MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2021: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (CONCLUSION)

MAKATI – Isabelle de los Santos. What pageant fans noticed about her are her strong communication skills. But I think she also ranks high in the looks department and she presents herself very well–for instance I love her national costume but I notice most fans’ attention is towards PANGASINAN. I would want her to make the Top 16, and would be happy if that happens as she would be regarded as a pleasant sleeper surprise. U – 9.

MANDALUYONG – Maria Corazon Abalos. Her headshot channels a lot of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. Like Pia, she is strong in interview. But so far in other aspects she is overshadowed by other fierce standouts out there but a Top 16 finish is very likely with a possible play for Top 10. U – 9.

MANILA – Jasmine Umali. She has pageant pedigree from both her parents. Her mother is Mary Jane Umali, who was 2nd runner-up in Mutya ng Pilipinas 1989. Her father is Vincent Pinto^*1, who was 2nd runner-up at Manhunt International 1997. She reportedly had extensive modeling experience, walking the runways alongside the likes of Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina and Miss International 2016 Kylie Versoza. That runway experience helped make her one of the top performers in the preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competition. She is a strong communicator, too, though not necessarily at the same level as some of the major interview standouts out there. She can make a serious play for the Final Five. U – 9.5.

^*1 Considering she chooses to use her mother’s surname, one can make some inferences on the state of her relationship with her father.

MARINDUQUE – Simone Bornilla. I find her solid, but not a standout, so making the Top 28 is achievement enough for her. U – 7.5.

MASBATE – Kirsten Delavin. This lady has a significant internet fanbase, and for most part she delivers on the hype. I do have quibbles on her choice of preliminary gown, though–I love the color blue, but the design was meh in my eyes. Still, she looks most likely to make the Top 16 with a possible play for the Top 10. U – 9.

MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Chella Grace Falconer. She’s one of the lesser-buzzed contenders who can pull an upset. Like CAVITE, she’s a great looking mestiza with superb communication skills. I’d root for her to make the Top 10. U – 9.

NEGROS ORIENTAL – Grace Vendiola. She evokes the dusky vibe of Maricar Balagtas, our rep to Miss Universe 2004. But with the slew of lovely mestiza standouts and some gabbier interview gems, making as far as the Top 28 would likely be achievement enough for her. U – 8.

PANGASINAN – Maureen Wroblewitz. She is one of the most heavily buzzed about candidates, being most particularly a direct rival to CEBU PROVINCE in all aspects. Some might say that it seems that CEBU PROVINCE currently has the upper hand, there is still that possibility that the tide would go in her favor in the finals. U – 9.5.

PARANAQUE – Ingrid Santamaria. Though she’s not a mestiza like MISAMIS ORIENTAL or her predecessor representing her city, 1st runner-up Bella Ysmael, she somehow evokes a similar vibe from those two ladies. I don’t expect her to equal Bella’s placement but she can make a worthy Top 10 contender. U – 9.

PASIG – Princess Kristha Singh. Despite her obvious Indian heritage, her headshot similarly channels Pia Wurtzbach like the way MANDALUYONG did. But unlike MANDALUYONG, she didn’t generate buzz in her interview performance so it is likely finishing at this level would be enough for her. U – 8.5.

ROMBLON – Jane Nicole Miñano. See MISAMIS ORIENTAL, but not quite making as strong an impact during the preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competition. Still, she can make a serious play for the Top 16 and possibly even Top 10. U – 8.5.

SAN JUAN – Rousanne Marie Bernos. See BUKIDNON, but slightly more conventionally attractive. U – 8.

SIARGAO ISLAND – Michele Angela Okol. Lookswise, she reminds me of a mestiza version of our Miss World rep back in 2001, Gilrhea Quinzon. But she has one major edge–her eloquent communication skills. These skills were in full effect during the preliminary interview, and arguably she’s the best performer in this round. If the preliminary judges are the same as the final night judges^*2, it’s possible she can move beyond a Top 16 finish and may make a play for the Top 10 and if they liked her enough to make the Final Five, even pull off the most surprising upset victory. But I have a feeling for this pageant that is not the case. U – 8.5.

^*2 Since 2018, Miss Universe employs the same set of judges for both preliminary and final night. The last edition is an example on how impressions from the preliminary may carry over to the final as arguably if we judge the performance based on the final alone, we would arguably have a different winner and Top 10.

