MAKATI CITY, Philippines - Her face looking as fresh as the raindrops falling incessantly on the umbrella over her regal head, Miss World Megan Young and the thousands who warmly welcomed her despite typhoon Santi showed Friday why the Filipino spirit always trumps adversity.
As wind and rain lashed the central business district past noon, well-wishers found ways to cheer the country's first-ever Miss World titlist--standing on sidewalks, on center islands, waving from open office windows above Ayala Avenue and Gil Puyat Avenue, wielding Philippine flaglets from behind glass dividers of pedestrian walkways.
Some kept throwing confetti from above their buildings, undaunted by the wind and rains that brought back some of the paper bits into their offices.
In the end, only the confetti got wet. The parade abbreviated, notwithstanding--and turned into a convoy to the Mall of Asia, after most of those on the queen's open float got wet---no one in the crowd seemed disappointed by Santi.
Their unsinkable cheerful spirit was matched only by the perfect poise of the 23-year-old queen, the blue stones on her crown matching a lovely face. Welcome home, Megan.
Take that, Santi. We have photos to show you lost:
