Miss U Philippines is happening this October says MUPh org
Yesterday at 4 pm, the most pressing questions about this year’s Miss Universe Philippines were answered in the Miss Universe Philippines Facebook page.
Questions from some members of the print media and blogging community were sent and one of the responders was the current Miss Universe Philippines National Director, Shamcey Supsup-Lee.
In a post-COVID-19 scenario, the chances of beauty pageants taking the backseat in favour of more important human concerns are very high, if not guaranteed.
How is the organization preparing for this?
“The wonderful thing about Miss Universe-Philippines (MUPh) is that it is not just a beauty pageant- it is a platform for women to develop authenticity and purpose, and to act through empowerment and influence.
“Now more than ever, a post-COVID-19, our contenders need to channel the phenomenal woman in them and inspire others to do the same. The best preparation was to build a program that is more than a pageant. We assure everyone that there will be adjustments in the way the pageant program will be delivered and that MUPH will be tweaking it to remain sensitive to the “new normal.”
They say that pageants should not be held this year because of the Coronavirus crisis. What are Shamcey’s thoughts about it?
“I agree that we should not hold pageants in the same way we held them in the past. Rather than just focusing on what we can’t or shouldn’t do amidst the crisis, MUPh is devoting time and resources to understand its role in responding to this public health crisis.”
The Miss Universe Philippines (MUPh) was supposed to stage MUPh’s very first coronation ceremonies last May 4, then was moved to June 14 when the government imposed the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) measures in different parts of the country in March.
But since Metro Manila’s ECQ was already extended twice, with a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) expected after May 15, the MUPh organization decided to push the coronation of its winner to a much later date; the pageant will be held in October 2020.
With the USA being the worst-hit country by Coronavirus, how much will it affect the plans of the US-based Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and, consequently, MUPh?
“We can expect that COVID-19 will impact all US corporates including MUO. We are confident in MUO’s operational resilience and in its ability to remain relevant both domestically and internationally.
“We are in touch with them and are regularly updated as and when there are changes in their strategic direction. While MUPh aligns itself closely with MUO, it is developing its own thoughtful response to the pandemic- always having the contenders and causes as the topmost priorities,” Shamcey said.
Presently, there are 51 candidates from the original 52 (back in February) and MUPh officials said there have been no “backing out” from any of the current contenders.
One of them will be crowned 2020 Miss Universe Philippines and will represent the country in the 2020 Miss Universe pageant, which has yet to announce its date and venue.
This is the first stand-alone pageant for the Philippines’ official delegate to the Miss Universe pageant. Since 1964, the Binibining Pilipinas organization has been sending the country’s delegate to the international pageant.
Shamcey was 2011 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe and eventually won third runner-up in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.
The reigning Miss Universe-Philippines is Gazini Ganados who finished in the Top 20 in the international competition held in the US December of last year.
