Miss Universe Philippines

Michelle Marquez Dee: A queen transformed

Michelle Marquez Dee: A queen transformed

She’s blessed with all the qualities of a winner — tall, svelte, articulate and even pedigreed in pageant lineage as the daughter of former beauty queen Melanie Marquez. But this year’s Miss Universe Philippines titleholder had to wait for one more sign before strapping on her pageant heels one more…
Read More
Michelle Marquez Dee wins Miss Universe Philippines 2023

Michelle Marquez Dee wins Miss Universe Philippines 2023

Michelle, the daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, will compete at Miss Universe later this year in El Salvador. Another early favorite, Bohol’s Pauline Amelincks, failed for the third time to win the crown. There was no Steve Harvey moment last night, but the nearly four-hour show had a…
Read More
Miss Universe is “a beautiful journey that helps push us forward”

Miss Universe is “a beautiful journey that helps push us forward”

Sleep-deprived after a long-haul flight to Manila, Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel looked as vibrant as ever as she faced Filipino fans Wednesday evening at Okada Manila’s grand ballroom during the Miss Universe Philippines gala night. By Alex Y. Vergara “I’m so excited to be in the Philippines,” said R’Bonney…
Read More
Half-Filipino, half-American from Texas is new Miss Universe

Half-Filipino, half-American from Texas is new Miss Universe

R’Bonney Gabriel, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Filipino-American father and an American mother, won over 83 other women from all over the universe. Luck, however, eluded the Philippines’ Celeste Cortesi, whose failure to make it to the finals marked the end of the country’s 12-year placement streak…
Read More
Princess diaries, queenly gambits and happily-ever-after looks

Princess diaries, queenly gambits and happily-ever-after looks

Three of the country’s most photographed women today—beauty queens Rabiya, Bea and Celeste—step into a new universe, as Renaissance photographer BJ Pascual captures them in a totally different light as Disney princesses wearing the latest ingenue-inspired makeup collection from BYS. It’s not exactly a demotion when queens turn into princesses…
Read More
New Miss Universe Philippines is driving home in style

New Miss Universe Philippines is driving home in style

She has the title, she has the crown and, now, she also has the new wheels! How lucky can a girl get? But dreams do come true for the deserving. The winner of Miss Universe Philippines 2020 is going home with more than just a title—she’s also going to be…
Read More
Let the pageantry begin!

Let the pageantry begin!

Delegates to Miss Universe Philippines 2020 have blown into town. In all my years of covering these events, the tallest, most beautiful girl on stage doesn’t usually end up winning. There have been countless times when the girl who knows when to hold back and when to give it her…
Read More
And Miss Universe Philippines 2020 is…

And Miss Universe Philippines 2020 is…

Note that this forecast, albeit a fearless one, is by no means definitive, as we haven’t seen the delegates in their swimsuits and evening gowns as well as hear them speak. In a field of equally beautiful and shapely young women, the tie breaker is almost always the Q&A portion.…
Read More