Before anything else, allow me to share the video of GMA News/24 Oras Weekend aired last night where Cata Tibayan included parts of her interview with your blogger about the performance of Miss Universe Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez during the 70th Miss Universe Preliminary Competition.
It always warms my heart whenever TV Networks would invite me for a Zoom interview to talk about beauty pageants. And the appearance above is just one of them. Come Monday, I will also take part in the morning show of Amy Perez via the Kapamilya Online Live platform followed by the news broadcast of Pinky Webb on CNN Philippines. Last Thursday, I was already interviewed on Star FM and today, there will be another one for Bombo Radyo.
Now to the business at hand. I will keep it simple and (almost) straightforward.
I made photo grids of my Final Predictions for Miss Universe where I ranked my choices from 1st to 18th. I know that only the Top 16 will be called, but indulge me with two (2) extra picks for this one.
If you will notice the third grid below, I indicated Miss Vietnam as the winner of the Fan Votes. But truth be told, she can easily make it to the Top 15 without the help of her countrymen’s votes. As for Miss Israel, I included her – not only because of having the distinct advantage of being the host delegate but – because she just might have done enough to score decently on the judges to make it through. Hence, she is part of my two (2) extra picks along with Miss Canada.
Miss Paraguay, Nadia Ferreira, is my choice to win the 70th Miss Universe. And she is joined in my Top 5 by Luiseth Materan of Venezuela, Harnaaz Sandhu of India, Sarah Loinaz of Spain and Beatrice Luigi Gomez of the Philippines.
The combo above can get easily altered depending on how their performances during the Finals will register on the judges. Michelle Colon of Puerto Rico, Valeria Ayos of Colombia and even Elle Smith of the US are the most probable spoilers to my quintet. And I wouldn’t be surprised.
But going down the line further, I can see Clemence Botino of France and Kedist Deltour of Belgium as likely members of the Top 10. That is, if Juri Watanabe of Japan or Kim Duyen Nguyen Huynh of Vietnam will not jump the gun on them.
Let’s see how this forecast will compare to the actual results.
As to why I picked Nadia Ferreira of Paraguay, I have three reasons:
1) I love seeing a country winning Miss Universe for the very first time. It is high time for this South American country to get the honor. And their best placements were (only) runner-up finishes that happened last 2004 and 2006.
2) Nadia can be a breath of fresh air compared to the usual Latinas dominating the pageant. And Telemundo would still be happy seeing a Paraguayan taking it all the way to #1 for a change. Her back story is also inspiring.
3) She could possibly bring a more cosmopolitan tweak to the brand. A veteran of many big fashion shows around the world, she can fulfill the social media requirements of the job to the fullest, while serving the limelight-hugging charities and causes of MUO with renewed excitement. Zozibini Tunzi and Andrea Meza did okay, in my opinion. But Nadia can bring some semblance of the pre-pandemic glitz and glory always associated with the crown.
And so that ends my assessment for the 70th Miss Universe. Let us hope that the best lady wins in Eilat!
normannorman.com 
Fatima Kate Bisan* of Malungon, Sarangani bears semblance to Luiseth Materan in the photo. 🙂
My Top 16 Final Prediction:
India
Puerto Rico
Philippines
Paraguay
USA
Colombia
France
Vietnam
Venezuela
South Africa
Brazil
Kenya
Belgium
Spain
Costa Rica
Japan
Spoilers:
Canada
Panama
Argentina
Thailand
Namibia
Mexico
Israel
Dominican Republic
This year is a very strong batch of girls.
Belize for the win… sure win!
I’d love to see these ladies penetrate the semis tonight:
Belgium ♥️
Brazil
Colombia
Czech Republic
France
Great Britain
India
Japan
Namibia
Paraguay
Puerto Rico
Poland
USA
Vietnam
Less than 3 hours to go 🥳
Hoping the best for Philippines!
Gurl gumamit ka ba ng magnifying glass?
My top 6 are : Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Belgium, USA, India, and Philippines. Anybody of them could be the 2021 MU
Correction: any of them could be the next MU
USA
I believe Bea will make it to the semifinals, and for me, it’s all that matters. We can’t always get what we want. As for the crown, based on the preliminary performances, it’ll be between Paraguay and India; with the former having more leverage, I think.
