MANILA, Philippines — For many pageant observers, and those with a keen eye on beauty contests, it would appear that “17” is an auspicious number in the Binibining Pilipinas competition, with its ...

Born almost a decade before the first Miss Universe contest was held in 1952, 80-year-old Choi Soon-hwa could now make history as the pageant’s oldest ever participant. Earlier this month, she was ...