By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA
THE announcement of the Top 16 semi-finalists for the Miss Universe 2017 beauty pageant takes a new twist during the finals in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 26 (Nov. 27 in Manila).
“For the first cut, three candidates from each region will be selected based on scores plus one spot for the girl with the most votes in that region,” said Norman Tinio, of normannorman.com, a popular blog on international and local beauty pageants, during an interview in Parañaque City last Thursday night.
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“So there will be 4 girls from the Americas, 4 girls from Europe, 4 from girls from Asia, Africa and Pacific; and 4 wild cards. A total of 16 semi-finalists,” said Tinio.
While fan votes will help advance a candidate to the Top 16, unconfirmed reports said that the 92 candidates will choose among themselves a girl who will also join the Top 16 semi-finalists.
The worldwide fan voting for the Miss Universe 2017 pageant will end on Nov. 25, one day before the finals.
In high spirits
Rodgil Flores, head of the Kagandahang Flores beauty camp which trained Miss Philippines Rachel Peters, will fly to Las Vegas to catch the Miss Universe pageant on Sunday, Nov. 26. Flores will be accompanied by his cousin Gio Flores.
Also, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach and mentor Jonas Gaffud of the Aces and Queens beauty camp have left for Las Vegas for the Miss Universe contest.
“On our way to Las Vegas! Excited for Miss Universe 2017,” said Gaffud as he shared a picture with Wurtzbach at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in Parañaque City last Thursday.
Wurtzbach has been chosen as one of the telecast judges in this year’s pageant.
Flores said that Peters is in high spirits as the pageant date approaches despite the controversy on social media that leaked her reported evening gown for the finals of the Miss Universe contest.
Reacting to the design of the evening gown that leaked, Flores said: “She brought six gowns for the Miss Universe contest. We have already chosen which gown she will wear in the finale.”
It has been a tradition for the management of the Bb. Pilipinas beauty contest not to reveal the outfits of their competing delegates to international pageants until the finals night.
Flores said that he texted Peters after the preliminary competitions.
Flores said that based on the performance of Peters in the preliminaries, “she deserves a spot in the Top 16.”
Flores also said that the Bicolana beauty queen is not the type of person who will back out because of pressure.
