Mimilanie Laurel Marquez was born on July 16, 1964, and is popularly known as Melanie Marquez to her colleagues in the Philippine entertainment and modeling industry. She is a Filipina beauty title holder being the 1979 Miss International which she represented the Philippines in Tokyo, Japan. Melanie is a personality development coach, actress, producer, author and celebrity endorser. She was born and typically grew up in Mabalacat, Pampanga, Philippines. Her father is Artemio Marquez, and he has an equally popular brother in the industry named Joey Marquez. It was in the year 2006 when she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration as Cum Laude, from the International Academy of Management and Economics.
1985 was also a big year for Melanie Marquez. She emerged a winner in the “Face of the 80’s,” in New York, U.S.A. She was also proclaimed as the first runner in the Supermodel competition and was dubbed as the “Most Glamorous Woman In Italy.” She was also voted as the “Most Beautiful Miss International Winner,” and she also came out as one of the 6 finalists in the “Mrs. World Pageant,” held in India, still representing the Philippines. She has also appeared in the 2004 Binibining Pilipinas World and 2004 World of Canada pageants respectively.
Melanie’s career as a modeling and image-enhancement coach earned her the respects of fellow models and beauty title holders. She became an inspiration especially to the aspiring beauties. She trained Ruffa Gutierrez, who got the 2nd Princess place in the Miss World 1993; Charlene Gonzales who was the 4th runner-up 1994 Miss Universe; and Miriam Quiambao, who won the 1st Runner up in the 1999 Miss Universe. Melanie is often invited to be a judge, coach, commentator of host of several beauty pageants or modeling competitions here and abroad. Inspired by her successful career, she put up a modeling school for those training models, pageant participants and aspiring actors and actresses.
In the midst of her career, she met Lito Lapid, who was a popular Filipino action star in his time. They fell in love, married and had one son of whom they named Manuel. They separated, and Melanie had several other relationships in which she bore six children in four marriages. Her last marriage has been to an American named Atty. Adam Lawyer in which they had two sons. Melanie reveals that motherhood had made her stronger, sensitive, mature and a more forgiving person.
They stayed in the U.S. for quite a while and upon her comeback, Melanie reinvented herself and made a surprise splash in the Philippine art world. She participated in an art exhibit entitled “Art and Beauty,” in which she showcased her two art paintings. Melanie was quick to add that she was a painter’s way back then but opt to hide her talent to herself, and now is the time to share this to the people. She prefers candle wax to create her masterpieces. Melanie has been an inspiration to many and proved herself worthy of the given respect.
