2017 FAMAS LIST OF WINNERS

What's new with FAMAS?

The 65th annual FAMAS awards was held unnoticed and way too late, just about the year ends. Recipient of this year's awards are mostly popular personalities, take a look: Liza Diño, Dingdong Dantes, Daniel Padilla, Ricky Davao, Angelica Panganiban, Dolly Anne Carvajal (daughter of the late Inday Badiday), Maine Mendoza and so on.

The 60's Movie Queens Amalia Fuentes and Susan Roces are recipients of this year's FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Daniel Padilla won his second Best Actor award for "Barcelona: A Love Untold). He won the Eddy's Best Actor award for the same movie held earlier this year. Congratulations!

Anyway, here's the list of winners in the 65th annual FAMAS awards held Thursday at Philippine Social Science Center Auditorium, Quezon City. (source :http://news.abs-cbn.com/…/daniel-padilla-barcelona-lead-fam…)

Best Picture - "Barcelona: A Love Untold"

Best Actor - Daniel Padilla, "Barcelona: A Love Untold"

Best Actress - Angelica Panganiban, "The Unmarried Wife"

Best Director - Olivia M. Lamasan, "Barcelona: A Love Untold"

Best Supporting Actress - Liza Diño, "Ringgo"

Best Supporting Actor - Ricky Davao, "Iadya Mo Kami"

Best Production Design - Shari Marie Montiague, "Barcelona: A Love Untold"

Best Sound Design - Aurel Claro Bilbao, "Everything About Her"

Best Screenplay - Vanessa Valdez, "The Unmarried Wife"

Best Editing - Beng Bandong, "Vince & Kath & James"

Special Awards: 

German Moreno Youth Achievement Award - Maine Mendoza and Ivan Dorschner

FPJ Memorial Award - Dingdong Dantes

Lifetime Achievement Award - Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes

Arturo M. Padua Memorial Award - Ronald King Constantino

Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award - Dolly Ann Carvajal

Outstanding Producer - Donna Sanchez

"ANG LARAWAN AND "SIARGAO" DOMINATES THE 43rd METRO-MANILA FILMFEST AWARDS

The musical-drama “Ang Larawan” bagged the Best Picture award at the 43^rd Metro-Manila Film Festival held Wednesday night at the Kia Theatre.  The movie is based from a play authored by National Aritist Nick Joaquin titled “The Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” which was staged in a musical play “Ang Larawan, The Musical” in 1997.  The movie also won the "Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award", Best Actress for Joanna Ampil,  Best Musical Score, Best Production Design and a special jury award for Nick Joaquin.

”Siargao,” won 6 awards including Best Director for Paul Soriano and Best Supporting Actress for Jasmine Curtis-Smith.  The Best Actor award went to Derek Ramsay for “All of You.”

Here’s the full list of winners :

Best Picture: Ang Larawan

2nd Best Picture: Siargao

3rd Best Picture: All of You

Best Director: Paul Soriano, Siargao

Special Jury Prize: Nick Joaquin and Coco Martin

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Derek Ramsay, All of You

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Joanna Ampil, Ang Larawan

Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award: Ang Larawan

Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award: Ang Panday

Full-Length Film – People's Choice Award: Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad

Best Screenplay: All of You

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Edgar Allan Guzman for Deadma Walking

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Jasmine Curtis-Smith for Siargao

Best Child Performer: Baby Baste for Meant to Beh

Best Cinematography: Siargao

Best Sound: Siargao

Best Theme Song: "Alon" by Hale for Siargao

Best Editing: Siargao

Best Visual Effects: Ang Panday

Best Musical Score: Ang Larawan 

Best Production Design: Ang Larawan

Best Float: Deadma Walking

Children’s Choice Award: And Panday

Star of the Night (Male): Derek Ramsay

Star of the Night (Female): Erich Gonzales

Short Film – People's Choice Award: Noel

Short Film – Best Picture: Anong Nangyari kay Nicanor Dante

"GANDARAPIDDO: THE REVENGERS SQUAD" AND "ANG PANDAY" SETS NEW BOX-OFFICE RECORD

I went to Mega Mall on Christmas day to watch a few films on opening day of MMFF 2017. As expected, big crowd filled the cinema lobby but luckily I managed to buy 3 tickets without having to go through the long queues.  How did I do it?  I used my old trick which still works.

