A Beauty Queen, without brains?

Everyone is blogging and everyone is buzzing about Janina San Miguel's answer to the Binibining Pilipinas Pageant. Millions of Filipinos are reacting to her grammatically incorrect statements before the audience---the entire viewing public of the Philippine archipelago.

I rememember wayback in College, my English Professor told us, that it is pardonable for a Korean or Japanese for not learning English but it is an unpardonable sin for a Filipino not to learn or speak any English word at all. Well, the reason is not really about being "nationalistic", In fact, our very own Constitution provides, that our "national language is Filipino, unless otherwise provided by law, English". The framers of our fundamental law did not see it as anti-thetical to be a proud English-speaking Filipino. Without prejudice of course, to Rizal's admonition, "Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa mabaho at malansang isda". But our very own brainy Pepe, must admit that learning other tongues and speaking them fluently are not, on its face, being unationalistic. He too, speaks fluent Spanish, German, English, Deutsch and Japanese and more. He is a polyglot in the truest sense of the word. I believe, that the acid test of being nationalistic is being able to speak other languages but still having the tongue of Filipino native speaker. Our knowledge and fluency in the English language are our competitive advantage among the rest of the modernized and newly modernized nations of the world.

But what makes Janina looks so stupid? In my observation it is not really her "grammar". She did not only violate rules in grammar but sense in logic as well. Watching her closely and listening to her answers, I have noticed that her statements have no logical connection between and among them. What is the relationship between being 17-year old girl and a neophyte beauty contestant for not being able to answer the question straightly? The question is simple. In fact, it is actually a give-away, so to speak.

I believe, being ungrammatical does not make one, utterly senseless. You can be ungrammatical but still make sense. For instance, if one say " I be going to Manila, to gave the very very delicious mangoes for my sister in laws". This glaringly ungrammatical statement makes sense. In other words, "I am going to Manila to give these delicious mangoes to my sisters-in-law". The grammar did not affect the sense and logic of the statement.

But lo and behold, Janina's answers were not just grammatically incorrect but purely illogical. As I see, she neither heard nor understood the question posed to her. Get her hearing aid!

When we send our beautiful girls abroad to compete in various beauty pageants, would it be also great to send those who can make us proud? For Janina, it is not too late. She can still learn the rudiments, basic grammar and elementary logic before she competes for the Miss World. I will surely watch her there...

But seriously, isn't this a reflection of the quality of education we have in the country? Just asking... click to continue...