MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2022: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (CONCLUSION)

LAS PINAS – Isabelle Kristine Daza.  She’s good-looking and a solid communicator though she’s not making a standout-enough impression to be in contention for the Top 16.  So it seems making the 32 offiical candidates is achievement enough for her.  U – 8.

LUCENA – Anjeanette Japor.  She’s a good-looking mestiza who is also a good communicator. She also acquitted herself well in the preliminary competition, so a Top 16 slot is in the realm of possibility.  U – 9.

MAKATI – Michelle Marquez Dee.  When I learned she decided to step into the ring of this pageant after her Miss World 2019 Top 12 finish, I questioned how motivated she is to win this crown.  Sure, she made a distinct presence with her neck-length bob and is clearly a standout in looks all throughout.  But then came the preliminary interview and I noticed the drive she displayed when she answered the questions–she is highly motivated, and yes, it is possible she can indeed nail the crown.  It’s not a foregone conclusion as she has to contend with the likes of BOHOL and PASAY alongside some upset possibilities that could come in her way, but I think for now she has the upper hand.

I’ve also observed it seems she’s cribbing some pages from the Catriona Gray playbook:  first, of course she’s an alumni of Miss World Philippines who is now gunning for the Miss Universe Philippines crown; and second, she left the prestigious Aces & Queens camp to be an independent candidate with her own team of trainers to prepare her for this contest.  But while Catriona was such a dominant force causing a sensation in both her national pageant (Bb. Pilipinas) and the Miss Universe competition, this lady is not making that level of impact.  I know it would be wonderful if she can add an international crown to her family’s laurels, but as strong as she is, this is far from assured.  She can finish Final Five at Miss Universe, but it’s still uncertain if she can indeed win it all.  U -10.

MANDAUE – Isabel Dalag Luche.  She’s cute and an otherwise solid communicator, even if her preliminary interview is one of the weakest.  I was not that impressed with her preliminary swimsuit performance but I think she acquitted herself in her green evening gown.  U – 8.

MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Annabelle Mae McDonnell.  Her photos don’t always do her justice, but she’s actually a good-looking mestiza.  She has a great human interest story of rising from severe adversity, and she is an eloquent communicator, so she could be one of those possible crown usurpers.  U – 9.5.

NEGROS ORIENTAL – Marilit Katipunan Iligan. She’s an attractive native looker who makes a solid impression but not enough to be in contention for the Top 16.  U  – 8.

NUEVA VIZCAYA – Gillian Katherine De Mesa.  She has some flattering angles and occasions where she generated enough charisma to garner buzz, and other times  where she’s looking ordinary. Making the Top 16 is in the realm of possibility. U – 8.5.

PALAWAN – Angelica Lopez. There are pageant fans and pundits raving about her Preliminary Competition performance.  Yes, she strikes an exotic presence with her dusky brown complexion, lean model’s frame and strong catwalk but I’m afraid I’m not fully on her bandwagon.  Still, I can understand if she makes it as far as the Top 10.  U – 9.

PAMPANGA – Alyssa Georgia Felix.  She may not be a standout lookswise, but she’s a fluid communicator who performed well in preliminary interview.  She originally took the banner of MACABEBE, PAMPANGA, but she’s the last Pampanguena standing, so she is now designated as the representative for the entire province.  U – 8.5.

PANGASINAN – Ivylou Corpuz Borbon.  She’s unlikely to equal the runner-up finish of Maureen Wroblewitz last year, but she’s consistently solid in all aspects tat a Top 16 finis is a possibility.  U – 9.

PASAY – Celeste Cortesi.  She made a splash finishing Top Eight at Miss Earth 2018, and she’s touted as one of the favorites in this pageant to win the right to represent us at Miss Universe.  She improved significantly in communications skills from her Miss Earth stint, but she made the most indelible impression during the Preliminary Competition, most especially in the evening gown round with her dreamy and elegant white gown.  If she somehow aces the final question, indeed the Miss Universe Philippines crown could be hers.  U – 9.5.

QUEZON PROVINCE – Gracelle Nicole Distura.  She is receiving buzz as one possible sleeper choice for the Top 16.  I do agree with that buzz as she covered all bases all throughout.  U – 9.

ROXAS CITY – Fracheska Alexine Licanto Dadivas.  I don’t know if it’s my own sensibilities, but the second funniest moment during the preliminary interview was when she related a story about having diarrhea while modeling her school uniform when she was in grade school.  This tidbit, and her entire vibe, is that of a cool hipster who doesn’t care what other people think and carry on what she wants to do.  I don’t foresee her advancing to the Top 16 but like LAPU-LAPU se is a memorable personality.  U – 8.5.

