Miss Philippines
Watch the most beautiful day in the universe via satellite on ABS-CBN today at 10 a.m. as 88 beautiful women from different countries vie for the Miss Universe crown in Doral-Miami, Florida.
Will the Philippines’ bet Mary Jean “MJ” Lastimosa take home the coveted title? Since 2010, the Philippines has placed strongly in the pageant and has been consistently part of the top five with Venus Raj finishing 4th runner-up that year, Shamcey Supsup and Ariella Arida clinching 3rd runner-up in 2011 and 2013, and Janine Tugonon getting closest to the crown when she finished 1st runner-up to 2012 Miss Universe Olivia Culpo.
This year, Filipino fans are hopeful that MJ will end the 40-year drought for the crown and become the third Filipina Miss Universe in history being one of the crowd favorites in the competition. (Gloria Diaz won as the first Filipina Miss Universe in 1969 while Margie Moran took home the crown in 1973.)
Many pageant sites have predicted that MJ will make it to the top five.
Tom’s page of Miss Universe Mania (www.tpmum.com), a pageant website that has been posting predictions of Miss Universe since 1997, sees a first runner-up finish for MJ (his top pick is Miss Venezuela Migbelis Castellanos).
Tom says of MJ: “She has been very strong throughout the competition with a great body, hair, catwalk, good speaking ability and brains as she even has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering. Her gown is also very strong.”
Missology.org is on the same page, predicting that MJ will be in second place. (The site is predicting a win for Miss Colombia Paulina Vega).
The website states: “MJ is in the competition to win it. She is however a divisive figure: either you hate her or love her. To most, she has a divine body figure but some say she looks rather short. There is no question though that when it comes to her catwalk, she is topnotch. She is by the far the most superior among the 88 contestants when it comes to the runway and she will nail way higher scores when finals night comes.”
The 27-year-old beauty from South Cotabato was also well received during the preliminary judging, especially during the evening gown segment where she showed elegance and fine form in a white serpentine gown and during the swimsuit competition when she wowed everyone with her confident smile and toned body.
In the end, MJ’s fate lies in the hands of the panel of judges composed of Kristin Cavallari, Lisa Vanderpump, Louise Roe, William Levy, and the Philippines’ very own boxing champ Manny Pacquiao.
The pageant will be held at the FIU Arena to be hosted by “Today’s” Natalie Morales and MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts. International recording artist Nick Jonas and breakthrough Latin superstar Prince Royce are also slated to perform.
Don’t miss the via satellite telecast of the 63rd Annual Miss Universe pageant, 10 a.m. on ABS-CBN. Lifestyle Network will also air the show on cable television at 9 a.m. (with PR from ABS-CBN)
