BUKIDNON, CEBU CITY, DAVAO DEL SUR, DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, ISABELA, LAGUNA, MASBATE, PASIG CITY, ROMBLON, SIARGAO ISLAND
PASIG CITY – Princess Kristha Singh. She’s a promising first timer whose resemblance to Pia Wurtzbach can’t be unseen and she consistently slays in her presentations. Her main stumbling block right now would be her Preliminary Interview, where she seemed a bit nervous. Let’s hope her scores in other categories can still salvage her prospects, because she is of worthy caliber.
DAVAO DEL SUR – Jedidah Hefervez Korinihona. Her father’s from the Solomon Islands, which a tiny Pacific country near Papua New Guinea. It’s also adorable that she references Moana when telling people about her second home. She’s an intriguing confluence of two island cultures, and that much is revealed in her overall look and charisma. Regardless of how high she’ll ultimately place, her very inclusion is a breath of fresh air.
ISABELA – Jan Louise Abejero. Obviously, she can afford to drop “Reina Mercedes” from her sash, now that she’s the last Isabeliña standing. Her interview skills account for her inclusion in the stead of many early favorites. But much as her presentations are solid, this might be the farthest she can go, especially with the frontrunners bringing their A game in this final stretch.
LAGUNA – Leren Mae Bautista. No amount of downplaying can discount her track record. She’s won two local titles (Mutya ng Pilipinas 2015 and Bb. Pilipinas-Globe 2019) and one international title (Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015). On top of all that, she was 2nd Runner-Up in Miss Globe 2019 and she was in a billboard in New York City. It’s refreshing that she entered her last hurrah with a clean slate. It’s about her qualities, after all, not her past achievements. Fans worry, though, that she might be overdoing the low key strategy and there were contestants who answered more provocatively in Preliminary Interview. Well, she’ll be up there, for sure. The only question is: can her efforts still earn her a fourth crown? We’ll find out soon enough.
ROMBLON – Jane Nicole Miñano. She was deemed a surprise entering the Top 30, but her polished preliminary performance more than justifies her inclusion. Suddenly, a repeat placement feels plausible (if not totally set in stone).
DAVAO OCCIDENTAL – Krizzaleen Mae Valencia. This dentistry student was the last to arrive in the bubble, and sadly, her performance might have taken a blow. The fatigue was evident in her Preliminary Interview and she could barely finish her responses. While she looked every inch a contender in both swimsuit and evening gown, observers wonder if that will be enough.
SIARGAO ISLAND – Michele Angela Okol. First thing fans notice is her resemblance to Andrea Brillantes. This college student wasn’t buzzed about much at first. That was until the interview rounds, which didn’t only secure her spot in the Top 30 but also put her in contention as a potential Top 16 surprise. Yes, some may not consider her of the pageant mold, but wasn’t that already settled with Ayn’s inclusion?
BUKIDNON – Megan Julia Digal. Just to get this out of the way: this Phuket-based surfer girl vaguely resembles MJ Lastimosa – with hints of Dominican Republic‘s Ruth Ocumarez, if you’ve happened to see Miss Universe 2002. Much as it was almost worrisome that she showcased her adopted home more than her actual province in her early challenges, we can’t blame her. It’s really hard to just fly out these days. Luckily, she managed to make it back to the country and score high enough to secure her province’s debut in this pageant. Interview really is her strong ace. She gave the most unique response to the Lazada–planted question about which item she’d “add to cart” for Filipinas (she answered feminine products). But with all other preliminary rounds accounted for, standing out seems to be a stretch.
CEBU CITY – Beatrice Luigi Gomez. This Philippine Navy Marines Reservist topped the Introductory Video challenge with a piece that showcased the many aspects of her interesting life. She’s a proud LGBTQ member who describes herself as an adrenaline junkie and a sports enthusiast. See, there’s an art to telling human interest stories without overselling them and that’s how you pull it off. If she plays her cards right, she can even join her fellow Cebuana in the finals.
MASBATE – Kirsten Danielle “Kisses” Delavin. To her credit, she did her homework. And it’s great that she’s learning from the overall experience, as opposed to simply using it for added mileage. Fan Vote notwithstanding, she has the merits to excel. A placement can’t NOT happen at this point.
Planet Chuckie 