Above is Part 1 of the Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Interview Challenge – the first half among the Official Delegates who are still in convention to become part of the Final 30.
After watching the video, I must say that the one who stood out the most – miles ahead of others is Victoria Velasquez Vincent of Cavite. She nailed all the questions asked, save for the small fact that she exceeded the time alloted (although not by much). She can easily get a Superior percentile on my score sheet.
Second-ranked for me is Beatrice Luigi Gomez of Cebu City who deserves a High Average mark in my opinion.
I would give passing marks to Jedidah Korinihona, Kheshaporman Ramachandran, Steffi Aberasturi, Megan Julia Digal, Shyrla Santos Nuñez and Allaine Dolera. They did justice to 2/3 of the challenge.
For the others, you be the judge dear readers.
normannorman.com 
Belated viewing after the hectic preparations we had for the town fiesta of Panglao.
Anyway, I was looking for that self- assuredness, ability to think on one’s feet, charm, the ability to connect and to express oneself, a calm & well- modulated voice, showing one’s personality & warmth yet maintaining a demeanor that commands attention & respect.
Here are the places from Batch 1 that caught my attention:
CAVITE
ANGELES
CEBU CITY
BUKIDNON
CEBU PROVINCE
DAVAO DEL SUR
ALBAY
ILOILO
BACOLOD CITY
ANTIQUE
I would have to disagree with you Tito Norms. Communication is not just being able to speak fluently. Well, as expected with VVV because English is her primary language. But hey, looking at the depth and substance of her answers, i think it’s still not superb. Cebu province and Cebu City have more substance. It doesn’t mean at all that because you speak fast using the English language, you are a good speaker. Your speech needs to bring an impact to the audience, so sincerity is also important and vocal variety especially when there is a point you need to emphasize.
@ juanjuan I get your sentiment. That ‘(emotional) impact’ and ‘sincerity’, that was Dindi, too, at her SupraChat grand elimination… This is how we perceive ‘substance’, this ‘gut connection’.
(In the earlier post, I pre-empted Admin by saying I found her ‘repetitive and rambling’. Uncle Norms would later say that while she was not the most articulate and bear in mind she was lumped with South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago who are very opinionated, it should be good enough to do wonders for our bet. And it did, for she finished strong.)
(I heard/read a comment earlier today that Steffi and Janela were pageant patty. I think we Pinoys prefer. But as we see in this Top 7, the judges opted to view things through outsiders’ vantage.)
Facility in English never crossed my mind here. Even @ Fabian Reyes said that Visayans speak better English, in general, than Tagalogs. I FULLY AGREE. So, Steffi and Luigi were cool. 🙂
VVV’s ‘manner’ is the ‘way of the West’. Even Michelle Van Eimeren told her Filipino fans that we should ‘not take it personally or as an affront’. When the Fil-Kiwi says she is authentic Virgo – organized to the tiniest detail and remembers the smallest things, be it birthday, phone number, or what she had for Christmas dinner in 20~whenever – we natives may think she is OC or too intense for comfort.
We need to accept that different countries express themselves differently.
Hershey (?) Dacera of Agusan del Sur was first, was probably not the best in the lot for that reason but please give her credit for being the only one who mentions the medical front-liners in this time of great collective challenge.
Guys, you want someone who gives a fresh-youthful Tugonon x Dimaranan vibe. Go to Davao Occidental and look for Krizzalleen Valencia. 🙂
‘Noy’ Joy Mabuhay Campos gives a Bella Ysmael x Dindi Pajares spirit.
Ybonne Ortega ain’t too bad. Flejoles of Capiz, too.
Telle Abello was concise and consistent, with I greatly appreciate.
Angelin Summer Fernandez of Cotabato (was that City or Province?) just tanked her last question (on the pandemic challenge). She was unable to properly construct the ‘transition-from-working-in-the-office-to-working-at-home’ idea. Could have been my all-around favorite for this segment. Nice voce, too.
Kamille Alyssa Quinola of Ilocos Sur also has a nice voce. Just work out that slight accent and we have our new Pinky Aseron!
Singh of Pasig City (in Part 2) and Ramachandran of Iloilo City will be my bff’s with Chella (MisOr).
Digal of Bukidnon will probably be this batch’s equivalent to last year’s Jennifer Linda (Palawan).
Meghan Sanglay is STUNNING. Like a chinita version of Asha Guttierez (a Tweetie de Leon?).
I was going to say something of Vendiola (Negros Oriental), but forgot. Also the bet for Occidental… Or was she Bacolod City (Shane Pia?), because Bacolod is in the west of the island. 😦
ANG H-I-R-A-P MAALALA LAHAT IN ONE PASS. So if you stick in my mind, congrats. With the exception of the front-runners like ‘Leticia~Efren’, VVV, & Steffi since they get plenty of hype na.
