of the Hometown Girl, a moniker originally associated with MP.”
Keinth is currently being trained by Rodgil Flores and his team from Kagandahang Flores pageant camp. She is also getting personal mentorship from Cyrille Payumo who became the fifth Filipina to win as Miss Tourism International in 2019.
The Kuala Lumpur-based Miss Tourism International was created by Datuk Tan Sri Danny Ooi in 1994 as a way of gathering beauty ambassadors worldwide to promote tourism, culture and friendship. Before Payumo, previous winners from the Philippines were Peachy Manzano (2000), Rizzini Gomez (2012), Angeli Gomez (2013) and Jan-jannie Alipo-on (2017).
Meanwhile, MNP chairman Fred Yuzon reassured pageant fans that MNP, as one of the oldest and longest-running beauty tilts, is gearing up for an active year in 2022.
Mutya ng Pilipinas has become known as “an aspiring beauty queen’s first step in her journey to the crown,” said Quirino.
