Why world’s beauty queens are drawn to the Philippines for hardcore pageant training

One of the world’s leading pageant schools, in the Philippines, puts willing contestants from around the world through a total body workout

Reading Time:4 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

The reigning Miss Germany, Celina Weil, practises a pose at the Kagandahang Flores beauty pageant school in Manila. Photo: dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

dpa

Published: 1:15pm, 21 Dec 2024

Strutting in seven-inch heels is no easy feat – it is a skill that takes practice.

Celina Weil, the reigning Miss Germany, is standing in front of a mirrored wall with four other young women, taking turns to balance on one leg in her mega heels.

The 23-year-old still occasionally stumbles, but she has only just begun her training in one of the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant schools in the Philippine capital, Manila.

“Above all, I want to perfect my walk here,” says Weil, who comes from a small town in southwest Germany.

Rodgil Flores (right) shows his students a pose. The Kagandahang Flores school for beauty queens in Manila is considered one of the most prestigious in the world. Photo: dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

The young woman’s dedication pays off when she competes for the Miss Intercontinental 2024 competition in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, becoming fourth runner-up.

Anyone who thinks that preparing for a beauty contest is just about selecting a stunning dress and mastering intricate hairstyles is in for a shock. The training programme designed by 55-year-old Rodgil Flores is more akin to a rigorous boot camp.