It’s no secret by now that Miss Universe 2012 1st Runner-Up Janine Tugonon will be coming home to the Philippines. The last time she visited was back in 2018. And according to the IG account of Aces & Queens, she will be watching the finals of the national pageant in person. Well, it doesn’t take a genius to conclude that she will possibly be one of the judges because there are no spectators allowed in the event except for the candidates, the organization, the production team, the judges and perhaps, a small representation from the host city. So where does she classify among those groups?
Anyway, I would really love to see an all-Filipina lineup of phenomenal judges for the finals – namely, Venus Raj, Janine Tugonon, Ara Arida, Maxine Medina and Pia Wurtzbach as Chairman of the Board. And why don’t we include National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee for good measure? It will even be a show of unity if Bianca Manalo, MJ Lastimosa and Rachel Peters are to be invited. But I guess that would be asking too much.
What do you think, dear readers?
Not a bad time for Miss World and Miss International, for sure. But For Miss Universe, it certainly was. Never was there a decade in the entire MU history that the Philippines neither placed nor grabbed a runner-up position. Name the decade, we have cited representatives – the 50s, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s and the 90s. For the uninitiated, Blesilda Ocampo was the first Miss Philippines who advanced to the semifinals when she made the Top 16 during the 1954 edition.
The organizers (including your blogger) kept the identity of the Grand National Callback aspirants under wraps before the big reveal yesterday afternoon at the SMX Convention Center in SM Aura. And as hoped for, the judges and members of the media were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the candidates who vied for the spots as Official Candidates. On the panel were Miss Grand International 2016 1st Runner-Up Nicole Cordoves, Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2009 Bianca Manalo, Bb. Pilipinas 2018 Top 15 Finisher Sandra Lemonon, Bb. Pilipinas 2018 Top 25 Finisher Sigrid Grace Flores, Bb. Pilipinas 2018 Official Candidate Sarah Margarette Joson, model Clint Bondad, Michelle Encarnacion of Belmere’, Domz Ramos of DR Swim, Randy Nolasco and Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr., Proprietornof Hannah’s Beach Resort & Convention Center. At the end of eliminations, the Top 20 Male and Top 20 Female placers were announced as this year’s Official Candidates, as follows, with their official numbers:
Six of the Miss Universe Philippines titleholders were gathered together during the Charity Fashion Gala at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino last Thursday night. From the photo above, they are (left to right): MJ Lastimosa (2014), Maxine Medina (2016), Ara Arida (2013), Bianca Manalo (2009), Shamcey Supsup (2011) and Venus Raj (2010). If only Janine Tugonon (2012) was here in Manila, the ensemble would have been complete. 
Thanks to Sein Gonatice for the topmost and upper left photos.
Last night at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort and Casino, the Miss Universe Charity Fashion Gala was held in cooperation with Frontrow Cares and Hope for Change Foundation. Our visiting Miss Universe titleholders Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and Iris Mittenaere – along with our very own Pia Wurtzbach walked the runway for a good cause. Wearing creations by our top designers like Francis Libiran and Rajo Laurel, they were joined by the Miss Universe 2017 national winners who also displayed their taste and elegance in gowns made by the likes of Mark Bumgarner, Frederick Peralta, Edwin Uy, Val Taguba, Rocky Gathercole, Cherry Samuya Veric, Ofelia Simpao and more.
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