The Philippines has hosted the Miss Universe Pageant three (3) times ever since the first one in 1974 – an all-out Philippine-inspired edition that was motivated by the victory of Margarita Moran in Athens, Greece the year before. The candidates were billeted at the Philippine Village Hotel near Nayong Pilipino. And they were all given the warmest hospitality that included different cities “adopting” ladies as part of the pre-pageant activities. (Miss Jamaica 1974 Lennox Anne Black was assigned to Las Piñas where a street was eventually named after her.)
Life during the mid-70s was comparatively simpler than now. But trust the Marcoses to spare no expense in making the event lavish. And that included building a new finals venue from scratch. Only for Miss Universe 1974.
Spain won its first ever Miss Universe title here. Sadly, the late Amparo Muñoz surrendered the crown midway through her reign with no replacement named. She simply had a hard time conforming to the rules and regulations of the organization.
It took two decades before the second staging in the country would take place.
While the 1994 event was doomed to lose money right from the get-go, the government – through the Department of Tourism – did not leave any stone unturned to insure that everything would go smoothly from start to finish. The tourism thrust for the Philippines was very much evident. And the official residence – Manila Hotel – gave all the candidates the royal treatment. The then-upcoming singer-comedian Ogie Alcasid was even commissioned as “Manolo” – the tour guide/mascot of sorts who accompanied all the ladies in their tours. (That was also the time when flickers of his romantic relationship with Miss Australia Michelle Van Eimeren started.)
Personally, I reckon that the efforts and expenses that went into the 1994 commitment were the least indulgent in terms of giving in to all the financial trappings of an international pageant. True, the bottom figures were all in red after everything was completed. But nothing that would scare wealthy financiers or rock an entire government for that matter.
India won its first Miss Universe crown. Thanks to Sushmita Sen who upended all the heavy favorites like Minorka Mercado of Venezuela, Carolina Gomez of Colombia and Lu Parker of the USA.
After that, the turn of the new millennium plus more than one and a half decade will pass before the Philippines would aggressively bid hosting for the third time. It took the help of Governor Chavit Singson and a string of big private-sector sponsors to push for the 65th Miss Universe to happen in Manila. It could not be popularly marketed as Miss Universe 2016 because of the skip in year. The finals was scheduled January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Conrad Manila took over the sponsorship of housing the candidates throughout their entire stay after the rooms in the originally-planned residence – Okada Manila – could not be finished in time for the start of the pageant.
Among the three hostings, this was the glossiest of them all – from accomodations to pre-pageant venues to charity balls to out-of-town trips. The happenings in both Doral (2014) and Atlanta (2019) will be put to shame by its non-stop red carpet and sponsor engagements. Be that as it may, though, any team of auditors will have the most trying time analyzing and balancing the mountain of expenditures that went into the three-week extravaganza.
And our third Miss Universe, Pia Wurtzbach, crowned her successor Iris Mittenaere of France right here.
Let us watch the three finals now so you can see the evolution.
Miss Universe 1974 at the Folk Arts Theater
Miss Universe 1994 at the Philippine International Convention Center
The 65th Miss Universe at the Mall of Asia Arena
Colombia is the only country to place in the winners’ circle in all the Miss Universe editions held in the Philippines. Ella Cecilia Escandon1974 Carolina Gomez 1994 and Andrea Tovar 2016/ 2017
Best production: 1994. Showcased the beauty of the Philippines. And a very iconic opening song.
Most beautiful winner: 1974. Arguably, still one of the most beautiful MU winners.
Sa tatlong winners ng Miss Universe na ginanap sa Pinas, pinaka-maganda facially ang MU 1974 na si Amparo Muñoz ng Spain.
Yung mga delegates of batch 1974 most likely abuela na para makapag-social media kaya hindi mo na sila mahanap for update!
Yung mga delegates of batch 1994 yung iba chose their family over their career.
Carolina Gomez is now a big actress in Colombia. About a year ago meron akong nakita video niya with Dayana Mendoza on a chartered flight although hindi ko alam kung ano yung event!
Minorka Mercado now has a private life in Boston I think. About a year ago din nung nagkaron siya ng appearance pero parang video call lang yon, time ni Stefany Gutierrez.
Sushmita is active in social media although hindi ako follower!
Lu Parker is now a broadcast journalist.
Sa batch na yan ang pina-follow ko lang ay si Charlene Gonzales, Lu Parker, Silvia Lakatosova (ND of Miss Slovakia) and Inna Zobova (Miss Russia).
And I can say na pinaka-successful sa kanila si Inna na may sariling scarf line after becoming a fashion model in Paris. Na-shock ako sa mga vintage/throwback video na naging model pala siya for big names like Versace, YSL, Thierry Mugler, etc. Siya rin yung na-hold sa immigration sa Thailand dahil walang transit visa!
@ ClaiRe IbbeTson Mugler is not later than the 90’s, and at that time it was still Gianni…. WOW.
I wonder if she was able to walk alongside Iman, Anna Bayle, Yasmeen Ghauri, & Nadege….
Thailand required transit visas for Russians then? Kailan ba na-dissolve ang USSR?
Ikaw talaga, Madam Flora!
Ang clue sa history dates is 9/11 and 11/9, baligtaran lang!
9/11 is September 11 US Attack in 2001.
11/9 is November 9 which is the “Fall of the Berlin Wall” in 1989.
Before 1989, there were only two type of political/economic system – Communism and Capitalism.
Symbol of Communism is yang “Berlin Wall” and for Capitalism is US Democracy kaya may “Cold War”.
