My issues with Miss Universe 2011

Let me begin by saying that I agree with Miss Angola Leila Lopes' win at the Miss Universe Coronation Night last Tuesday at Sao Paulo, Brazil. Many, especially Filipinos, voiced out their disappointment with her being the Miss Universe 2011 but I actually like her and believe she deserves the title. 


I'm not belittling our own representative, Shamcey Supsup. She is definitely a Pinoy proud when she delivered her answer, quick, sensible and straight from her heart. However, I believe she fell short in the other categories. I must say--my opinion spare me for saying this--that she did not stand out during the Swimsuit and the Long Gown portions. 


Unlike Miss Angola, her dark skin, already a shout among her fair companions, plus her grace and confidence, and angelic features. And she did not give a bad answer during the question and answer portion too. 


So my verdict, it was not enough that Shamcey topped the Q&A. Still, I ADMIRE her BIGTIME I swear! :)


OK so much for the long intro. I have no issues with the pageant's result whatsoever but I have issues on my own regarding what happened to the news feature that I wrote for our newspaper's frontpage to be used for the the day after the pageant issue.


Well, I finished the article and in my opinion I did it justice. But then I saw my byline in a Miss Universe story that does not include a single paragraph I wrote. 


There was a tagline "WITH AFP." So I reckoned then that the story was the one from AFP, maybe tweaked a little, I really don't know. 


But my point here is that, THAT was not the story I wrote. I wanted to say to the new news editor that she could just remove my name there since I didn't have any say. But I backed out because she might think I'm too proud of myself. Or maybe that byline was for the effort I gave. SO I just let it be. 


I don't understand why the new news editor did that though. Did she not like the story I wrote? I'm not claiming I'm a good writer, but I write with the style I developed as a Lifestyle reporter. 


I wrote that news feature with how our section would have wrote that. If my editor read that story I know she would publish it in our page. Plus, I've been submitting features to the news pages and they used it without removing my soul and style to the article. 


I didn't even plan to publicize about this because it's not gonna do our paper good in any way. BUT when I found out that the wrong information AFP said in their story, "Ninety-eight young women took part in the contest..." (I even posted this mistake in my FB page while I was researching for my article! What turn of events!)


I just can't keep quiet anymore. Well I deserve to give myself justice. And I've always voiced my concerns and issues here in my blog. So if I don't do this, I'm lying to myself when I say I'm a writer. 


I'm not saying I don't make mistakes, but wth, that mistake was put under my name and when I even did not commit it! And when I think that my original story said '89 women represented their countries'!


They could put an erratum if they want to but it will only clean the newspaper's mistake, NOT the mistake that was put under my name. 


SO this blog, is my ERRATUM FOR MYSELF. 


***
I know everything I said here should be told instead to the person involved but if they ever come across with this, I hope they understand. 


If you want to read the TRUE story I wrote go here! :)


***
On a lighter note, enough with my grievances! My lovely Lifestyle editor gave birth to a healthy second son on September 14. So happy for her! :)