Crown culture Inside the Philippines high stakes beauty pageant boot camps

MANILA – They looked like they belonged in a fairytale – eight young women in shimmery gowns, each belle a picture of poise and grace under the glare of studio spotlights in the Philippine capital.

Before them sat a panel of 10 judges, eagle eyes trained on every detail: a misstep, an uneven hemline, a strand of hair out of place.

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