Cebu: Living in a country that takes pride in its beauty, I had always enjoyed watching the Miss Universe pageant. I know that many other Filipinos share the same sentiment.
One of the most memorable was the 1994 pageant hosted by the Philippines. I still can vividly remember many highlights of the 43rd Miss Universe pageant, including the winner, India’s Sushmita Sen.
But the most memorable one for me was the question and answer portion when Philippine contestant Charlene Gonzalez was asked by the host how many islands there are in the Philippines. Her reply: “High tide or low tide?”
The Philippines is home to 7,107 beautiful islands, some of which are so small they disappear when the tide is high.
Hosting global events such as the Miss Universe therefore serves as an opportunity to showcase the many other facets of the country as revealed by the distinct character and colours of the different islands, wrapped in the world-renowned warm hospitality and helpful nature of the people.
Fast forward to 23 years since it last hosted the pageant, the Philippines will once again host the Miss Universe. The 65th edition of the pageant will be held on January 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.
The reigning Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines will crown her successor, and of course, the entire country is collectively hoping for a back-to-back victory.
Interestingly, this will be the second time in the history of the competition that the pageant will skip the entire year, following the 2014 pageant, which was held in January 2015. The Philippines first hosted the Miss Universe in 1974, which was also the first time for the competition to be held in Asia.
Controversial American presenter Steve Harvey will again host the Miss Universe coronation night together with American model Ashley Graham, who will serve as the backstage host.
In a statement, the Secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism, Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo, said that alongside the main pageant, ancillary events will be held, which will have no effect on the contestants' total pageant score.
The contestants are scheduled to participate in fashion shows in Davao, Cebu and Vigan. Each venue will have a theme: Mindanao fabric in Davao, beachwear for the Cebu stopover at Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark, and terno (a formal Filipina attire with butterfly sleeves) in Vigan. The candidates will be divided into groups that will be sent to different events in Albay, Bicol and Baguio.
Gulf News will give you a glimpse of the different activities of Miss Universe leading to the coronation night on January 30. Watch this space.