The first movie I watched was Paul Soriano's "Siargao" starring Jericho Rosales, Erich Gonzales and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.  The film is about a twenty something vlogger Laura (Erich) who went to the island of Siargao to temporarily escape from a heartbreaking experience and move on after making a major decision in her life refusing to marry her boyfriend (played by Enchong Dee).  Laura turned down her boyfriend's marriage proposal that shocked their followers online.  They are just one of those so called millennials who turn to social media to tell their love woes unmindful of what people have to say.  On her way to the island, she meets Diego (Jericho), a beleaguered rockstar, who was visiting his hometown Siargao.  The two hit it off easily and formed a certain bonding though not necessarily as lovers. As the story progressed, they both crossed path with Diego's old flame Abi (Jasmine).  Each  protagonist has their own story to tell with one common denominator i.e. searching for a sense of belongingness brought about by their failed relationships and endeavors in life.

The movie has a nice storyline, a good cast, good music, soothing themesong ("Alon" by Hale) and great locations which were beautifully shot that makes you want to see and visit the place.  Jericho, as usual, is competent,  as for Erich, I don't know if it's just me or what, but Erich looked like she was there to vlog, interviewing people around with her getup looking like more of a fashionable tourist than someone who had just ran away from a bad break-up.  Jasmine has the making of a fine young actress.  I had high expectations for the film.....but it isn't that bad (at least by local standard).

Siargao is a beautiful island with pristine white sands.  It's kinda laid back place where tourists and the locals hang out in a more intimate and laid back nightlife atmosphere aside from its main attraction of course being the surfing capital of the Philippines.  It's also interesting to note that movie touched the subject of preservation of environment showing the locals' initiatives by organizing activities on how they can preserve the island's eco-system. Siargao Island is a favorite subject of travel vloggers. There's a bunch of them, mostly foreigners like Finn Snow, Christian Le blanc and half-pinoy travel vloggers like Will Dasovich and Daniel Marsh.  Will had a cameo role in the movie (playing himself) and Daniel Marsh was supposed to be in the movie as well but was replaced by Canadian vlogger Bret Maverick due to conflict of commitments.  

Next stop:  Haunted Forest

I was impressed with the turnout of moviegoers for Regal Films horror flick.  Cinema 2 at Mega Mall was full, something that has not been seen in any of Regal produced films of recent.  The visuals are impressive but the sub-plots somewhat messed up the story. The audience patiently waited for thrills and scream that they expected and it only happened during the last 15 minutes of the film.  

The third movie I watched was Star Cinema's Comedy Fantasy Film "Gandarappido: The Revenger Squad."  What can we expect from a Vice Ganda movie?  "Wala lang, basta masaya ang pelikula kahit corny pero ang daming nanood." I wanted to watch this movie after "Siargao" but we were told that tickets were sold out for 6:00 and 8:00 screenings so I had to settle for the last screening at 10:20 pm.  Daniel Padilla is paired with 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.  Pia registers well on screen and has a flair for comedy.  I dunno but I had the feeling that Pia's boyfriend Marlon Stockinger and Kathryn Bernardo (Daniel's GF obviously) would appear in the movie and they actually did at the end of the movie.  Of course your Ate Vice would not want to be left out, he had Zanzoe Marudo in his arms to add "kilig" to the audience. 

I could only watch 3 movies for the day  but I may watch a few more entries in the coming days. MMFF officials has issued a press release on their Facebook page stating that this year's MMFF broke box-office records as it surpassed the 2015 first and second day gross but there were some films who had to be pulled out from theaters due to poor ticket sales.  There's nothing new here as it always happens every year. 

JUST LOVE WITH LUIS AND JESSY ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Luis Manzano spent Christmas with Momsie Vi.  Luis is said to be close with Jessy Mendiola's parents.  The pictures below speaks for Luis closeness with Jessy's family.

METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL 2017 PARADE OF STARS

Massive crowd lined up the streets of Muntinlupa as MMFF 2017 kicks off with a grand parade of stars in Muntinlupa yesterday.  It was the first time the parade was held outside Manila.  