SAN JUAN – Danielle Arielle Camcam.  She has one of the bubbliest personalities in this batch.  The question is, is that quality enough to land her in the Top 16?  U – 8.5.

TAGUIG – Ma. Katrina Llegado.  She had prior international pageant experience representing us at Reina Hispanoamericana 2019, where she finished in the Top Seven.  She is touted as one having an inside track for the Final Five spots, but most pageant fans and pundits felt disappointed with her preliminary interview that they are expecting the likes of CEBU CITY or ILOILO PROVINCE, or maybe even DAVAO DEL NORTE or MISAMIS ORIENTAL to take over her slot.  I beg to differ, as I think she exuded a lot of charm and answered her questions well, and with her strong performance in the Preliminary Competition, I still think she’s on-track for a Final Five finish.  U – 9.5.

VICTORIAS CITY – Shanelyn Bayson.  She’s another lady whose buzz is rising.  She exudes a lot of carm and projected well onstage, so she can have an inside track to the Top 16.  U – 9.

With all 32 official candidates accounted for, as is customary I shall trot out my leaderboard:

TOP CONTENDERS:  BOHOL, MAKATI, PASAY, TAGUIG

SHOO-INS:  ALBAY, BAGUIO, CEBU CITY, DAVAO DEL NORTE, ILOILO PROVINCE, MISAMIS ORIENTAL,

LIKELIEST:  AKLAN, BATAAN, CEBU PROVINCE, ILOILO CITY, LAGUNA, LAPU-LAPU, LUCENA, NUEVA VIZCAYA, PALAWAN, PAMPANGA, PANGASINAN, ROXAS CITY, QUEZON PROVINCE, SAN JUAN, VICTORIAS CITY

EXCELLENT:  BENGUET, BULACAN, DAVAO ORIENTAL, ILOCOS SUR, LAS PINAS, MANDAUE, NEGROS ORIENTAL,

Now, my “Fearful” Forecast:

FINAL FIVE:  BOHOL, CEBU CITY, MAKATI, PASAY, TAGUIG

TOP 10:  ALBAY, BAGUIO, DAVAO DEL NORTE, ILOILO PROVINCE, MISAMIS ORIENTAL

TOP 16:  CEBU PROVINCE, ILOILO CITY, LUCENA, PALAWAN, PANGASINAN, QUEZON PROVINCE

BUBBLING UNDER: AKLAN, BATAAN, LAGUNA, LAPU-LAPU, NUEVA VIZCAYA, PAMPANGA, ROXAS CITY, SAN JUAN, VICTORIAS CITY

The 32 official candidates are a very competitive batch that to cut them to a Top 16 is actually brutal as so many worty ladies will be left out, and there are no obvious weak links in this batch.  Anyway, I think the Miss Unvierse Philippines crown is a battle between BOHOL (Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx) and MAKATI (Michelle Marquez Dee), with PASAY (Celeste Cortesi) breathing closely down their necks, with possible upset usurpers from CEBU CITY (Chantal Elise Legaspi Schmidt), DAVAO DEL NORTE (Jeanne Nicci Orcena), and MISAMIS ORIENTAL (Annabelle Mae McDonnell) who could talk their way into the crown.  Can’t wait to see how it all unfolds tonight.  Good luck to all the ladies!

JUST ME!

JOSEPH

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2022: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (PART 2)

It’s time to discuss the 32 official candidates. The screening challenges really honed them to the point that it is actually tough to whittle them further to the Top 16. All have strong qualities worthy of representing us at Miss Universe, but which of them would be the best fit?

AKLAN – Jona Sweett. She has gorgeous mestiza features and is generally a good communicator. Her perceived drawbacks are her figure tends to be on the voluptuous side that she wins the “BB Sweepstakes” award for this batch and is the one likely to play the Siera Bearchell card, and her spoken delivery tend to be on the slow side, which reflects she takes a lot of deliberation in what she intends to say, but may also be a drawback as it may also reflect a lack of confidence in delivery. U – 8.5

ALBAY – Julia Calleja Saubier. Her cosmopolitan background makes her one of the most confident communicators in this bunch, and she also delivers on looks and stage presence. She looks like a lock for the Top 16 and even Top 10 but is not really regarded as a top favorite. Still she’s always on the radar that if any of the favorites somehow falter, she can swoop in and take a slot in the Final Five. U – 9.5.

BAGUIO – Ghenesis Latugat. She is proud of her very native, indigenous (Igorot) heritage, and she garnered a lot of buzz as a possible darkhorse. She’s a stage dynamo and acquitted herself well in interview, so she seems to have successfully secured a Top 16 slot and may go as far as Top 10. Can she be our closest thing to a Venus Raj (Miss Universe 2010 4th runner-up) these days? U – 9.