In the past few years I have learned to be very objective in my choices. Catriona’s win was the most predictable but since that edition I may not have picked the winner, but has 3 of the Top 5 in my list. I have previously only shared this with my family but with much reluctance (getting jinx) I am sharing my list to the public. This edition has been the most difficult to predict but here goes nothing: In random order: Puerto Rico, Spain, India, USA, Paraguay. Yes I have a sixth, been scratching my head because it is hard to exclude Panama. Let’s see if my streak continues.
Magdasal dasal na ang MUPH just incase unplace tayo. I feel like whoever the unlucky girl to break our semifinal streak is going to get bullied to death.
Bea, I hope you’re not the one. Your performance was not 100%. I wish that it was enough and the judges appreciated the simplicity and the low key presentation.
I’d like to see the fierce Luigi with that expressive eyes that are on hunting mission for the crown tonight.
I hope the following ladies make the Top 16 tomorrow:
Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, India, Japan, Kenya, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, USA, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
I pray for Miss Thailand or Miss Paraguay to take the crown.
Ing bilat!!!!!
Puerto Rico is my Miss Universe 2021! Yung shoulder shake nya habang nag twirl is Iconic!
Bahala na si India, Paraguay, France at USA mag away away sa RU positions.
#AllTeaNoShade
Belgium ang pinakaaabangan ko sa lahat
Go go go Bea! Laban lang! We love you! We are here supporting you always!
I agree with this choice. Or pwede India then Paraguay. According to Scorg dapat daw Philippines because of social media babad daw pinoy. Lol eh ano naman kung babad majority of pinoys use prepaid load or even use free data to browse Facebook. It’s not all that.
I still believe that Bea will make it to top 15 with her performance. She may not have serve face during prelim but that smile and her skill makes her glow in the MU stage. A new take from the killer looks our reps has in the past years. Bea is still true to her strategy of going low profile but performs well, a silent killer indeed. In addition, I think Bea enjoyed the prelims or the whole pageant experience which is a good sign that she is not affected by the chaos happening in social media. Bea, just continue what you believe in and what you think is right for your journey and we will always be here to support you.
PS. I’m happy that she decided not to hide her tattoos which is in a way shows her authenticity.
These are my TOP16 bets for Miss Universe 2021:
1. PUERTO RICO
2. COLOMBIA
3. PARAGUAY
4. INDIA
5. BELGIUM
6. FRANCE
7. CHILE
8. PHILIPPINES
9. SPAIN
10. SOUTH AFRICA
11. VIETNAM
12. PANAMA
13. VENEZUELA
14. COSTA RICA
15. ECUADOR
16. NEPAL
The Miss Universe crown is on Miss Paraguay to lose. Nadia Ferreira’s swimsuit and evening gown performances were solid as if she cemented her luck as the next MU winner. Most of her videos also show she enjoys her journey in the pageant and that she is authentic at that. Also, her beauty is something that would help boost the brand because she is likeable and engaging, thus modeling invitations would not be impossible for her.
I agree with Tito Norm’s Top 6. But, I fear Miss Japan would rock the list considering the elegance Ms. Watanabe showcased during the preliminaries. Miss Great Britain might also pull a surprise in the Top 16. What about Honduras? Her evening gown presentation, for me, was the winner. I really loved the gold ensemble in all her glory, including the headpiece. That was perfect.
Good luck, Beatrice Luigi Gomez. I can feel your being a fighter within. Win or lose, you make us proud as you raise our Philippine flag mighty high.
That’s all.
I also like that miss Paraguay doesn’t look or feel like the typical robotic latina beauty queens. Example Paulina Vega Gabriela isler. Yes she’s gorgeous but there’s something about her that is not diva like.
Nadia’s facial beauty is asymmetrical. Her nose is the culprit kasi may pagkaikli ito. But, her total look is very pleasing. She is somebody who can light a room whenever she enters. At may tindig talaga s’ya.
I’d give it to Paraguay. If ever, it’s gonna be their first ever Miss Universe crown. I am pretty sure, bongga ang homecoming ni bakla sa kanyang bansa.
That’s all.
I agree that Honduras can be a spoiler here. while her swimsuit round was okay, she wowed the audience with her evening gown to showcase her origin and it was elegant.
I like Costa Rica and Portugal as they looked regal. I like GHana and Nigeria evening gown segment. I felt that they were among those statusque African reps that I missed seeing like 1998 MU Trinidad and Tobago and 2000 MW Nigeria, dont you think?
I am crossing my fingers that Israel and Canada makes the cut too.
Ooh and I was surprised by The Bahamas evening wear performance that reminded me of actress Angela Bassett, agree?
