Not just Universe, World: 4 Filipinas looking to bring home crowns before yearend

MANILA — Owing to their rich history and international reach, Miss Universe and Miss World have become anticipated annual events among Filipino pageant fans.

They’re considered among the big four pageants in the world, alongside Miss Earth and Miss International. The latter two held their respective 2019 competition in October and November.

Miss Universe and Miss World are crowning new queens in the coming weeks.

Along with Miss International and Miss Universe, the national pageant Binibining Pilipinas sent representatives to Miss Grand International and Miss Globe in October. (Miss Earth and Miss World have separate organizations.)

Here’s how the Philippines fared in those international pageants that have been held so far in 2019:

• Miss International: Bea Patricia Magtanong (Top 8)
• Miss Earth: Janelle Tee (Top 20)
• Miss Globe: Leren Mae Bautista (2nd runner-up)
• Miss Grand International: Samantha Lo (Unplaced)

In December alone, four international pageants will be held within days of each other. Aside from Miss Universe and Miss World, Miss Intercontinental and Miss Supranational will have welcome new reigns before the New Year.

Here’s the scheduled coronation of each pageant:

• 68th Miss Universe: December 8 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• 69th Miss World: December 14 in London, United Kingdom
• 48th Miss Intercontinental: December 20 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
• 11th Miss Supranational: December 6 in Katowice, Silesia, Poland

For Miss Universe, Gazini Ganados is hoping to succeed her compatriot, reigning queen Catriona Gray, to become the 5th Filipina titlist of the pageant. If she manages the feat, the Philippines will become only the second country to do so, after the 2008-2009 wins of Venezuela.

Actress Michelle Dee, meanwhile, is eyeing the Miss World title with her advocacy of autism awareness. The pageant, which champions “beauty with a purpose,” last crowned a Filipina in 2013 — Megan Young.

Miss Intercontinental and Miss Supranational will have representatives from the same Binibining Pilipinas batch as Ganados. (Both are locally franchised by the Stella Marquez-Araneta group.)

Emma Tiglao, like Ganados, is hoping for a consecutive win for the Philippines in Miss Intercontinental, after the 2018 reign of compatriot Karen Gallman. Resham Saeed, on the other hand, aims to replicate the 2013 success of fellow Filipina, Mutya Datul, as the Miss Supranational queen.