After the “Fall of the Berlin Wall”, Communism is officially dissolve! Kaya na-defragment na rin ang USSR on the 25 December 1991 under Gorbachev and nag-spread na rin partially to China! And to this date, dalawa na lang ang Communist country which is North Korea and Cuba kaya kine-KJ na mga Americano kasi ayaw mag-join the fun! Charot!
I don’t think Ina was able to walk with Ana Bayle. Based sa mga napanood kong video, ang kahilera ni Ana Bayle is yang sila Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Cheryl Tiegs, etc. Sila yung mga tipong Grand Finale ng mga Fashion Show!
Gusto ko yung MABUHAY song nung 1994. Ang ganda din ng hosting natin nun from the opening til after party. Nasa womb pa ako ng mudrakels ko niyan pero ngayong faney na ako ng pageants at binalikan ko siya, sobrang ganda pala talaga lalo na yung konsepto ng little sisters. Ang cute. Chweh!
PS: Pakyu ka VINA YU na impostora. MaCOVID ka sanang animal ka. Huwag kang gaya-gaya.
Ano po ibig mong sabihin nasa womb ka pa lang ng mudrakels mo? Egg yolk ka pa lang o nahaluan na syamodstra sa poultry?🐓
Ikaw siguro ang vaklang imposter ko?! Chweh!
The 1990s had the best opening songs for the MU pageants … from the 1996 “Electric” to the 1999 “Come be ok” … but the song “Mabuhay” in 1994 I think is one of the best , if not the best , of them all
1994 is the best. Although the stage is too small but the presentation is superb, the opening number wearing their National costumes, the theme song “Mabuhay” , showcasing some of the beautiful tourist spots in the background, the cute little sisters during semi finals, and the crowning of 18 year old Sushmita Sen of India.
I still remember one of my favorites back then was Miss Belgium -Christelle Roelandts (i hope i got it right).
@ miss tissa “Crush ng Bayan” was also dubbed “Materiales Fuertes”, that’s Christelle. 🙂
Fil-Thai halfie Areeya Chumsai was another crowd darling. STRIKING Chaling was great follow-up..
I had the chance to return to PICC many years later. I was struck how small it actually is by today’s standards…. Indeed, everything looks bigger when you are young(er).
The actual stage of the pageant was bigger than what you saw in PICC. They had to extend it as its original size wouldn’t be able to accomodate the design.
Why I did not even bother stalk the candidates .. when they were billeted at Manila Hotel… located literally next to my school ( Robinson Was still a long walk from Ermita) … idk .. I guess I wasn’t really a pageant fan then .
PLM?
PLM next to Manila Hotel??? Isn’t PLM near Intramuros ?
Ok. Manila Ocean Park! 😁
@ Sjeffie Cheon Kalokah ka, ses…. 🙂
Lol u got me thinking there . All the while . I had always thought that the hotel right next to Robinson Manila on Pedro Gil side was Manila Hotel
Obviously I did not do a lot of exploring in college . It was all school to dorm and back .lol sorry
Manila Midtown Hotel – yan yung hotel before na-itayo yung Robinsons Manila.
Rob ermita n inabutan ko. 😇
Di ba nga , piñata Lang yung Robinson all the way to Pedro Gil
Miss Tissa , thank you for giving me peace of mind … I had always thought it was Manila Hotel
My school’s gate was just beside rob-ermita, ermita wing…literally katabi ng H&M..need to make friends with manong guard para maka lbas ako ng dorm sa gabi! Hehe…those were the days! 🥰 And the only hotel in pedro gil was Kimberly…bka same university tayo Fabian, different college lng hehe….or tga St Paul ka????!!!
The evolution is not surprising given that they were at 20-year cycles, therefore a very fair reflection of their times. I was too young in 1974, old enough in 1994, and somewhere else in 2016 (in fact, I only knew the result when The Philippine Daily Inquirer banner read, “Vive La France!”).
Central Visayas – Panay, Negros Island Region, or Cebu – should host in 2035. Or, joint hosting.
Mdme. SSL is an architect by profession. We want a venue with HIGH CEILING and VAST FLOOR AREA. Get your architectural firm to build it! You will STILL be ND by then. 🙂
I see MUP as a one time thing. Give it at most five years. Not meant to last. Something that did not start from good is bound to fail.
Di pa nga tapos ang inagaural , may sentensya ka na
If the MUPO does not live past 5y , it’s because of the decreased global demand and not from some form of karma.
if Jonas l is now making money out of pageantry , I think he deserves it having diligently worked for free for at least 20y . Bakit naman kailangang puro libre Serbisyo ? It’s like doctors who are expected to provide services to the neighbors for free but are being charged for avocados they get from them .
Catf, be fair.
@ CatrionaFan OK. Let me rephrase that….
You will be ND AGAIN.
🙂
Fabian, dami mong kuda. Hahahaha. Guilty?
Catf , I ain’t guilty
I believe in humanity so much I don’t feel any guilt at all
My least favorite is 2016 because it did not showcase the Philippines at all . Shame on the MUO for doing that !
My most favorite is 1994 . I was already in college so I felt the excitement in the air .
Wow. Fabian, akalain mo yun, we agree on one thing. 😅🤣😂
For me, my favorite version is 1994 because of the victory of Susmita Sen. She may not be one of the prettiest Miss Universe winners, but her interviews were brilliant. She was so philosophical. She was only 18 year-old then but she talked beyond her years and that makes her really sexy.
1994 edition the best. 1974. Then 2016. Wasted opportunity ang 2016.
Waste ka dyan vakla? Pakiesplika vakla. Talagang luz valde tayo. Chweh.
Chweh na chweh talaga ang 2016 edition! The start of the ahasan. Hahahahaha.