Consider this staggering market statistics: in 2021, the Philippines has the highest social media usage rate in the world and its internet use is 60% higher than the average, at 11 hours a day! And it’s been that way for the past few years. On social media, Filipinos spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes every day. In this pandemic-battered world, where most economic activities take place in the internet, business survival now almost wholly depends on how fast an organization can change its business model and tap the huge online market. What does this tell us about pageantry organizations currently experiencing liquidity and solvency challenges? A surefire crises management strategy is to be close to its market. Corporate sponsors partner with pageant organizations based on the congruence of their respective brands’ messaging to the same market base. If I were part of the selection committee to choose the next brand ambassador of MU or MW, my criteria in this edition would be bankability. Crisis situations call for pragmatism. Glitz and glamour could wait when normalcy comes back.
This makes perfect sense
This makes perfect sense
Kahit scorg hindi talaga deserve manalo? Ay papanalunin parin because of money? Is that what you’re tryna convey??? Imagine this. Gabriela Isler won in 2013 when Venezuela was in the start of it’s on going crisis. I don’t think dahil sa mga ganyang factors kahit di deserve ay papanalunin parin. And to your statement, if that’s the case then India is the perfect winner. They are the biggest online market in the world. And just to add info, the main sponsor of the miss diva India contest is the Indian billionaire and conglomerate Birla Group. I don’t think any Filipino company could match India’s massive population and economy ( and its gigantic Bollywood industry). Miss India is also an actress already.
My choices based on the prelims alone:
India
Belgium
Paraguay
USA
Colombia
Puerto Rico
Costa Rica
Venezuela
Philippines
Chile
Spain
Croatia
Israel
Morocco
Vietnam
Namibia
South Africa
Turkey
Finland
Of course, the final performances will come into play where my first two tiers may change.
Miss USA – Miss Universe 2021
1st Runner Up – Paraguay
2nd Runner Up – Philippines
3rd Runner Up – India
4rth Runner Up – Canada
Notable unplaced candidates:
Thailand
Venezuela
Israel
The mission now of Shamcey & friends , when Bea is called as a semifinalist in less than 12 hours , is to realize that this is will be a great start of a new decade and that they have to sustain this for the rest of this decade just like what Madame did during the last decade. If Shamcey & friends can accomplish this feat, then they are the rightful heirs to the Pinas powerhouse enterprise.
Chaka nga management nila kay Rabiya and Bea eh. Again, be realistic. I am not against the girls. They both have potential. When they present na sa MU, downgrade from their MUP stint which should not be the case. Yes. The org is to be blamed.
I was thinking Tracy should join MUP nx year pero 28 na pala sya. Sayang😊
I-cancel na po ang pagpaparlor tomorrow.
Malamang mainit ang mga ulo ng mga parlor sisterettes bukas.
Winner: Adriana Lima (Brazil)
1st Ru : Adamari Lopez (Puerto Rico)
2nd Ru: Lori Harvey (USA)
Almost there: Urvashi Rautela (India) &
Marian Rivera (Philippines)
Hehe! Char!
************×*************
TOP5
MU2021: Elle Smith (USA)
1st Ru: Harnaaz Sandhu (India)
2nd Ru: Clémence Botino (France)
3rd Ru: Beatrice Luigi Gomez (Philippines)
4th Ru: Michelle Colon (Puerto Rico)
Bud you wanna bet😉.. Miss Universe is BELGIUM… Paraguay is 1st runner up… Philippines is second …Spain third and fourth is India.
paraguay lacks mass appeal… my choice is bea..
WillYam, I am actually having butterflies in my stomach thinking Bea will pull off something of a surprise in the finals, and poof PH gets its 5th crown.
What kind of surprise would change the minds of the judges and the org if she is not the most favored candidate?
If indeed she isn’t, then the only thing a surprise can do is to better her placement.
If she is, then that will probably seal the deal.
I’m managing my expectations and looking at what Bea is up against. This batch is no 2018.
Nonetheless, I will cheer for our girl until the end! 🇵🇭 ❤️
i think Coatia is a contender..
I don’t know why the latina pageant boards, and a few non-latina pageant fans, are hyping a couple of overlooked delegates, Argentina and Bolivia … they are not bad but I am not impressed much
To me, the most overlooked Latina delegate who was a pleasant surprise during prelims is Costa Rica ! I won’t be surprised if she makes top 16 , .. I won’t be surprised if she is in and Colombia is out
I kinda like Argentina, Cayman Islands and Singapore. 😍 In an alternate universe (pun intended), I dream that lesser-known/non-powerhouse countries take three to four of the 20 semifinalist spots. Good day! 🙂
Wishing the best of luck to Bea! While some say she’s too timid and reserved, I like her quiet confidence. We don’t need to base a candidate’s strength on how outgoing or flamboyant she is. I think Bea has the focus and the presence to do well. It’s been said about her by her fellow MUP candidates—she has a strong aura.
