Miss Universe PH 2024 to deliver ‘best’ prelims, finals performances—EVP

Miss Universe Philippines EVP Voltaire Tayag (right) with reigning queen Michelle Dee. Image: Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines

Voltaire Tayag, who recently assumed the executive vice president post of the Miss Universe Philippines organization (MUPH), believes the 2024 competition will impress spectators because of the roster of formidable aspirants this year.

“With so many amazing delegates, I expect that it is going to be an extremely difficult year to predict. What I am sure of is that pageant fans will be treated to probably some of the best pageant performances during prelims and finals,” the former MUPH director of communications told INQUIRER.net in an exclusive online interview.

“What I sincerely hope is that expectations and emotions are managed. That whoever wins in the end will have the love and support from everyone,” he continued.

The 2023 competition saw the intense squabbling of fans of different delegates online, as in the previous years and in other pageants. But reigning queen Michelle Marquez Dee was eventually able to enjoy the support of many Filipinos when she participated in the 72nd Miss Universe pageant where she finished in the Top 10.

The pageant official attributes the impressive haul of aspirants this year to the “Accredited Partnership” systems introduced by MUPH President Jonas Gaffud during the national pageant’s first edition in 2020. “Jonas’ full vision came into fruition this year. The pageants held throughout the Philippines may have contributed to a greater interest in women joining MUPH this year. Quite possibly, the excitement [Dee] generated during her reign and successful stint in Miss Universe may have inspired many to join,” Tayag explained.

MUPH had already established partnerships with local pageant organizers in the past, but it was only this year that the organization exclusively accepted participants sent by accredited partners, and no individual screenings were conducted.

“Of course, we cannot underemphasize the effect of the removal of the age limit. It seems that many pageant dreams have been reawakened as evidenced by the number of comeback queens,” Tayag continued. Several accredited partners chose to appoint seasoned contenders as their respective representatives, while other international pageant veterans won their local competitions.

He said working with MUPH has been “an incredibly fulfilling experience” he will always be grateful for. “I worked closely with [Gaffud] who was very generous in sharing his knowledge in running the pageant. I’m also from that mindset where it doesn’t matter what my title is, but if I can contribute positively to a group and the organization, I’d gladly do it,” he shared.

MUPH has achieved so much despite being a relatively young organization, Tayag said. “If you remember, the first edition of MUPH was briefly put on hold because of the [COVID-19] pandemic. In a way, this forced us to innovate faster. As a result, I can confidently say that MUPH’s digital media creative initiatives are its most significant contribution,” he said.

“The digital content that we have created for our pageant, our queens, our sponsors and host cities/provinces have been widely praised. In fact, some have even been mentioned in digital conferences as success stories. It is why sponsors keep renewing and more cities/provinces have expressed interest in hosting. The digital content for the runway challenges and other challenges have become highly anticipated digital releases,” Tayag continued.

He also said that in his new capacity as EVP, “I feel it’s very important to focus on [MUPH’s] business, profitability, and building lasting sponsor relations. This will ensure that we can mount better productions, provide a more enriching pageant experience for the delegates, and be able to expand the tangible advocacy efforts. Along with the rest of the MUPH organization, we hope to continue to elevate and redefine pageants.”

He also cited how MUPH has successfully showcased original Filipino music and contributed to the popularity of “Magandang Dilag,” “Diwata,” “Kamahalan,” “Kulay” and “Over the Universe.” Tayag also said the organization has been a staunch advocate of tourism in the Philippines. “We actually go on tours. It’s been one of the perks of being with MUPH. We’ve visited Benguet, Bohol, Boracay, El Nido, Tacloban, Samar, Ilocos Norte and Pampanga.”

Tayag said MUPH will continue to maximize its platform in championing women and various causes. “We have decided to intensify our advocacy efforts. This year, we will be advocating for eight worthwhile causes under the ‘Love for All’ theme,” he said.

“The delegates were divided into eight groups. They were asked to choose the advocacy they felt a connection to, which were ‘Women,’ ‘Children,’ ‘LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual),’ ‘Migrant Workers,’ ‘Environment,’ ‘Culture,’ ‘Animals’ and the ‘Creative Industry.’ They will be teamed up with organizations or agencies that can guide them in creating tangible results during their pageant journey,” he explained.

Fifty-five ladies from all over the country and different overseas communities are competing to succeed Dee. The eventual winner will represent the Philippines in the 73rd Miss Universe pageant to be held in Mexico later this year.