It's the beauty contest season once again! Setting the bar in the contest, of course, is no other than the Miss Philippines Universe 2024 competition with over 50 stunning candidates.
Despite the rigorous activities and events prior to the final night, our beautiful ladies come together, maintain, and deepen their new-found friendship as the days go by.
On hand to assist them is Bingo Plus, one of the contest’s major sponsors, by providing them fun moments of overnight bonding, crazy photoshoot pictorials and just being themselves, and having light moments with select representatives of the media.
The recent fun event at Lima Park Hotel, hosted by Bingo Plus, allowed the power house cast of 53 delegates from different parts of the country and overseas Filipino communities, to know each other more by having more fun away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Pageant Veterans
Vying for the crown in this year’s national contest are accomplished and seasoned contenders with several rookies who are also deemed formidable.
Among the notable veterans are: Ms. International 2018 1st Runner-up Ahtisa Manalo from Quezon Province and her fellow Binibining Pilipinas alumnae Christi Lynn McGarry from Taguig City, Kris Tiffany Janson from Cebu, Stacey Gabriel from Cainta, Selena Antonio-Reyes from Pasig City, together with Victoria Velasquez Vincent from Bacoor City who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines-Charity in the 2021 contest.
The set of comeback queens also include Cyrille Payumo from Pampanga and Alexandra Mae Rosales from Laguna, who have also brought home international titles.
Joining them are national pageant newbies Alexie Mae Brooks from Iloilo City, Tarah Valencia from Baguio City, Rethiana Rosa from Camiguin, and Kayla Jean Carter from the Filipino community in Northern California. These girls have been noticed by pageant aficionados not only for their physical beauty but also because of their personal stories and advocacies.
And how do the candidates have fun?
“We support each other and enjoy each other’s company. Behind our preparation for the big night, we forged friendship and sisterhood which we intend to continue beyond the competition,” the girls said.
“We learn from each other, including the sad stories of our life. We support each other and empower one another. At the end of the day, we have ourselves to boost, especially that most of us are away from our homeland and families for the first time," said most of the newbies who admitted having found some big sisters in their batch.
“We work and play. Most of the time, the work feels like playing because of new found friendship and camaraderie that we have. We also help each other with makeup and hairstyle when needed. We have each other’s back,” they said.
Indeed, Bingo Plus made sure that the girls were taken cared of with lavish accommodation and fed and nourished with the goodness that Lipa, Batangas, is known for – a generous meal of sinaing (tulingan fish steamed with dried kamias), lots of vegetables and fruits, roasted pork, and kapeng barako, and many other delectable dishes.
Anniversary Prizes
For the record, Bingo Plus gave away a whooping P50 million in total cash prizes during its second anniversary celebration in March this year.
Then, from a donation of P20 million in 2023, P100 million in scholarship grants to deserving students were also given by BingoPlus Foundation in partnership with i-Academy and other beneficiaries like Brigada Eskwela as the company's way of paying it forward.
With Bingo Plus, our girls are surely in good hands. Enjoy the fun, ladies!
Meantime, the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant is the 5th edition of the standalone national search for the country’s Miss Universe delegate.
The winner, to succeed the popular Michelle Dee, will represent the Philippines in the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico later this year.
The Top 10 placer in the Ms. Universe 2023, Dee topped the online popularity poll, and was the leader in the voting for national costume. She was also one of the three “gold finalists” in the “Voice for Change” initiative by the pageant’s crown provider Mouawad with CI Talks. Further, she received the “Spirit of Carnival” award from Carnival Cruises, making her the most popular Filipino Ms. Universe contestant by far.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #MissPhilippines2024