Stars of the 8 film entries, riding on their respective floats,  waved to the fans amidst sprinkles of rain showers. Among those who attended the parade were beauty queens: 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, 2016 Miss International Kylie Versoza and Bb. Pilipinas International 2017 Mariel de Leon.  Pia is in the cast of Vice Ganda starrer "Gandarapiddo: The Revenger Squad" while Kylie and Mariel are both in the cast of "Ang Panday."  

The entries for this year's film festival are "Ang Panday," "All of You," "Deadma Walking," "Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad," "Siargao," "Haunted Forest," "Ang Larawan," and "Meant to Beh."  All the films will open on Christmas day.

Here are some of the photos at the MMFF 2017 Parade of Stars as shared on Instagram by Star Cinema and Philstar.com.  Thanks to Kriz John Rosales of Philstar.com and Joey Vierneza for sharing his pictures.

 

BB. PILIPINAS 2018 WISH LIST

Bb. Pilipinas is now accepting applicants and the deadline for submission is January 8, 2018 which is fast approaching.  In this context, people are speculating that the Philippines might host the 67th edition of Miss Universe next year and will probably be held earlier than expected. Miss U officials were in the country earlier this month including the current title holder Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.

This early, people are talking about the possibility of two well-known personalities joining next year's Bb.Pilipinas pageant.  I am referring to Catriona Gray and Michelle Marquez Dee.

Catriona competed in 2016 Miss World and placed 4th but suffice it to say, Filipinos weren't contented with her placement and they say she should have placed higher or even the Miss World crown.  Catriona is now 23 years old and stands 1.78m (roughly 5'9"). She has a Masters Certificate in Music Theory from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Her exposure in Miss World will certainly boost her chances of winning the top plum in Binibining Pilipinas.

Michelle Marquez Dee is the daughter of 1979 Miss International Melanie Marquez (from previous marriage to Businessman Derek Dee).  Michelle is long legged like her mom.  She's now 22 and stands about 6 feet tall.  She is currently completing her BS Psychology course at De La Salle University. Michelle  has been visible in the modelling circuit of recent  and is an endorser of HerBench clothing line.

The question remains, will they join Bb. Pilipinas next year?  If ever both decide to   join,  it's definitely going to be a tough competition and for sure both wants the Bb. Pilipinas Universe title.

CEBUANA ARTIST IS MAKING WAVES IN THE MUSIC SCENE

Give way for this 22 year old Cebuana girl Karencitta who’s making waves in the music scene giving her hometown a much deserved attention.  Her hit single “Cebuana” is currently no. 3 at Myx Top 10 chart and went top 1 most viral music on Spotify PH on November 27, 2017.  The song was released on Facebook and had reached 1 million views in 24 hours.and her video on YouTube has now reached more than 600k views.  There may be Cebuanos who have made a name in local showbiz but not quite in the music scene in recent times.  Karencitta is slowly but surely getting there.  She is slated to perform at New Year Countdown 2018 at Eastwood with Gloc 9, KC Tandingan, Sam Concepcion and Moiresette and some other popular artists.  

On her website she shared her story how she came up with the song.   Excerpts:

Quote:

“Cebuana” is a personal piece of art that I wrote produced by Tc-5, a 14-year old Austrian boy and my good friend, Jon Ingoldsby— the Grammy Award Winner Producer & Engineer for Madonna’s “Ray of Light” album and currently the Songwriter and Producer for Eminem’s upcoming album.

Over the phone, Jon and I were discussing how we could build leverage from the demo I made for “Cebuana”. He suggested that I check Tc-5’s song on Soundcloud called “Alkaline”. It was an immediate decision to have Tc-5 on the team. I was intrigued by the way he structured “Alkaline” for it was not repetitive. It was not just “Verse 1, Hook, Verse 2, Hook, goodbye”. I mostly gravitated towards the violin elements he used because I grew up playing the violin and I suddenly felt excited for Tc-5. I believe he’s gonna be the next Martin Garrix if he continues to persevere in the business.   Unquote.  (www.karencitta.com)

"BIRDSHOT" FAILS TO MAKE IT TO OSCARS BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM SHORTLIST

Mikhael Red's "Birdshot" ends Oscar journey and fails to make it to the shortlist of Best Foreign Language Film category for the 90th Academy Awards,