BATANES – Elsa Schumacher. I like her a lot, as I like her classically pretty mestiza looks and her great communication skills. Wonder why she’s not buzzed about as a Top 16 contender, as I think she should be considered in the running? U – 9.

BENGUET – Shawntel Cruz. She got her slot via a wildcard thanks to the Kumu streaming app, but considering her attractiveness, polished presence, and good communication skills, why wasn’t she in the Top 50 in the first place? She actually proved to be competitive enough and worty of belonging in this relatively hallowed group–se shouldn’t have needed a wildcard in the first place. U – 8.

BOHOL – Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx. She was my favorite to win back in 2020, though of course she ended up at 3rd runner-up instead then. She’s aces in interview–in fact during the preliminary interview she provided the most memorable soundbite as when she relayed the most LOL moment, she confessed about farting earlier before the interview and causing a bit of a stink and then covering her stink by encouraging everyone around to put on a mask because of COVID-19 safety protocols. If she wants to pursue a showbiz career, she has a potential in comedy. Her preliminary competition swimsuit and evening gown performance was not perfect, but she still can make a play for the crown if she sparkles on finals night, and she always has that potential to sparkle. I’m rooting for her to finally win. U – 10.

BULACAN – Aidyl Mhay Sanchez. Prior to making the Top 32 she was carrying the banner of te town of GUIGUINTO, BULACAN. But she became the last Bulakena standing as she was a bright and charming personality and delivered an awesome interview that the two other more conventionally pretty Bulakenas fell by the wayside and she became the one to carry the “Bulacan” mantle. She still remains a great interview but she is clearly overshadowed by other standouts on the looks side of things. U – 8.

CEBU CITY – Chantal Elise Legaspi Schmidt. There are some fans hyping her as a Final Five contender with a possibility of making it a back-to-back win for her city. Just like the reigning Miss Universe Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez, she’s a stage dynamo and runway diva. She’s a strong interview with a good human interest story of overcoming depression, and with her strong performance in the Preliminary Competition she can indeed deliver a Final Five finish. But I find her looks less conventionally pretty than others so I didn’t really peg her as my Final Five choice personally. U – 9.5.

CEBU PROVINCE – Lou Dominique Piczon. She is consistently solid all throughout, but being assured of a Top 16 slot at this level is a tough call. It is definitely possible she can make it, but the competition is cutthroat. U – 9.

DAVAO DEL NORTE – Jeanne Nicci Orcena. It may seem she earned her slot thanks to a Kumu-sponsored fast track slot, but she has been rising in buzz as she is proven to be an eloquent interview, and she performed wonderfully in the Preliminary Competition. She indeed could be a possible spoiler who could upset the big favorites to win it all. U – 9.

DAVAO DEL SUR – Jedidah Korinihona. She makes a striking presence with her dark complexion and curly locks (she’s half Melanesian as her father is from the Solomon Islands). She’s actually a great communicator, but her preliminary interview had a flaw–she declared she’s a funny lady but not showing why she’s funny, unlike the way BOHOL delivered the funniest moment of the preliminary interview. She improved her performance on the Preliminary Competition from last year, but still it looks like being among the Top 32 would still remain achievement enough. U – 8.

ILOCOS SUR – Jewel Alexandria Palacat. When she was selected into the Top 32, she had a makeover as she chopped her long locks and sported a chic boyish bob. It does help her standout and emphasize her pretty mestiza looks better, but in relation to the rest of the official candidates, she’s actually the weakest interview. Making the Top 32 is acievement enough for her. U – 8.

ILOILO CITY – Dorothy Gemillan. See CEBU PROVINCE. U – 9.

ILOILO PROVINCE – Vanessa Ann Ka’ihilani Caro. There are some pageant fans and pundits who feel she can make a play for the Final Five. She is an eloquent communicator, and she’s got great buzz during the Preliminary Competition, though I personally didn’t think her performance was that top-notch, but definitely solid. Still, I will not count her out as a contender. U – 9.5.

LAGUNA – Sonja Jeyn Tanyag. She facially reminds me of Miss International 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman. She’s also a consistent performer with a likeable, carming personality, so I’m a little surprised her buzz is muted and not seemingly in contention for the Top 16. I think she’s worthy of being a sleeper choice for that slot. U – 9.

LAPU-LAPU – Sashi Chiesa. She reminds me of a less-conventionally pretty version of Sandra Seifert, Miss Earth – Air 2009. Her best quality is her gift of gab, as she’s proven to be a great communicator. But would that be enough for her to make the Top 16? U – 8.5.

