MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Philippines’ Director for Charity Sam Verzosa is confident that Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee would bag the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown.
In a recent interview with Philstar.com at his recent thanksgiving media luncheon in Makati City for his TV show “Dear SV,” Verzosa declared of Michelle’s chances of winning: “Sure ‘yun!”
“Sobrang ganda ng preparations n’ya. Nakita ko kung gaano s’ya magprepare. Nagprapractice s’ya parati ng question and answers. Nagprapractice s’ya parati ng mga walk n’ya. Sobrang right eating, healthy, workout, kumpleto,” he expounded.
If Michelle would win, there is a stronger chance that Miss Universe would be held in the Philippines again next year, he said.
Although there are no ongoing negotiations to bring the pageant again to the Philippines, his personal wish is that the pageant to be held in the country again: “Sana. Oo naman.”
“Sana. Kasi ‘pag dito, very beneficial for the whole organization. Kasi dito, baliw ‘yung mga fans eh. Maraming supporters talaga ng different pageants here compared to other countries, so it would be to their advantage and sobrang beneficial to the organization na dito gawin. Lalo na ‘pag nanalo si Michelle.”
According to him, the expenses in staging a local and an international pageant are almost the same.
“Pareho lang naman – stage, production, light, director, almost the same lang. Marami tayong magagaling na directors and production crew…”
He, however, thinks that Miss Universe would favor other countries to host over the Philippines since the country just last hosted the pageant a few years ago.
“Kasi katatapos lang recently dito, so ‘di ko alam kung papaano. Baka magtampo ‘yung iba (other countries),” he said.
“Maraming countries ang gusto mag-host. Eh kakahost lang natin nung 2017.”
When asked about the supposed “luto” or rumored reshuffling of winners due to the “technical problem” at the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant, he said: “Tagal na ‘yan. Tapos na ‘yun. Oo nagkaro’n ng technical problem, pero masyadong matagal na ‘yun.”
Sam, who sat at the pageant’s panel of judges, admitted that it so hard to judge a pageant: “Mahirap talaga. Kaya nga may iba’t ibang criteria like long gown, swimsuit, question and answer, so dumadali. Bawat isa nagkakatalo dun. May mas maganda tignan sa long gown, sa swimsuit…”
Fortunately, he said, he cannot feel the crunch of the pageant’s bashers: “Hindi ko na napapansin sa sobrang busy.”
Likewise, he denied that MUPH would have a change of ownership next year: “Lagi naman chika ‘yun yearly, so chika pa rin ‘yan!”
Empire Philippines has owned the MUPH franchise since its first pageant held in 2020.
