Throwback Thursday: Miss Philippines Guadalupe “Guada” Cuerva Sanchez

Back in 1974 when the Philippines first hosted Miss Universe, the host delegate was Guadalupe ‘Guada’ Cuerva Sanchez, then a 17 year-old plucked out of the International School to join Bb. Pilipinas where she won the top plum and became Miss Philippines with a practically impossible objective of nailing a back-to-back win apart from the sash she was wearing. I said impossible because it took the pageant many decades before Venezuela achieved that rare feat last 2008 and 2009.

Anyways, Guada has always left the impression of being la-di-da. But people who have gotten to know her better swear by the genuinely sweet and charming ways she is capable of exuding as a person. Honestly, she has always given me the ‘suplada’ (snooty/snobbish) vibe ever since I followed her pageant representation. I just took it as an outward personality that doesn’t necessarily reflect her positive ways. What mattered more at the time was to give the country a decent placement in the competition. And she did by reaching the semifinals.

Guada’s married surname is McLauchlan and she continues to be based in Beijing with her husband where they are doing very well in the restaurant business, I was told. She is now in her late 50s.

Let’s take a look now at her Q&A with host Bob Barker during Miss Universe 1974.

courtesy of MISS UNIVERSE