TAGUIG – Katrina Dimaranan. Back in 2012, I didn’t expect her to bag a title in Bb. Pilipinas, but her charm and gift of gab helped her nail the Bb. Pilipinas – Tourism title. Now this title would’ve given her the right to compete at the China-based Miss Tourism Queen International, but by this time there were issues garnering support to get this pageant organized so that pageant wasn’t held that year. So she ended her Binibini reign without competing at any international pageant. It took her six years later when an opportunity came for her to represent the United States (since she’s a dual citizen residing at both our country and the US) at Miss Supranational, and here she ended up as 1st runner-up. I’m still not that into her looks, but I understand how her native Filipina looks would evoke the right exotic diverse appeal that combined with her personality and gift of gab would make her a compelling Miss Universe contender. On top of that, she’s already at the maximum age limit, so I feel it is now time to hand this lady the right to compete at one of the most prestigious pageants around. In my opinion, this pageant is for her to lose. U – 9.5.

Now, it’s time to trot out my leaderboard:

TOP CONTENDERS: CEBU PROVINCE, LAGUNA, PANGASINAN, TAGUIG

SHOO-INS: CAVITE, CEBU CITY, MANILA

LIKELIEST: AKLAN, ALBAY, ANGELES CITY, MAKATI, MANDALUYONG, MASBATE, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, PARANAQUE, ROMBLON, SIARGAO ISLAND

INTERVIEW FACTOR: BUKIDNON, SAN JUAN

EXCELLENT: ANTIQUE, CAGAYAN DE ORO, DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, ILOILO CITY, ISABELA, NEGROS ORIENTAL, PASIG

VERY STRONG: DAVAO DEL SUR, MARINDUQUE

Now, my “Fearful” Forecast:

FINAL FIVE: CEBU PROVINCE, LAGUNA, MANILA, PANGASINAN, TAGUIG

TOP 10: ALBAY, CAVITE, CEBU CITY, MISAMIS ORIENTAL, PARANAQUE

TOP 16: AKLAN, ANGELES CITY, MANDALUYONG, MASBATE, ROMBLON, SIARGAO ISLAND

BUBBLING UNDER: BUKIDNON, MAKATI, SAN JUAN

STRIKING DISTANCE: ANTIQUE, CAGAYAN DE ORO, DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, ILOILO CITY, ISABELA, NEGROS ORIENTAL, PASIG

In my reckoning, this year’s pageant is for TAGUIG (Katrina Dimaranan) to lose, but there is a fierce six-way battle to fill out this year’s royal court. It seems tat gorgeous mestizas like CAVITE (Victoria Vincent), CEBU PROVINCE (Steffi Rose Aberasturi), and PANGASINAN (Maureen Wroblewitz) have an inside track alongside a proven quantity like LAGUNA (Leren Mae Bautista) but the runway divas from CEBU CITY (Beatrice Luigi Gomez) and MANILA (Jasmine Umali) are likely to make major splashes in the swimsuit and evening gown rounds to knock a couple of them out of the coveted Final Five slot. Best of luck to all te ladies!

JUST ME!

JOSEPH

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2021: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (PART 1)

With the Miss Universe Organization confriming a December date for the true 2021 edition of the pageant in the controversial venue of Eilat, Israel, this of course prompted the staging of the next edition of Miss Universe Philippines. But this time, they made it in a staggered format lasting a few months. First, they did an initial screening to select 100 candidates, which after a couple of challenge activities with inputs from a committee and online voting, would then whittle down to 75 then another stage of challenges to whittle down to 50 and after an interview challenge, settle on a final Top 30. However, before the final activities commence, due to illnesses two of the 30 final candidates had to bow out. First, ZAMBALES (Joanna Marie Rabe) was felled by dengue fever on 13 September. Then, less than a week later, DAVAO CITY (Yvonne Ortega) tested positive for COVID-19. Speaking of COVID-19, there were delays made to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved–this pageant was initially scheduled around July, even rumored to be held simultaneously with Miss World Philippines at one point, then it was moved to 25 September until they finally locked in the end of this month, 30 September, for the final.