I have a feeling Belgium may go all the way to the end. India, Puerto Rico, and Paraguay are obvious contenders. Same with France and USA. I also think Vietnam will deliver another strong performance this year.
Remove the Bias, Sash Factor and Fan Base. Natural beauties will prevail tomorrow, not beauty with a huge fan base.
Ireland, Czech Rep for example
Agree!
Correct! breath of fresh air kung si Paraguay ang mananalo!
Basta makuha ni Bea yung 2nd runner up spot masaya na ko!
If Bea will perform excellently in the finals mukang makukuha nya yung crown. It’s just my hunch ,Belo just texted me last week na may ibang auran na nakita sila sa kanya .
My top 5 are: Paraguay, Belgium, India, USA and Colombia.
Unless Bea really goes for the kill tomorrow, the highest placement I can give her is top 10. She NEEDS to make her presence known. Get it, girl.
Thailand should not make it. Japan should but she isn’t polished. Puerto Rico to me is overhyped. She looks tuyo na same with Colombia but she’s a total performer.
I’m betting on Another African country to make it. I forgot her name but she’s tall with short hair.
The issue with the Latinas is that they are all looking very similar this year with the exception of Paraguay.
Ms. Namibia
India , PR , Usa, Paraguay, Spain and top 5. Wag ng ipilit si Bea. She’s a great person but she too low key to be the winner . They want charisma , presence and charm . Sadly Bea lacks those compared to 10 -15 other girls . My fear is Thailand will get into top 10 , sneak into top 5 and give the best answer . I like Ang Chili but performance wise she shouldn’t win MU .
France is a contender for the crown but if she wins, then I think it will give rise to a lot of controversy … such as unfairness to the other delegates who participated in all the pre-pageant acivities , or that she has had so much rest and relaxation that it becomes an advantage to her being quarantined for about two weeks … and you may think of other issues … I hope a new country wins this year ( my hope every year actually but if it is a repeat winner, I would like no other country than Pinas’ 5th MU)
my vote:
Miss Universe: Paraguay
2nd place: India
3rd place: Spain
4th place: Philippines
5th place: Puerto Rico
Considering the selection committee, it will be a Latina-Asian bloodbath.
Upper Tier: Colombia, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, India and USA
Top 10: Philippines, Chile, Belgium, Spain and Vietnam
Rest of top 16: Mexico, Vietnam, Israel, France, South Africa and Czech Republic
As much as I want to have a higher placement for PH like I did last edition, I just cant. Likes of Paraguay, India and even Colombia might constitute the Final 3.
Seeing PH in top 5 together with her counterpart in Miss world will be an event worth celebrating.
It might still be a moment for Latinas for this year so I wlll choose Paraguay, 2nd spot for India then Colombia. Another scenario will be India then Paraguay. Godbless Bea. Make Momma proud.
Kung Ganda lang, it’s Paraguay. Kung Ganda at talino, it’s India then Paraguay. Kung average lang at puede, it’s Philippines. We need a lot of prayers for Bea to win. May laban c Bea.
Itong c Urvashi parang member na ng chipmunks 🐿️
At hindi c Pia Ang kanyang favorite actress 🤭magaling talagang. Actress c Urvashi.
Minus points Ang palakpak ni Marian Kay Bea as judge. It’s either matuwa Ang katabi nyang judge or maimbyerna😆
Baka may biglang susulpot na winner during coronation night na Di natin alam😊
I’m happy with Bea. Kinalimutan ko na c KD hihihihi 😊
Did you see how Urvashi clapped for Ms. India? Parehas lang. For me, wala namang kaso kung magpapakita ng ganung suporta si Marian.
The blogger’s juicy thoughts about this year’s MU make me more excited to know who’s the ONE. But for me, I foresee that the Philippines and USA are 2 candidates who will battle for the crown.
seeing india and paraguay as the last 2 standing would be the climax of this edition. i am fine with either of them winning the crown. but if i were to pick one, it will be india,
I wholeheartedly agree with Paraguay taking the 70th MU crown.
There is nothing not to like about Nadia. And it will be a whole nation rejoicing when they see first of their own crowned Miss Universe.