Here's the complete list of the shortlisted films that will advance to the next round of voting:

      CHILE, A Fantastic Woman, Sebastián Lelio, director;

      GERMANY, In the Fade, Fatih Akin, director;

      HUNGARY, On Body and Soul, Ildikó Enyedi, director;

      ISRAEL, Foxtrot, Samuel Maoz, director;

      LEBANON, The Insult, Ziad Doueiri, dirctor;

      RUSSIA, Loveless, Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;

      SENEGAL, Félicité, Alain Gomis, director;

      SOUTH AFRICA, The Wound, John Trengove, director;

      SWEDEN, The Square, Ruben Östlund, director.

The final 5 nominees will be announced in January 2018. A total of 92 films were submitted from various countries for the Best Foreign Language Film category, The 90th Academy Awards will be held 2018 Academy Awads on March 4, 2018 while the nominations will be announced on January 23

Synopsis of "Birdshot":

"Birdshot" is a mystery-thriller film that tells a story of a young Filipina farm girl who wanders into the boundaries of a Philippine reservation forest. Deep within the reservation she mistakenly shoots and kills a critically endangered and protected Philippine Eagle. As the local authorities begin a manhunt to track down the poacher of a national bird, their investigation leads them to an even more horrific discovery.

The movie won the Best Picture in the Asian Future category at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival. It's female lead star newcomer Mary Joy Apostol also won the Best Actress award in the recently concluded 1st ASEAN Film Awards in Da Nang, Vietnam held last month.

I have seen this movie only a few days ago at '76 Cinema in San Juan. This is the first Mikhael Red movie that I have watched and I actually like it. The film was  beautifully shot in lush countryside surrounding a sanctuary for Philippine eagle. Even though it failed to make it at the Oscars, I consider "Birdshot" as one of the best Filipino films I have seen in recent years.  We certainly want to see more of Mikhael Red, he's definitely one of the best new breed of young filmmakers today.

 #Birdshot

FOREIGN YOUTUBER MEETS FANS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Canadian Traveller Kyle Jennermann A.K.A. “Kulas” is probably one of the most popular Youtubers in the country, There's also Will Dasovich and Daniel Marsh.  Surely these vloggers rings a bell but there’s a new vlogger who has captured the hearts of Filipino fans online but unlike Daniel or Will, he’s not half-Pinoy or half-whatever; his name is Finn Snow from Iceland. Finn has visited many places in the Philippines; name any popular places in the country, he's probably visited them all.  He has also explored remote islands to as far as the Kalanggaman Island, the Gigantes Sur to the Naked Island in Siargao and some more that even the locals probably never heard of.  

Besides his fascination for the country, there's more to this charming gentleman from Iceland.  He’s also involved in a charity foundation called C.U.R.E. (Club in Unity of Restoration thru Empowerment) helping abused children and carrying out feeding programs in Central Visayas.  He’s also visited the refugees’ camp in war torn Marawi with nothing in his hands to share except his sincere goodwill.  He was in fact in Mindanao when Martial Law was declared by President Duterte and worried about his safety, he decided to go back to his home country for a while.  Now he’s back in the Philippines and had a meet and greet event in Manila and Cebu recently to meet his YouTube Channel subscribers. 

Finn is still in the Philippines, exploring more of the country and at the same time making a difference. He’s been contacted by the D.O.T. for future collaboration to promote Northern Mindanao as a major tourist destination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCHgqau4_a8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBeOQVq4954&t=433s

 @finn.snow

INDONESIA CONTINUE IT'S WINNING STREAK

Known for her creepy ghost-like appearance and dramatic twitchy movements, Indonesian illusionist The Sacred Riana romp away with the grand prize of US$ 100K in the second edition of Asia’s Got Talent held in Singapore Thursday night.  Sacred Riana beat other 8 acts from across Asia including two other heavy favorites from the Philippines (DMC hip-hop dancers and Beatboxer Neil Rey Llanes) who placed second and third, respectively.  Since there were three Filipino acts in the grand finals it did somehow gave Sacred Riana a big edge since the votes coming from the Philippines were distributed to the three Filipino grand finalists. 

