MISS Universe Philippines Rabiya Occeña Mateo, 24, from Iloilo City, is among the favorites to clinch the coveted crown at the 69th Miss Universe happening in Hollywood, Florida today.
The pageant, that has so far crowned four Filipinas – Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margie Moran in 1973, Pia Wurtzbach in 2015 and Catriona Gray in 2018 – has been sidelined last year when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
The most watched international pageant event managed to gather 74 of the world’s most beautiful women after the Miss Universe Organization eased up on its rules, allowing national directors to select their delegates from national searches or appoint them as the case may warrant them to do so because of circumstances related to the current pandemic.
The pageant appears to be reverting to its old format. Instead of selecting semifinalists from the top scoring delegates of regional groupings and a set of wild cards as has been done in recent years, the selection committee this year have selected 20 semi-finalists regardless of regions. A 21st slot has been alloted to the winner of the fan votes.
The final five will then be announced and will undergo a single round of questions about five different topics. The finalists will then make their final statements from which the final rankings will be determined to announce the 4 runners-up and Miss Universe.
Because of the pandemic, outgoing Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa who was crowned in Atlanta, Georgia in December 2019, has become the longest-reigning queen.
She will pass on her crown to the new winner who, in turn, will be the shortest reigning titlist since she will pass on her title at the 70th Miss Universe finals in Costa Rica in December.
Rabiya Mateo, a half-Indian Physical Therapy graduate who became the first Miss Universe Philippines winner last year under the new organization headed by Shamcey Supsup as national director and Jonad Gaffud as creative director, is touted as among the strong contenders for the coveted crown after last Friday night’s preliminaries.
Mateo has been on the list of almost every pageant blog and website, and has put her as most likely to win along with the delegates from Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela, Finland, Nepal and India, Argentina, Iceland, Finland, Indonesia, Colombia, Iceland and USA.
To be hosted by Mario Lopez and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo, the finals will be staged at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood City, Florida.
The 69th Miss Universe competition will be aired live on A2Z Channel 11 at 8 a.m. today.
