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MANILA -- For Jonas Gaffud, winning Miss Universe Philippines is not about being a fresh face or pageant veteran.

In an exclusive interview with Manila Bulletin, the creative director of Miss Universe Philippines said their national competition is "an equal playing field for everyone."

Sharing what they are looking for in the country's next Miss Universe representative, the beauty queen maker said: "As long as she is committed, focused, beautiful, and with a good disposition in life.”

"Basta when she enters the room, siya na 'yun," he added. "She has that appeal. 'Yun dapat ang hinahanap natin."

While he acknowledged that pageant veterans and celebrities may seem to have an edge because "they know how to perform on stage," Gaffud said this is not the only factor being considered during the national competition.

"We can't do anything naman if someone will really shine, even if she's not a veteran. Now that we want Miss Universe Philippines to be staged earlier, we have more time to train the girls who will join, whoever will win, no matter if she is new or a veteran. They have the same months of training and preparation naman," he said.

Gaffud went on to deny that they favor delegates sent by his former pageant camp, Aces and Queens, where titleholders Rabiya Mateo and Beatrice Gomez came from.

"I don’t have anything to do with Aces (and Queens), and what they do. I have so many things on my plate that I don't even have time to think of the things they are doing -- na mga trainings and all, who their girls are," he explained.

"Looking at us in Miss Universe Philippines, we're very fair. We have SGV, we have judges. Our main concern is to have a very good show, the girls are well taken care of, we feed everybody well, and then the winners feel like they are really queens."

Miss Universe Philippines has extended its application deadline to February 22.

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