Our low-key ASEAN neighbors are starting to step up in its efforts to shine in international pageantry.
Take for example Manita Hang, a 23 year-old Khmer-French beauty who was just crowned Miss Universe Cambodia 2022 and will represent her country in the 71st edition of Miss Universe that should happen by year’s end. An Accounting & Finance graduate from the CamEd Business School in Phnom Penh, she speaks Khmer, English and French fluently. She stands somewhere between 5’5”-5’6”.
Watch her winning performance below.
Gorgeousness abounds in our part of the world. At the end of the day, preparations will spell the difference between winning and/or placing in Miss Universe. Is Cambodia ready for the big leagues?
normannorman.com 
Top 20 for me (sa ngayon). With the right training and a lot of luck, Top 5/10.
The female host’s voice, when she announced the winner sounded like she’s being….. and reached the…
If only she is taller than her real height 5′ 4″ she definitely have a big chance to bring home the crown.
PANDAK MAYBE TOP 70 FOR ME.
She is pretty. She has to improve her pasarela. Top 20 for me. Possibly top 10 but not top 5
Beautiful. Congratulations, MANI -TA HONG! Name pa lang, panalo na. Talbog si Ms. TAMPON. Char.
World Peace.
I can die Laughing with this my dear!!🤣😅😂😆
In case you are not aware, the Miss Universe Cambodia Organization franchise holder is a Filipino named Romyr Libo-on. You may want to research about his story featured on Rappler on how he initiated organizing the national pageant and consequently getting the MU franchise for Cambodia. Very interesting. I am sure mala-Jonas Gaffud ang hands-on training ni Romyr sa MU Cambodia.
Anyway, the MU Cambodia winner is gorgeous. Indeed, Romyr is doing his job well to pick the most deserving candidate to represent Cambodia in MU. Manita has a lot of potential to enter the semi-final round. Thus, this year’s MU edition will be a bloodbath between and among the goddesses. And if the pageant pushes through in Dominican Republic this year, then expect that the Latinas would work their butt off to dominate the Top 10.
I just hope na rigid ang magiging training ni Celeste para sure win s’ya sa MU. I have reservations on her knowledge about the Philippines, especially on its history, culture and national issues. Another thing, sana naman pagandahin pa ang katawan n’ya, especially sa core. I wish mala-Lala Guedes ang body n’ya by the time na sumabak na s’ya on MU stage.
Eto, wishful thinking lang naman, pero sana makuha ng MUP si Kelsey Merrit to represent the country in MU. I watched her recent appearance sa vlog ni Vice Ganda, ang ganda n’ya dun. Talagang MU ang datingan n’ya. She’s 5’7″ and turning 27 next year. So, pwede pa. Eh ano kung nag-model na s’ya sa VS, nakakataas pa rin ng market kapag maging MU or MUP ka, especially if she wants to penetrate local entertainment. Mamahalin s’ya ng Pinoy pageant fans. Dadami ang local engagements n’ya.
That’s all.
In the first place, ano ba’ng agency ni Kelsey? Kung IMG, they will know best what to do with her.
Also, isn’t Mercator the Philippines agent for her, for any jobs~assignments here?
Ang point ko lang is madali na lang kung wala’ng conflict… But tulad niyan, she’s 27 ta’s wala pa siya’ng residency & we are concerned for Celeste’s knowledge on the country gayo’ng at least the Filipina-Italian has spent time here… Kailan sisimulan ni Kelsey ang pagtira dito?
Sino ‘yun’g Runner-up sa MUSA 2020 na gusto ni Mr. Blogger na sumubok (din) sa MUP? Na Fil-Am? ARE THESE LADIES EVEN REMOTELY INTERESTED IN THEIR MOTHERS’ LAND? Kasi, sabi-sabi tayo na ‘sana si ganito, si ganu’n’. Fil-Am. Fil-Canadian. Fil-Australian. Fil-whatever… Tumulad muna sila kina MU 2015 & 2018, who can well speak for us. Until then, dream is dream.