COMING UP: LAS PINAS to VICTORIAS CITY

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2022: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (PART 1)

With COVID=19 restrictions easing up significantly and our successful Top Five finish at Miss Universe 2021, Empire Philippines (headed by Jonas Gaffud and Miss Universe 2011 3rd runner-up Shamcey Supsup-Lee as national director) decided to pull out all the stops to bring forth the grandest edition of this national pageant yet. There were public events attended by the public and members of the media, a public a live Preliminary Competition held at Okada Manila, and a live finals to be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Hosting the finals are three IMG-era Miss Universe winners, Pia Wurtzbach (Philippines 2015), Iris Mittenaere (France 2016), and Demi-Leigh Tebow (nee Nel-Peters, South Africa 2017). The reigning Miss Universe, India’s Harnaaz Sandhu has landed in our shores to grace her presence (and was on-hand to judge the Preliminary Competition and most likely the Final). The sponsors are in full force this year, and so is former Ilocos Sur governnor Chavit Singson, who actually chartered a jet to fly the reigning Miss Universe from her India homecoming to our shores.

There was still a virtual screening element in this year’s pageant. But instead of starting from 100 like last year, they went straight to a Top 50, and these 50 candidates would then undergo a series of challenges where they submit photos or videos for headshot, swimsuit, runway, casting, introduction, and tourism, plus a virtual interview round, and from there a Top 32 would be selected. But it seems one of the 32 slots is reserved for one who missed the initial cut of 50 and instead voted in by users of the Filipino livestreaming app Kumu.

Two of the initial 50 dropped out by the virtual interview round: DAVAO CITY (Myrell Martinez) who dropped out before any challenge event was under way, and MARIVELES, BATAAN (Seychelle Adriano Jaochico), who participated in headshot and swimsuit before withdrawing.

For nine of the eliminated candidates, at least let’s pay tribute by naming them: ARAYAT, PAMPANGA (Marinel Timoteo Tungol), BATANGAS PROVINCE (Bianca Awatin), BUKIDNON (Meriam Saliling Campon), CAVITE (Jennika Casin), ILOCOS NORTE (Lyza Samalio), LEMERY, BATANGAS (Sharifah Shahnaz Malabanan), NEGROS OCCIDENTAL (Ma. Cristel Antibo), SORSOGON (Carmela Diane Doma), and SULTAN KUDARAT (Mary Dawn Molina Abiera). For these ladies, more polish in interview and /or projection will serve them well.

Eight of the candidates, in my opinion, came close but probably not enough to be counted among the 32. Let’s pay tribute to them starting with:

BATAAN – Kevin Alessandra Mateo. She’s a great communicator and did very well in the interview. Her charisma and projection skills are probably what held her back. But she has potential–a mild makeover and a little projection training, and she can make more serious inroads.

BULACAN PROVINCE – Nyca Bernardo. She actually has great looks, good projection skills (she is in showbiz) and is a good speaker. So what possibly made her fall short of the Top 32? Not quite sure–perhaps she’s too slick?

ISABELA – Zeneth Joy Khan. She’s a strong and sincere communicator, but like BATAAN, her projection skills fell a bit short. But a few minor tweaks here and there, she could be golden.

LA UNION – Louise Nicole Dabu. She is a great looking lady though her available portraits don’t quite reflect that. She’s also a great communicator, though she probably missed a bit in the third question about “uniquely beautiful” attractions in her province, as she went slightly into generics before getting to the point about her province’s famous surf-worthy beaches.

MALOLOS, BULACAN – Abigail Contreras Maclang. She’s good looking and she’s a strong communicator. I think the only quibble I could spot is her answer to the question on “uniquely beautiful” things about her hometown, as she didn’t describe any specific landmark or attraction in her town but gave a generic description about her people which may not be that unique. She probably fell short by very little, just like her other Bulakena counterpart.

NORTHERN SAMAR – Nicole Suan Mendiola. She has strong academic credentials and with that superb communication skills. Her looks are an acquired taste, though–she exudes this sultry, earthy vibe that perhaps mostly Italian men would appreciate. Not enough Italian men are responsible for selecting the Top 32, so that could explain her exclusion.

RIZAL – Sophia Veronica Torres. At 18 years old, she’s the youngest candidate in this batch. But she is already a very polished communicator. Just a few tweaks in her projection skills, and she can make more serious inroads in the future.

SAN PABLO, LAGUNA – Shaira Aliyah Diaz. She placed 2nd in the Introduction Video challenge, so that high placement should help secure her a Top 32 slot, right? Well, it seems the judges deemed she fell short in all other challenges so that’s why she missed the cut. But like the Bulakenas, she probably missed it by very little.

COMING UP: THE 32 OFFICIAL CANDIDATES, from AKLAN to LAPU-LAPU