Indonesian beauties are also doing well in international pageants joining the so called Asian powerhouse countries like India, Thailand and the Philippines.  Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana won theMiss International crown in Tokyo last month and another Indonesian beauty made it to the  top 10  in the recent Miss World in Sanjay, China.  However Indonesia’s representative to Miss Universe this year (Bunga Jelitha Ibrahni) failed to make the cut despite all the hypes online.  Two other Asians performed well; The Philippines Rachel Peters managed to reached  the top 10  while Thailand's Maria Poonlertlarp advanced  to the top 5.  Indonesia also won the Bangkok based Miss Grand International title last year.

The Philippines together with Indonesia and Japan will stage the first-ever multiple hosts for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023 and will see the Group Phase take place in the three countries, with the final phase to follow in the Philippine capital city of Manila.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Superstar Anggun will be performing in the Philippines in a few days (see picture for details). I wish I can see her in person but sometimes I feel lazy to go out :) and I can't bear the traffic specially during this season.

YOUTUBERS FALL IN LOVE WITH PH

Whenever I am not busy at home, I always find time to watch travel vlogs on YouTube.  This is where I got to know travel vloggers like Christian Leblanc, Finn Snow and Kyle Jennermann  A.K.A. "Kulas" to his Filipino followers.  I'm simply amazed with their dedication and passion for their chosen career reaching out  even to remote islands unmindful of their safety and the consequences that they may encounter.  These young adventurers explore the country's exotic islands in style; carrying with them state-of-the-art travel gadgets such as drones, DSRL cameras, laptops and what have you.  Some are lucky to avail sponsored trips enjoying travel perks and free accommodation; some spend their own money and quit their jobs in their home countries finding their way to seek adventure elsewhere in the world whenever they can.

Please see related article : Digital nomads in the Philippines https://nextfactorph.blogspot.com/2019/04/is-philippines-next-favourite-hub-of.html

Kulas has probably visited more cities in the Philippines than most Filipinos.  He continue to explore the country endearing the locals with his genuine love for the Filipino culture. He has been staying in the country for a few years now and has even appeared on national television.  His vlog has attracted more than 300k subscribers while his facebook page #Becoming Filipino has reached more than 600k followers to-date.  He wears a self-made headband all the time showing four colors of the Philippine flag. 

Another Canadian vlogger who has been visiting the country is Christian Leblanc. He's been to Boracay, Bohol, Palawan and other places but if there's one island that struck him is no other than the Virgin Island of Cresta de Gallo, a hidden piece of land just south of Sibuyan Island which he describe as the most beautiful island in the Philippines. He related on his vlog how he reached the remote island under circumstances braving bad weather conditions and sleeping on the sands and interacting with strangers.

Another Vlogger who is fast catching up is Finn Snow. This charming blue eyed adventurer from Iceland has traveled to remote islands in the country that even Filipinos probably never heard of. The Department of Tourism has contacted him for joint collaboration in promoting tourism in Northern Mindanao.  Just like Kulas, his sincerity and genuine fascination of the Filipino culture  is what sets him apart from the rest.  His drone shots of the islands he'd visited are simply breathtaking and mind you, he has had two meet and greet events for his fans, one in Cebu and one in Manila.

In addition to the three travel vloggers mentioned above, two half-Pinoys have found their niche in vlogging.  I'm referring to Wil Dasovich and Daniel Marsh. These dudes have also conquered local showbiz even before they shifted to vlogging.  Will has appeared in some local shows including the reality show "Pinoy Big Brother" and he also bagged the "YouTube Influencer of the Year Award" in Influence Asia 2017, the region's largest social media awards based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  His YouTube channel is close to reaching a million subscribers and he is probably the highest paid YouTuber in the country. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with colon cancer a few months ago and currently undergoing treatment in San Francisco.  Pinoy-Irish Daniel Marsh  has  appeared in the defunct TV show called "Juan Direction," a lifestyle-documentary show featuring five bi-racial boys as they discover their Filipino roots.  Just like Wil Dasovich, he is very popular to millennials.  His vlogging style is very contemporary and visually stunning to reckon with.

