Biography
Who is Venus Raj?
Early life and education
Maria Venus Bayonito Raj-Orillan arrived in the Philippines as an infant after being born in Doha, Qatar. She grew up in Bato, Camarines Sur, living for twenty years in a simple house made from bamboo and wood. Her early environment lacked electricity and sat near rice fields, which she used to practice her walking technique.
Despite these humble beginnings, she excelled academically. She graduated cum laude from Bicol University in Legazpi, Albay, with a degree in communication arts. Her education was supported by a scholarship from the Francis Papica Foundation. Later, in 2017, she earned a master's degree in community development from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She continued her education further by graduating from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics in England during 2021.
Pageantry career
Her career in pageants began when she competed in Miss Philippines Earth 2008, where she earned the title of Miss Philippines Eco Tourism. She took a break from the circuit to work as an Information Assistant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In March 2010, she returned to the stage and won the Binibining Pilipinas Universe title at the Araneta Coliseum.
Her participation in the international Miss Universe 2010 pageant became a major news event due to citizenship questions that threatened her status. After a resolution was reached, she traveled to Las Vegas to represent the Philippines. She made headlines for her performance, specifically during the question portion where she gave the response that became known as Major Major. She finished as the fourth runner-up, an achievement that ended a ten-year streak without the country placing in the top ranks of the competition.
Television and later studies
Following her success in international pageantry, Venus transitioned into a career in media and television. She appeared on various networks before securing an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. This role included hosting duties for the morning program Umagang Kay Ganda. She remained a visible figure in Filipino entertainment for several years, though she eventually stepped back to prioritize her academic goals.
During this time, she contributed to the charity group Care For Children. Her shift away from daily television commitments allowed her to pursue advanced degrees and focus on her community development work.
Family and relationships
In her personal life, Venus Raj has maintained public relationships. She had a one-year dating period with Andrei Felix. On December 12, 2023, she married North Orillan.
Birthday and age
Venus Raj was born on July 7, 1988, which makes Venus 38 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Venus shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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