Luigi didn’t sound particularly memorable.
Allain Dolera of ‘Calamba’. WHY NOT ADD ‘CITY’?
PS. As far as The Camp’s wards are concerned, if MU were tomorrow and assuming either Ann Porxild or Emmy Sawyer wins MUT 2021 (in turn assuming the latter signs up),… Telle pa rin!
I don’t really get the hype with VVV. For me, she delivered her answers well but the content was not it for me. When she said that she prefers to join MU over the Olympics because she only has to train for it once, it belittles the efforts of beauty queens. Hay, Steffi and Beatrice for me for this one.
First and foremost, Congratulations to Jonas and company for a job well done though this is just the first part! I hope they maintain the quality!
Hindi madali yung ginawa nila mag-formulate ng ganun quality and relevant question ha! It’s not an ordinary QnA for a beauty pageant!
I agree, Victoria stand out from this batch! She’s very spontaneous and relax! I could already imagine her in a close door interview! The way she converse makes you wanna listen what she has to say! It is very important for a girl to create an impression on the first 5 seconds when she talk! Andali mo na makikita dito kung kanino ka magko-continue para pakinggan yung sinasabi and kung sino yung ipa-fast forward mo na!
Looking forward for the other girls! But definitely after this challenge, Victoria is already on my Top 5 choice! Sana may mapili pa kong apat!
Beatrice Gomez and Victoria Vincent are very pleasant to listen to. While the latter is more articulate, both sound relaxed and insightful. Steffi is beautiful but she’s a tad bit pageant patty-ish, which makes her seem rehearsed and insincere. I liked Janela Cuaton in her previous pageant stints. Now she looks a bit overdone and over-polished. So while I think both Steffi and Janela are strong candidates, I hope they loose that pageant-y veneer. In recent years, MUO hasn’t been giving the crown to women who seem to try that hard to be pageant-perfect.
*lose
Top 3 for me: Aberrasturri, Velasquez, and Hipolito
VVV slayed this
Parang hindi naman….
Wag ka pahype… hayp ka!
Vvv ftw important sa akin ang down to earth na reyna. Hakbang pa lang nasa edsa na ang legs magaling pa sa q and a
Kung mag-aala 2019 format ang MU, manganganib tayo kung si Steffi ang rep natin, Mas bagay si VVV sa ganung format pero kung magtutuloy-tuloy na yung criteria katulad nung nanalo sa Andrea Meza, I think strong si Steffi kung figure at face ang hanap 🙏
kung figure at face eh di si VVV pa rin
Eh, hindi consistent si VVV sa ganda sa totoo lang, may mga times na she looks mature at plain jane. Steffi talaga sa ganung department pero I wont be mad kung si VVV ang manalo
Seryoso ka?… she looks like the Drag Version of Vic Sotto…. Hello?!
Abello – pleasant voice, relaxed and natural
Hipolito – nerves are obvious, interview skills (train of thought, vocabulary, mannerisms, etc.) reminds me so much of Rabiya, which can be telling of how much pressure she can handle with a live audience.
Cuaton – very artista, love the happy vibe
Vincent – not sure if it’s her mic equipment or her voice is really that way, but hopefully she speaks louder and with stronger delivery in live on stage performances. voice is sweet and pleasant, but the message is lost in the delivery. succinct answers, powerful delivery lang kailangan iimprove. still my top 5/MUPh.
Aberasturi – she has mastered the art of marketing herself. uses the right facial expressions to emphasize a point, ends with a smile, just a joy to watch and talk to. she’s no Catriona, she’s more like Amanda Obdam (lacks depth but knows how to deliver good-sounding answers.)
Korinihona – this is all the “diversity candidate” we need really. color, hair, background, culture, occupation, built (not model thin) are all new, relevant and interesting. different kind of beauty but still a beauty. I’ll end my commentary here so as to not offend supporters of other candidates, but this is how you do “diversity.” (I realized I’ve been unnecessarily mean towards so many people on here. I’ll try to be kinder. LOL)
Ramachandran – I’ll give her a few years to learn how to speak like a beauty queen, but I see so much potential.
Bautista – struggled but can express herself ok naman in Filipino. love it when interviewees can be their authentic selves, finally saw Leren be relaxed, natural and speak with a twinkle in her eye. Perhaps it’s better if she uses an interpreter in MU or if she answers the final Q&A in Filipino.
Out of everyone, Aberasturi and Cuaton were the only ones to maintain eye contact with the camera, end their statements with confident smiles, and speak with like beauty queens. Abello and Vincent did okay. Korinihona completes my top 5 in this round.
wow…napaka relax, natural and spontaneous magsalita ni Miss Cebu City…Go Beatrice for the crown.