What went wrong with 2024 Miss Universe, PH bet Chelsea Manalo?

Sourgraping apparently has no place in Chelsea Manalo’s heart if we are to believe her silence but not her smiles.

Chelsea’s confidence during the 2024 Miss Universe in Mexico City was contagious that every Filipino was proud and confident of her fight although she lost it.

She was sure of herself, though, despite her color, atypical of a Filipina representing an international beauty contest, unlike past reps with mestiza features or fair-skinned.

To her surprise, Manalo was awarded the special prize Miss Universe Asia.

According to Chelsea, Chelsea Anne Manalo in real life, she was indeed surprised by the award which was given for the first time.

Impressions and interpretations worked either way, missing or hitting the real essence of what beauty is all about in the context of an international pageant.

The 2024 Miss U in Mexico City was another attempt to embrace many Asian hopefuls in the semi-final round which was equivalent to the Top 30 contestants in the prelims.

They included Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, India, and Macau (interestingly, an autonomous province of Chinese Mainland).

Considering that Macau has joined the search just recently, it was a feat in itself.

In the Top 12 aspirants, it was only Thailand from the Southeast Asian region who made it.

In the final round, no Asian finalist was chosen.

In the first phase of the competition and the general mood of the race, there were candidates from other Asian countries which were not traditionally or intermittently represented in the past like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, among others.

We, the Filipinos, cannot be outdone.

The Philippines is indeed gaga over beauty contests, local and international, especially Miss U, as we haven’t missed any edition since 1962.

Noticeably, since the inception of Miss U, Latin American beauties were mostly always its favorites in the Top 5.

One netizen has pointed out, though, that year in, year out, most of the finalists are mostly from the same continent, say, South America which is so true.

We have to admit, though, that most of the Latinas entered in Miss U are beauty queen materials.

With a Filipino judge in the contest, international fashion designer Michael Cinco was bashed by some netizens who said that he might have just given Chelsea a five-point mark—pun intended for his Hispanic family name which means five.

Cinco might have his own reasons in voting for his choices but not necessarily blinded by a hometown decision if ever he gave Manalo a high or even a low score.

Truly, Michael gave a high grade to his countryman.

What surprised many was the decision of Miss Universe Organization (MUO) to give the continental queen awards like Miss Universe Asia, Americas, Oceana and Middle East.

Chelsea bagged the Asian continent queenship while the other winners of the

continental queens equally distributed are Tatiana Calmell of Peru who represented the Americas,

Chidimma Adetsina of Nigeria who represented Africa and Oceana and Matilda Wirtavuori of Finland who represented Europe and the Middle East.

Netizens and Filipino entertainment journalists Art Tapalla and Dave Rojo jeered over the special award.

“Pampalubag-loob (Consoling prize),” blurted Art and Dave.

It must have been the Asian tradition in the mindset of Anne Jakrajutatip, the transgender Thai owner of Miss U.

Pleasing everybody?

***

The nth summers of poet laureate Epitacio Tongohan (also known as Doc PenPen and Bugtong Takipsilim) was indeed resounding.

What with the presence of fellow poet laureates Joe Lad Santos, former Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), erstwhile Chair of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), ex-Famas prexy, longtime editor of the defunct Pilipino Reporter, a reliable, human interest and current events magazine and an award-winning poet; Ed Cordevilla, a poet and a newspaperman; actor and tenor Dio Marco and a host of other wordsmiths.

Held atop a hill in Lanai Restaurant in Sampalok, Tanay, Rizal, Mayor Lito Tanjuatco and some members of his Sangguniang Bayan council were around during the affair.

It was the municipal council which resolved that Tongohan be nominated as National Artist for Literature.

Will B Takipsilim be proclaimed the prestigious title?   

Let’s wait and see.