| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born | Maria Venus Bayonito Raj July 7, 1988 Doha, Qatar |
|---|---|
| Agency | Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Measurements | 35-22-35 |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Title(s) | Miss Philippines Eco Tourism 2008 Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2010 |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss Philippines Earth 2008 (Miss Philippines Eco Tourism 2008) Binibining Pilipinas 2010 (Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2010) Miss Universe 2010 (Fourth Runner-Up) |
Maria Venus Bayonito Raj (born July 7, 1988) is a Filipina beauty queen. She was crowned Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines)-Universe on March 6, 2010 during the pageant's Grand Coronation Night at the Araneta Coliseum. She represented the Philippines in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and placed fourth runner-up to Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.[1]
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Maria Venus Raj was born to an Indian father and a Filipina mother. Raj was taken by her mother to Bato, Camarines Sur in Bicol Region, Philippines as an infant and was registered by an aunt as a Philippine-born child to Roman Catholic parents.[2] Raj grew up with her mother, a former tenant farmer and dressmaker who brought Maria Venus Raj up as a child.[3] A former Roman Catholic, She is now a Born Again Christian
Raj lived in a nipa hut made of wood, bamboo and anahaw leaves with no electricity in the middle of a sprawling rice field in the rural Bato town for more than twenty years. She allegedly used rice paddy dikes for her early training where she eventually developed her distinct catwalk.[3]
The youngest among five children, Maria Venus Raj started joining local beauty pageants. She also joined oratorical contests at San Vicente High School where her English teacher served as her coach. With her victories in major contests, Venus Raj had started to buy land on installment basis for her mother as a means of improving their livelihood.[3]
Raj obtained her Diploma in Communications Arts, major in Journalism, at Bicol University in Albay, with Latin honors (Cum Laude).[4] She graduated through the scholarship that she received from the Francis Papica Foundation.[3] Back in the Philippines, she works as an Information Assistant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region V.[5] In addition to this, she also works as a part-time fashion model in her native Bicol and Manila.
Following her victory as Miss Bicolandia, Raj represented Legazpi City and competed in the Miss Philippines-Earth 2008, and was named as Miss Philippines Earth Eco Tourism 2008, and fourth runner-up to eventual Miss Earth 2008 winner Karla Henry on May 11, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Galleria, Manila.
After joining Miss Philippines-Earth in 2008, Raj took a break from beauty contests and worked as an Information Assistant at the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. On March 6, 2010, she was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Universe during the pageant's Grand Coronation Night at the Araneta Coliseum. She won the right to represent the Philippines in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.[1] She also won the special awards Best in Long Gown, Best in Philippine Terno, and was a co-winner for Miss Friendship - a rare feat for a major title winner.
A few weeks after her coronation, Raj was dethroned by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. citing alleged inconsistencies between her birth certificate and the personal account of her birth. Raj was briefly replaced by second runner-up Helen Nicolette Henson since first runner-up Diane Elaine S. Necio, also from Bicol was only 17 years old and did not meet the age requirement policies of Miss Universe.
Raj had planned to take legal action to combat BPCI's decision in court,-plans-to-fight-for-her-crown- but she also weighed in on her decision because of its potential impact to her future career.A Lawyer Francis Padua Papica, who sponsored Raj’s college education, and another counsel volunteered to defend her for free. led supporters in sending an appeal regarding Raj's case to the Miss Universe Organization Dethroned-beauty-to-regain-crown-if-she-gets-passport.
In a local television appearance, Raj stated that a representative for the Miss universe 2010 spoke with her and looked into her case. In the same interview, she said, “My fight is now more than just chasing a dream. It is about clearing my soiled reputation. It is about standing up for people who are poor and born out of wedlock. It is a fight for acceptance.”[6]
On April 10, 2010, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. allowed Raj to reclaim her title due to humanitarian reasons. An additional requirement that Raj should legally obtain a valid Philippine passport as proof of her true citizenship was also requested by the pageant organizers.[7] On May 19, 2010, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs issued Raj a Philippine passport thereby attesting to her Filipino citizenship.[8] According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Raj is a Philippine citizen by virtue of the jus sanguinis principle (“right of blood”), a basic right provided by the Philippine Constitution which bestows upon a person the citizenship of his father or mother regardless of where the person was born, thus declaring her of Filipino citizenship.
Upon the issuance of her Philippine passport, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. announced that they are reinstating Raj. Currently, Raj holds the record as the first-ever dethroned Binibining Pilipinas to have successfully attempted for a reinstatement of a Binibining Pilipinas crown.
In August 2010, Raj flew to the United States and took part in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant. As part of the six delegates which were handpicked for a media tour, Raj along with Jesinta Campbell of Australia, Natalia Navarro of Colombia, Sarodj Bertin of Haiti, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico, Mariana Vicente of Puerto Rico and Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez were scheduled for several television appearances prior to the actual pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the Miss Universe question and answer portion, Raj was asked by American actor William Baldwin about the biggest mistake that she made in her life and what she did to make it right, to which she simply replied that she had never made any big mistakes in her life.[9] Raj received the highest rating in the Miss Universe website, with 3.54 points, the highest-ever for a Filipina delegate.[10] In an event held in Diablos Cantina at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Raj won in a Chicken Wing Eating Contest, increasing her popularity even more during the run of the pageant.[11]
While competing at Miss Universe 2010 in Las Vegas, Raj was emotionally distressed to hear about the death of Filipina-German beauty queen Melody Gersbach and make-up artist Alden Orense in a car accident. Gersbach, a fellow Bicolana who previously competed and secured a place in the Top15 finalists at Miss International 2009 in China, was one of Raj's coaches in her preparation for the Miss Universe pageant.[12][13]
Prior and post-Miss Universe, Raj guested on multiple networks as guests. On January 14, 2011, Raj signed up an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN, including the airing rights of the Binibining Pilipinas for at least five years.[14]
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 2011 | Kris TV | Guest | ABS-CBN |
| Mutya | Mikki | ||
| Happy Yipee Yehey | Performer/Herself | ||
| 2011-present | ASAP Rocks! | Host/Performer | |
| 2011-present | Umagang Kay Ganda | Host - Present | |
| 2010 | Showtime | Guest Host/Judge | |
| ABS-CBN Christmas Special 2010 | Performer/Herself | ||
| Show Me Da Manny | Special Guest | GMA-7 | |
| Unang Hirit | Guest Co-Host | ||
| Hole in the wall | Guest Co-Host | ||
| Paparazi | Guest host | TV5 | |
| Juicy | Past-Host | ||
| P.O.5 | Guest | ||
| E-Live | Host | ABS-CBN | |
| SNN | Guest-Host | ||
| The Buzz | Guest | ||
| Inside the Cinema | Guest | Cinema One |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bianca Manalo |
Binibining Pilipinas – Universe 2010 |
Succeeded by Shamcey Supsup |
| Preceded by Anna Katrina Bautista |
Miss Philippines-Earth Eco Tourism 2008 |
Succeeded by Grezilda Adelantar |
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