Miss Universe winners gather for the 65th Edition


The 65th Miss Universe pageant will feature another gathering of past Miss Universe winners with five former titlists flying to Manila to grace the coronation finals on January 30 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Lupita Jones, the first Mexican woman to win in 1991, is the first to arrive in the country for the Miss Universe pageant. The 42-year-old, actress and currently the director of Nuestra Belleza Mexico, the Miss Universe pageant franchise in Mexico came to give support to Miss Universe Mexico 2016 Kristal Silva.
Natalie Glebova, who was crowned Miss Universe in 2005 in Thailand, will be on her second travel to Manila following her co-hosting job of the 2016 Miss Global pageant. The 35-year-old, former wife of Thai tennis superstar Paradorn Srichaphan, is coming over with her baby daughter Maya from her present handsome Panamanian fiancé.
Riyo Mori, the second Miss Universe from Japan who won in 2007, will sit as one of the judges along with India’s first winner Sushmita Sen, the winner in 1994 in Manila. Sen, now 41, who has become an award-winning Bollywood actress, expressed excitement on her ‘returning home’ to the Philippines after 23 years.
 “I’m getting ready with a dancing heart. It’s where it all began. Life comes full circle from winning Miss Universe to having owned its Indian Franchise to now…returning back to Manila this time as a judge,” she posted on her Instagram.
Puerto Rican Dayanara Torres, Miss Universe of 1993 who came to Manila in 1994 to crown her successor, and who started her movie career and became local TV’s “Dancing Queen” has confirmed her plan to return to the local entertainment scene and may also be a part of the Miss Universe grand coronation.
Leila Lopes from Angola will also be one of the judges. She’s the winner in 2011 Batch when Shamcey Supsup placed 3rd Runnerup in Brazil. 
The 65th Miss Universe coronation live on Solar, ETC,  ABS-CBN Channel 2 and GMA 7, to be hosted by the controversial Steve Harvey and model Ashley Graham, has announced a change in format for this year’s edition with a Top 12, instead of a Top 15, pre-determined by the judges during the preliminary round of the competition.
The Top 12 will then be trimmed to the Top 9, determined by the scores of the judges and the fans' votes after the swimsuit segment. Then the Top 6 after the evening gown segment who all will be subjected to the one Q&A round. From the Top 6 will emerge the Top 3 who will only get a "Final Look" from the judges and fans (home viewers) who will be asked to make a decision based on their overall performance through the Final Look. Rather than score, this segment is ranked, meaning the judges and home viewers will base their vote on who they think should win the title.
Basing on this format, the Philippines’ bet Maxine Medina may have increased her chances at the title since the local fans are considered the biggest fans in the world. Words by Eton B. Concepcion/Photos: www.press.missuniverse.com

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