So how do the remaining 28 candidates stack up with their prospects for Miss Universe? As is customary from my Bb. Pilipinas and Miss World Philippines homestretch reviews, I’ll be providing a rating of their theoretical prospects if they were chosen to compete at Miss Universe. So without further ado, let us begin with…

AKLAN – Christelle Abello. She is a returnee from last year’s batch, and although she is a consistently strong performer, it is likely she’ll only duplicate her Top 16 finish from last year. U – 8.5.

ALBAY – Janela Joy Cuaton. She’s an alumni of Mutya ng Pilipinas 2015, where she was a titleholder and competed at Tourism Metropolitan International and placed 1st runner-up. She is a strong contender, but well, this competition is highly competitive and filled with heavy hitters old and new so she could be considered a Top 16 shoo-in but a play for the title may be an uphill climb. U – 9.

ANGELES CITY – Mirjan Hipolito. She might not have that much national pageant experience but she has gorgeous looks that could secure her a Top 16 finish. U – 8.5

ANTIQUE – Noelyn Rose Campos. Facially she reminds me of the Manalo sisters Katherine and Bianca who were respectively our representatives to Miss World 2002 and Miss Universe 2009. But she doesn’t quite garnered as much buzz that making as far as this Top 28 might be achievement enough for her. U – 8.

BUKIDNON – Megan Julia Digal. She’s not conventionally pretty but she garnered major raves for er strong communication skills, especially during the preliminary interview. Would that strong performance be enough to secure her a place in the Top 16? U – 8.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Vincy Vacalares. She’s also solid all throughout, but with a competitive batch like this one, making the Top 28 might also be achievement enough for her. U – 8.

CAVITE – Victoria Vincent. Her mestiza features are highly prized in this country, and she is renowned for her excellent interview skills. She also generated some charisma, so there are fans who feel she can be a possible contender for this pageant’s title. Indeed, I feel she can make a play for the Final Five, and if the perceived favorites somehow faltered, she can pull off the win. U – 9.5.

CEBU CITY – Beatrice Luigi Gomez. She’s great looking and her main ace is her runway skills. Some fans feel her interview skills might be a bit suspect and may hinder her chances of winning, but no doubt about it she is one of the strongest contenders in this highly competitive batch. U – 9.5.

CEBU PROVINCE – Steffi Rose Aberasturi. Many pageant fans and pundits are raving about her mestiza beauty and charismatic presence. Indeed, some are hyping her as the one to beat. But though her preliminary interview was solid, it wasn’t as compelling as some of the interview standouts out there. Still she seems to be a Final Five shoo-in, and can make a play for the crown. U – 9.5.

DAVAO DEL SUR – Jedidah Korinihona. She makes a striking impression with her dark complexion and wavy hair. But sporting an unflattering off-the-rack yellow gown may mean that making as far as the Top 28 is achievement enough for her. U – 7.5.

DAVAO OCCIDENTAL – Krizzaleen May Valencia. She’s great looking with a slim model’s figure. She’s not generating that much buzz, though, so it is possible making as far as the Top 28 would be achievement enough for her.

ILOILO CITY – Kheshapornam Ramachandran. With her very short hair, she seems to be evoking the tomboyish vibe of last year’s 4th runner-up, Kimberly Haakenson, and she’s representing the city of the reigning queen Rabiya Mateo. Despite those standout qualities working in her favor, she is not quite making as much of an impact that she didn’t figure in many pageant fans’ lists of favorites. I wouldn’t totally count her out but she could be another worthwhile lady who might be seen as making this far to be achievement enough. U – 8.

ISABELA – Jan Louise Abejero. See DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, with more oriental features. U – 8.

LAGUNA – Leren Mae Bautista. She already has made major splashes in the pageant scene both national and international. She won Mutya ng Pilipinas 2015, supposedly designated for Asia Pacific International but the pageant was not held then so she was sent instead to the Malaysian-based Tourism Queen of the Year International, where she won. Four years later, she joined Bb. Pilipinas and garnered the Bb. Pilipinas – Globe title and she got a 2nd runner-up finish in that Albanian-based pageant. That should make her our best bet to win this title, right? Well, there is this one lady who may have one international pageant experience under her belt who seems to be a more compelling choice, on top of the mestiza standouts like CAVITE, CEBU PROVINCE, and PANGASINAN, alongside the runway divas from CEBU CITY and MANILA to contend with. Still, a Final Five finish amidst this group of contenders is nothing to sneeze at. U – 9.5.

COMING UP: MAKATI to TAGUIG plus the “FEARFUL” FORECAST