Bea is a phenomenal candidate, but I’m happy seeing PH back to the top 10.
Sir Norm, you also put Rabiya on your top 5 last year. I’m not keeping records but we tend to hope for a better placement for our candidate.
We don’t have to win every couple of years like Venezuela in the past decades, what’s important is we send the best Filipina to represent us in the competition each year.
So kudos to Bea, MUPH, AnQ and the rest of her team!
I predict MISS USA will win this.
As cynical as this may sound, this feels like an Olivia Culpo moment.
I suspect Japan to be/will be a spoiler. Rooting for Spain and The Philippines. Fantasy with a smile result would be Philippines and USA as the last two standing and this time, The Philippines wins! 😁. However, with Telemundo as the primary financial backer, I suspect, like last year, latinas will compose most of the finalists with each cut. That said, they are deserving but I would hate being a judge because many countries sent high caliber representatives, it really is a tough call. Good luck to all!!!
My top 5/10 prediction
India
Paraguay
Philippines
Belgium
Japan
Chile
Venezuela
USA
Vietnam
Puerto Rico
NICE… I would love it if it came into fruition!!!
With uncertainties about normalcy in 2022 still lurking in the horizon, would MU look for someone to provide the pre-pandemic glitz and glamour to the crown? We saw how the past two winners became “frozen delights” in their NY apartments, hardly doing official travels, fund-raisers, and other social appearances. I’d like to think it would look for someone ready and willing to roll up her sleeves, get her feet wet, and get involved with community programs in areas where confidence about the future has been eroded by the pandemic.
It is in crisis times like this that leading pageantry organizations could, and should, sharpen their brand message of women empowerment. Otherwise, their taglines of “Confidently beautiful” and “Beauty with a purpose” are nothing but empty slogans.
@ scorg To ‘roll (her) sleeves up, get feet wet,…’ will be Destiny Wagner’s… destiny.
Uncle already said so – what MUO needs at this time is some of that bling back. Community programs-wise, MUO just chugs along with its usual partner-beneficiaries (such as Smile Train) & there seems no indication of anything new in the short term along this line. In other words, they require someone even more commercial than Andrea Meza, hence the Paraguayan TikTok-er.
You’re in Marketing. Do tell us how strongly TikTok can move world commerce; hopefully, a thread.
Surprise! No Thailand. No body positivity narrative in this Final Prediction.
(Wala ring Brazil. Apparently, Uncle prefers Canada to satisfy the blonde fixation Pinoy/as have.)
(Cont.)
I get it now! 🙂
NADIA FERREIRA IS (in Pino/ays’ eyes) THE LATINA (STEFFI) ABERASTURI. SAME VIBE.
@Flor, if MU is looking for someone “more commercial” than Andrea Meza, and in the context that global economic activities are almost wholly e-commerce, who could be more bankable than someone from the social media capital of the world! In 2021, the Philippines has the highest social media usage rate in the world and its internet use is 60% higher than the average, at 11 hours a day! And it’s been that way for the past few years. On social media, Filipinos spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes every day. If these pageantry giants really want a sustainable business, they need not look far for the world’s broadest market base.
@ scorg But between Nadia & Bea, the former is the more universal in appeal. If Paraguay wins, Pino/ays will not mind… It seems to be the safe choice at the moment. Let the judges be the one to pull the surprise, if any!
We know that TELEMUNDO has at least one more year as broadcaster to Latin America of MU. If a Latina does not win tomorrow, probably next year – still in Nepal? – it will be a given. Tambien, here & now is one that they can safely/easily justify, as Uncle steers towards, above.
I am trying to not fall for Nadia’s bandwagon, to be honest. But if she can deliver on expectations ’til the end & galvanize people’s trust in the MU brand, then I’m toast. It’s not her fault. 🙂
But to Bea’s credit, we can say overall MUP’s run is muy muy better than last year’s. All the best!
Bud you wanna bet😉.. Miss Universe is BELGIUM… Paraguay is 1st runner up… Philippines is second …Paraguay third and fourth is India.
Interested to know the actual top 5 you have in mind. You have two Paraguays in the list. I’m sure either 1st RU or 3RU is for some other country.
If the top 3 ends up as Philippines, India, Paraguay, then I want only two scenarios for Bea:
Either she is the winner OR she is the second runner up
I don’t want Bea to be another Miriam Quiambao
If Bea is not the winner, then my preferred winner is Paraguay … and Paraguay & India as the last two standing proves that this is really a pageant of Beauty ! unlike MW