@Grand Port. Kelsey was born and raised in the Philippines. She graduated from ADMU. She recently moved to US for some modelling assignments. Kelsey had a longer stay in the Philippines compared to Celeste. Kelsey is even fluent in Filipino language.
That’s good to know/hear. Pero medyo matagal na rin siya sa USA; I recall as far back as 2017, napag-uusapan na siya for her modelling there. It’s now 2022, 5 years since. I imagine she would be planning to return if we assume a standard contract of that duration. Pero the thing is, kung maayos ang takbo ng buhay niya du’n at naaalalayan siya’ng maigi ng agency niya, why risk at MUP/MU? Again, IMG ba siya to begin with?
Nu’ng 2020, was it Trinidad & Tobago or Jamaica who sent a SELECT model? How well did she place in Hollywood, Florida (Rabiya’s batch)?
Katrina Dimaranan is fluent in Filipino. Was silver medalist at Supranational 2018… Iniisip ko tuloy kung siya instead na si Jehza ang ‘Philippines’, would we have gotten crown #2? Inasmuch as many here preferred her to Bea Luigi, I REALLY doubt the MU 2021 judges would have placed her any higher than Lalela Mewane, kaya all things considered ‘Cebu City’ & her Top 5 feat was bravo!
My point.Kelsey & Katrina just come across too American for comfort.
And Celeste right now feels like Catriona as the Fil-Australian was learning the ropes & settling in to Pinoy rhythm. I’m completely cool with Celeste Cortesi – I’m CC with CC.
KELSEY’S MODELLING AGENCY IS THE SOCIETY , TOP MODELLING AGENCY IN THE WORLD…I DONT THINK SHE IS INTERESTED AND HER MODELLING AGENCY
Tulad niyan, ‘o. Kahit sabihin pa natin’g mag-talks between The Society at IMG to facilitate her participation at MU, SIYEMPRE ‘DI papayag ang agerncy niya with anything less than Final 3, otherwise why bother. Of course, goes without saying ‘pag may business interests na maaari’ng malagay sa alanganin (after all, these agencies may be catering to mutual competitor clients), sorry na lang.
Parang ‘yun’g mga nagsasabi noon na sumali si Janick Maceta sa ME. My gosh, twice Runner-up ‘yun’g tao (MU & MS). ‘Pag isinali niyo ‘yan, alangan naman’g hindi panalunin. Otherwise, forget it.
Wow she could pass as Megan Young’s twin but with short legs… She just needs to fix her wobly mess of a walk… And more practice on her Q&A skills.. Maybe she could be in the top 20.
She looks like KF trained.
P’re, refer to DanDan & Blogger’s reply/response to him (below).
Siyempre, kung ano rin lang din ma-pick up nila, ‘yun na rin ituturo nila.
KF’s training is like flying extremities everywhere. So that is just what I suppose. I don’t see that as a trademark of our neighbors kasi.
I am not sweating what I just noticed.
Manita Hang is a dead ringer for Megan Young. She will make headlines in the upcoming onslaught of Top 20 predictions. Will she duplicate Vietnam’s Top 5 finish at MU 2018? With that gorgeous face, stage presence and good communication skills, I think she and our Celeste Cortese have great chances of making the Final 5. And was that a Rian Fernandez gown? Great post, Norm!
she is a top contender .. so many competition for Celeste as of today …
Cambodia
Ukraine
Peru
Also awhile ago , … ,
Bhutan
Curacao
Albania
Kosovo
Colombia
Venezuela
It’s heating up … it is really heating up !
Ukraine (Viktoria) is gorgeous!
Cambodia is not so good in swimsuit presentation above …
Madame, you do not adore Batchelor (Guatemala), po?
Ivana is very beautiful too!
Beautiful girl with good comm skills. Need more swag and confidence in her presentation but the potential is there to place in the semis.
Madame Norms, do you know if Cambodia has ever sent any of their girls to Manila for training?
My understanding is that Cambodia would rather fly in their considered experts to train ladies.