Venus Raj

1.1. Birth and Upbringing

Maria Venus Bayonito Raj was born in Doha, Qatar, on July 7, 1988. She is the youngest of five children born to an Indian-American father and a Filipino mother. Her mother worked as a housemaid in Qatar from 1986 to 1988, and later as a former tenant farmer and a dressmaker. At just one month old, Raj was brought by her mother to the Philippines, where she was raised in Bato, Camarines Sur, part of the Bicol Region.

For the first two decades of her life, Raj lived in a nipa hut, a traditional Filipino dwelling made of wood, bamboo, and anahaw leaves, located in the middle of a sprawling rice field without electricity. Growing up in poverty, she began participating in local beauty pageants and oratorical contests at San Vicente High School from the age of eleven, driven by a desire to help her family. Her English teacher served as her coach for these competitions. The prize money she won in major contests was strategically used to purchase land on an installment basis for her mother, aiming to improve their livelihood. It was during her early training in these rice paddies that she developed her distinctive walking style, a skill that would later become a hallmark of her pageantry. Raj's birth in the Philippines was initially registered under false testimony by her aunt, stating that she was born to Filipino parents in the country.

1.2. Education

Raj pursued higher education with notable dedication. She obtained her bachelor's degree in communication arts, with a major in journalism, from Bicol University in Legazpi City. She graduated with Latin honors (cum laude), supported by a scholarship from the Francis Papica Foundation.

Later, in 2017, she completed her master's degree in community development from the University of the Philippines Diliman, one of the country's most prestigious universities. Furthering her academic pursuits, in June 2021, Raj graduated from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) in Oxford, England, specializing in Christian Apologetics.

1.3. Early Professional Activities

Prior to her mainstream entertainment and pageantry career, Raj was actively engaged in professional roles that leveraged her academic background. She worked as an Information Assistant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Bicol Region, a role that provided her with experience in public service and environmental advocacy. Concurrently, she also pursued a career as a part-time fashion model, balancing her work in both her native Bicol and in the capital city of Manila.

2.1. Initial Pageant Participation

Raj began her formal pageantry journey by competing in Miss Philippines Earth 2008. Representing Legazpi, she was crowned Miss Philippines Eco Tourism 2008, a title equivalent to a fourth-place finish in the competition. Demonstrating her commitment to improving her family's circumstances, she used the prize money from this pageant to purchase land on an installment basis for her mother, establishing a foundation for their improved livelihood.

2.2. Binibining Pilipinas 2010

After taking a brief hiatus from beauty contests to work as an Information Assistant, Raj returned to the pageant stage in 2010. On March 6, 2010, she was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2010 during the Grand Coronation Night held at the Araneta Coliseum. In addition to the main title, she also earned several special awards, including Best in Long Gown, Best in Philippine Terno, and Miss Friendship, securing her right to represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe 2010 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada.

However, her victory was soon overshadowed by controversy. On March 29, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) announced her dethronement, citing alleged discrepancies in her birth certificate regarding her place of birth and parentage. This decision sparked widespread public outcry and intense media attention. The initial choice for replacement, first runner-up Diane Elaine S. Necio, was deemed ineligible as she was only 17 years old, falling short of the Miss Universe age requirement. Consequently, Helen Nicolette Henson, the third-place finisher, was announced as the new delegate.

The controversy escalated, with a potential legal battle looming. Lawyers, including Francis Padua Papica, offered their pro bono services to Raj. Due to mounting public pressure and the direct intervention of the Miss Universe Organization under Donald Trump, a resolution was reached. On April 10, BPCI, national director Stella Araneta, and the country's Department of Foreign Affairs agreed to reinstate Raj's title, conditional on her successfully obtaining a valid Philippine passport. Raj's passport was issued on May 19, paving the way for her participation in the international competition.

2.3. Miss Universe 2010

In August 2010, Raj traveled to Las Vegas, United States, to compete as the official Philippine delegate in the Miss Universe 2010 pageant. Her participation garnered significant international attention, partly due to the recent controversy surrounding her dethronement and subsequent reinstatement. During her preparation, Raj faced emotional distress upon learning of the tragic death of fellow Filipino-German beauty queen Melody Gersbach and make-up artist Alden Orense in a car accident. Gersbach, a fellow Bicolana who had placed in the Top 15 at Miss International 2009, had been one of Raj's coaches, providing crucial guidance for her Miss Universe journey.

Before the main pageant, Raj was among six delegates selected for a media tour, joining representatives from Australia, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez for various television appearances. She also achieved the highest rating on the Miss Universe website with 3.54 points, an unprecedented score for a Philippine delegate at the time.

During the live finale, Raj was the last delegate to be announced into the Top 15 semifinals, a moment that simultaneously ended the Philippines' 10-year semifinal drought at Miss Universe and initiated the country's longest streak of appearances in the pageant's history, continuing until 2021. In the highly anticipated question and answer portion, American actor William Baldwin asked Raj about the biggest mistake she had made in her life and what she did to rectify it. Her now-famous reply, "Major Major," stating she had never made any big mistakes but had faced challenges that made her a better person, resonated widely and became a memorable part of her legacy. Raj ultimately finished as the 4th Runner-up, placing among the Top 5 alongside winner Ximena Navarrete of Mexico. Her achievement marked the Philippines' highest placement at Miss Universe since Miriam Quiambao secured second place in Miss Universe 1999.

3.1. Television

Before and after her Miss Universe participation, Raj made guest appearances on various television networks. Her charisma and public appeal soon led to offers for hosting roles, including a prominent spot on the morning show Umagang Kay Ganda (It's a Beautiful Morning).

In 2011, Raj signed an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN, a strategic move that coincided with the network acquiring the airing rights for the Binibining Pilipinas pageant for at least five years. She continued her hosting duties, including on Umagang Kay Ganda until 2013, when she departed due to a reformat of the show. With a less demanding entertainment schedule, Raj dedicated more time to her master's degree in Community Development and actively lent her support to the "Care For Children" group, a community development initiative. She later returned to host Umagang Kay Ganda in 2017.

Her television appearances include:

3.2. Film

Raj has also ventured into film, taking on roles in several movie projects. Her filmography includes: