In a time and age where whitening products are all the rage and a fair complexion is the ideal standard of beauty, being a tan-skinned Pinay can be disheartening. And it's not like media and pop culture are helping out with our woes—many television shows, magazines, and big-name labels still employ the morena's Snow White-like counterparts. You need only drive through billboard-laden EDSA to bear witness to this.

But the thing is, regardless of the skin color you're born with, you are beautiful exactly the way you are. Still not convinced? Here are five reasons that we hope can make you appreciate your morena beauty!

For more articles on morena beauty, check out these links:

• On Danica Flores-Magpantay’s Ford Supermodel Win: Sarah Meier-Albano Says Love Your Brown Skin
• Color Conscious: Everyday Makeup Tips for Morenas, Mestizas, and Chinitas

(Originally published as "Bubbles Paraiso: 'I love being morena and I won't change it!' + 5 Reasons to Appreciate Your Morena Beauty" on Female Network; photo by Paolo Pineda)