We often hear Foreigners say that Filipinos are the most genuinely accommodating and friendliest people on the planet and this is what probably endears them and keeps them coming back to the country.  Foreigners are amazed not only with the beauty and breathtaking scenery of the Philippine archipelago but more importantly the distinct and warm hospitality of the people.  Many foreigners chose to stay in the country for good and seemingly found the Philippines as their new home.

NOTE:  PLEASE CHECK THIS ARTICLE ON THIS BLOG : 
https://nextfactorph.blogspot.com/2019/04/is-philippines-next-favourite-hub-of.html

MU BEAUTIES SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THEIR VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES

The 4 day visit of Miss Universe beauties concluded last Saturday at a gala night billed as "Women of Significance" at Sofitel-Manila prepared by the Department of Tourism.  

Newly crowned Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and the other beauties including 2016 Miss Universe Iris Mittenare have already left the country last Sunday but three of them stayed behind and flew to Siargao Islands for an extended tour (sponsored by Skyjetair).  They are Kara McCullough (Miss USA), Lauren Howe (Miss Canada) and Samantha Katie James (Miss Malaysia).  Miss Philippines Rachel Peters plays host to the three beauties as they explore the islands.  If you've watched the the 2017 Miss Universe finals, this is the same island that Rachel mentioned in her video profile where she opened her coffee shop.

Siargao Islands is a tear-drop shaped island situated 800 kilometers of Manila in the province of Surigao del Norte.  The island is fast becoming a top tourist destination known for it's surf spots where big international surf contest are held every year.

Beauties share their thoughts on social media:

FILMS TO WATCH AT THIS YEAR'S MMFF

At last year's MMFF, I watched only 3 films - all in one day.  These were  “Seklusyon,” “Vince, Kath & James” and “Die Beautiful.”  This year I’ll probably watch 3 or more films.  

On top of my list this year is “Siargao” starring Jericho Rosales, Erich Gonzales and Jasmin Curtis-Smith, directed by Paul Soriano.  The movie has been graded “B” by the Cinema Evaluation Board and this is also Paul Soriano's first foray into romcom genre.  The movie was shot entirely in the tear-drop shaped island of Siargao touted as the surfing capital of the Philippines. 

Next is the comedy-fantasy movie starring Vice Ganda, Daniel Padilla and 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.  I love comedy films but I guess I’m done with Vice Ganda’s styIe of slapstick brand of comedy; I am going to watch the movie because of Pia.  

The third movie that I will watch is Regal Films' horror flick entry this year “Haunted Forest” starring Jameson Blake, Jane Onieza, Maris Rascal and Jon Lucas.  This is Jameson's first mainstream movie after starring in 3 Indie films ("2Cool 2B 4Gotten," "Nay," and "Nabubulok").  I’ll probably watch “All of You” and “Deadma Walking” at a later date but it all depends.  

Two other entries "Larawan" and "Deadma Walking" merited "Grade A" ratings from CEB.  An "A" rating qualifies for a film for a 100% tax rebates while "B" rating gets 60%.,

MISS UNIVERSE 2017 MANIA CONTINUES IN MANILA

(1) Top left: Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.  (2) Top middle picture:  Miss Singapore, Miss USA and Miss Korea.  (3) Top right:  2014 Mr. International Neil Perez and 2017 Miss Universe.   (4) Miss Philippines Universe titleholders (Bianca Manalo-2009, Venus Raj-2010, Mary Jean Lastimosa-2014, Rachel Peters-2017, Shamcey Supsup-2011, Ara Arida -2013 and front girl - Maxine Medina -2016)

Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (photo credit: OMPB Worldwide)

As expected Miss Universe beauties led by the current titleholder Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and 2016 winner Iris Mittenaare enjoys media mileage from the local press and the netizens.  Accordingly, authorities are talking about the possibility of holding the 2018 Miss Universe pageant in country.  In the event that it push through it will be the Philippines' 4th time to host the pageant.  The beauty queens were invited by the Department of Tourism as part of its "Bring Home a Friend to the Philippines" campaign. 

DOT has lined up various activities for the international beauties including visit to some of the country's top tourist island destinations like Batanes, Camiguin and Bohol and a fashion show attended by three Miss Universe titleholders and local beauties was held at Dusit Thani Hotel. To wrap up their tour, a gala night billed as "Women of Significance" is set on the December 9 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila.