IT was a sizzling showdown between the Asians and the Latinas at the Miss Universe 2016 preliminary competitions.
This after the 86 candidates gave a teaser of their performances in swimsuit and evening gown competitions held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last Thursday night. The closed-door interview of all the candidates was conducted on Friday, Jan. 27.
Organizers said that the preliminary competitions would select the Top 12 candidates of the 65th Miss Universe beauty pageant. The results will be announced during the finals at the SM MoA Arena on Monday, Jan. 30, beginning at 8 a.m.
At the preliminaries, crowds held streamers and small flags as their favorite candidates sashayed in swimsuit and evening gown during a two-hour extravaganza of beauty and culture.
Among the candidates who got the loudest cheer from the audience were Miss Philippines Maxine Medina, Miss Thailand Chalita Suansane, Miss Venezuela Mariam Habach, Miss Brazil Raissa Santana, Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar, Miss Sierra Leone Hawa Kamara, and Miss USA Deshauna Barber.
Medina, 26, rocked in her green swimsuit. Later, she changed into a green-emerald evening gown designed by Rhett Eala.
Preliminary judges were former Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico; Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori; Cynthia Bailey, founder of the Bailey modeling agency; international marketing director Rob Goldstone; Fred Nelson, president of the People’s Choice Awards; and social entrepreneur Francine LeFrak.
After the preliminaries, the contestants paraded in their national costumes. Although not part of the criteria in choosing the Top 12 semifinalists, among the well-applauded national costumes were worn by delegates from the Philippines, Myanmar, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Medina wore a vinta-inspired gown for the national costume show.
Eala said in an interview on ABS-CBN that Medina’s national costume head piece costs more than R1 million because it is made of south sea pearls from Jewelmer.
“For the headdress alone and the earrings – I just saw the earrings today – it’s more than a million (pesos) for sure,” said the fashion designer.
Fearless forecast
After the preliminary competitions, observers forecast the contestants who are expected to land in the Top 12. They are:
Haiti – Raquel Pelissier. Raquel Pelissier, 25, has survived the earthquake that destroyed her hometown in January 2010, which made her value her life and fight for her goals and dreams. Something that makes Pelissier extra special is that she is quadrilingual. She enjoys reading a good book and going to museums. Not only does she love learning new things on her own, she is also getting her Master’s Degree in Scientific Research in Optometry and Vision. She is working on a research project on regeneration of the optic nerve.
Colombia – Andrea Tovar. Full of creativity, Tovar, graduated college with an Industrial Design and Photo Production degree. On top of being a great friend, she also enjoys being an active volleyball player. Her confidence allows her to be goofy and she isn’t afraid to randomly get up and start dancing. If crowned Miss Universe, this 23-year-old Colombian wants her generation to be properly educated on the environment.
Brazil – Raissa Santana. Santana, 21, who loves basketball and cooking, graduated college with a marketing degree.
Santana is representing Brazil as the first black woman crowned in 30 years. She has volunteered with the elderly and hopes to get involved with charities and organizations that focus on child adoption.
Philippines – Maxine Medina. Maxine Medina is a sporty runway, television and print model at the Professional Models Association of the Philippines. Medina, 26, enjoys being creatively engaged in her work, which is why she is so successful at being a residential condominiums interior designer. Medina has visited children who had cancer at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, supported “Operation: Smile” in Sta. Ana Hospital, taught street children organized by Gawad Kalinga, and participated in relief operations to typhoon victims within the Philippines.
USA – Deshauna Barber. Deshauna Barber is the first woman actively serving in the US Army Reserve to win the title of Miss USA. After completing her Masters of Science in Computer Information Systems at the University of Maryland, Deshauna returned to live in Washington, D.C. working as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. Deshauna, 27, has been spending her year as Miss USA working directly with soldiers suffering from PTSD and focusing on suicide prevention in the Armed Forces.
Venezuela – Mariam Habach. Persevering, hard working, and determined is how 20 year-old Mariam Habach describes herself. As a student studying dentistry, she is focused on providing children with the care they need for healthy and beautiful smiles. Her passion for helping others led her to work with more than two thousand adolescents in her volunteer work as Miss Venezuela. When Habach takes time out for herself, she enjoys singing and dancing.
Mexico – Kristal Silva. Kristal Silva, 24, describes herself as funny, positive, and committed. Ever since Silva was young, she had always watched the Miss Universe pageant and had always dreamed of competing. Now that she has the opportunity to compete, Silva is very proud to be representing the traditions and culture of her country on this year’s stage.
Thailand – Chalita Suansane. Chalita Suansane, 21, is currently studying Microbiology at Mahasarakham University. On top of her studies, Suansane volunteers at Baan Home Hug which is an orphanage that houses children who have inherited HIV from their parents, children who were abused, and children who have lost their family. If crowned, she would like to raise awareness on and advocate for HIV/AIDS.
Dominican Republic – Sal Garcia. Rosalba “Sal García” Abreu, 24, was born into a large agricultural and cattle breeding family. Sal joined her father, and 12 brothers and sisters, in raising cows and selling pineapples until she was quickly scouted by a modeling agency at 16. Sal is proud to say that her accidental career as a model has helped her pave way into having her own modeling business while paying her own college tuition. On top of her business, she enlists her volunteering services for the charitable organization Corazones Nobles.
Great Britain – Jaime-Lee Faulkner. Beauty Specialist Jaime-Lee Faulkner, 27, is excited to work for the crown this year. Faulkner is proud to be an ambassador for a local charity that supports children and teenagers who are at risk through running away from home. When Faulkner isn’t volunteering, she enjoys adventurous challenges. She has hiked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and is currently a trained and qualified ski instructor and master scuba diver. One of her biggest achievements is when she got up close and personal with sharks in the open water.
Australia – Caris Tiivel. Caris Tiivel hails from Perth. Her talent and passions lie in the arts, where she has been recognized for over five years. Whether she is creating something on canvas or making something to model down a runway, she is always inventing new ways to express herself. Caris works closely with children who are in need through fundraising, functions, and mentorship programming.
Indonesia – Kezia Warouw. “Keke,” 25, formally known as Kezia Roslin Cikita Warouw, got her degree in Informatics Engineering and later became employed and held the position Head of Accounting and Finance. On top of juggling her school work and her career, she began volunteering for Smile Train Indonesia. In the future, she hopes to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS for young children and women.
Bubbling Under: Ecuador, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, France, Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Malaysia, and Kosovo.