THE MISS Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization has just bared its Top 5 finalists for the 2024 swimsuit challenge.
The candidates who made it to the list were Dia Matè from Cavite, Patricia Bianca Tapia from Hawaii, Alexie Brooks from Iloilo City, Ma. Ahtisa Manalo from Quezon City, and Jet Hammond from Southern California.
MUPH said that the winner for the challenge will be determined “purely by votes.”
“The top winner in every challenge will get an automatic spot at the Finals,” it said.
The online voting for Miss Universe Philippines 2024 opened last month. Pageant fans and enthusiasts were encouraged to vote for their favorite beauty queen and help them earn a slot in the finals night through the Miss Universe Philippines app, available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
To vote, you must first download the Miss Universe Philippines app on your mobile phones. Click the Challenge Vote tab then vote for the candidate you think should win the challenge.
National costume
Last week, the MUPH organization announced the three winners of the MUPH 2024 national costume competition: Hammond, Brooks, and Tamara Ocier from Tacloban.
The Filipinos’ artistry was showcased in the national competition with the theme “Philippine Flora and Fauna.”
Hammond brought the audience under the sea with her national costume inspired by the breathtaking beauty of Tubbataha Reef, a pristine coral paradise declared a world heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Hammond’s ensemble was made by designer Ehrran Montoya.
Meanwhile, Brooks stunned in her spider-inspired costume based on “Ugto-Ugto,” an Ilonggo term for orb-weaver spider. Orb weavers have various color variations, from reddish-brown to grays but they can be brightly colored, according to WebMD. For the competition, Brooks wore a red orb-weaver costume adorned with glitter black stripes, made by designer Tata Pinuela.
Ocier, on the other hand, embodied the goddess of the sun in her national costume. She was embraced by the Tacloban Monitor Lizard, locally known as “Halo,” which serves as “a reminder of the significance of resilience and adaptation for both wildlife and human communities.” Her national costume was made by designer Charlotte Rodriguez.
Each of the three national costume winners won a cash prize of P100,000.
‘Up Close & Personal’
The last day of online voting for the “Up Close & Personal” personality interviews ended on Sunday, May 5.
This was where the beauty queens were given 30 seconds to answer each of the three questions given by MUPH Executive Vice President Voltaire Tayag.
The delegate with the most votes for the personality interviews will earn a spot at the semifinals.
Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee will crown her successor on May 22 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. The event will be hosted by Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel and Kapuso actor Alden Richards.
Meanwhile, reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua is in the Philippines, and held a motorcade on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Complex.
