Bb. Pilipinas International Angelica Lopez. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
The Miss International pageant continues its reinvention this year with a preliminary presentation show that will be open to the public, the global tilt announced on social media as it gears up for the 62nd edition of the competition in Tokyo, Japan, in November.
“For the very first time, we will have a preliminary presentation show for this year’s edition of Miss International!” the pageant posted on social media on Friday, Aug. 9. In the previous years, the preliminary evaluation of the delegates was conducted behind closed doors, with only members of the judging panel and a few invited guests seeing the candidates presenting themselves.
Miss International Executive Director Stephen Diaz told INQUIRER.net in an online interview that the pageant will also have its first-ever national costume presentation show. Both events will be held at the newly opened Professional University of Beauty and Wellness in Yokohama. The costume show is scheduled on Nov. 3, while the preliminary presentation show will be on Nov. 10, just a couple of days before the coronation show.
He said the decision was made to spur greater engagement from the public. “Last year, we did the [question-and-answer] and swimsuit at the university hall, and it was a success. So, in order to engage more people to follow our pageant, I think we can manage to do a preliminary presentation show this time,” he shared.
“We’ve been doing it slowly since 2018. We had our closed-door swimsuit prelims in 2018 and 2019. And slowly we added the personal style walk in 2019 and 2022,” Diaz said, adding that the measures are “baby steps” and he is looking forward to a “better and bigger” presentation show next time.
He said the organization is still discussing what to include in the preliminary presentation show. “For sure, swimsuit will be there,” Diaz assured.
More than 70 delegates are expected to arrive in Tokyo as early as October for the activities lined up by the organization. The Philippines will be represented by 2023 Binibining Pilipinas International Angelica Lopez, who earned her crown more than a year ago. Her successor, Myrna Esguerra, is scheduled to compete at the 63rd Miss International pageant next year.
Diaz said the Nov. 10 schedule of the preliminary show will be convenient for Filipinos working in Japan because it falls on a Sunday, when most of them do not have any work. He also encouraged the public to follow the Miss International pageant on social media to get the latest information on how to secure tickets to both shows, and if they will be made available online to fans around the world.
The Miss International pageant is one of the longest-running global competitions in the world, and it is also where the Philippines has found its biggest success with six winners — Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1973), Melanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013), and Kylie Verzosa (2016).
The Philippines is just second to Venezuela in having the most Miss International winners. The South American pageant powerhouse has a total of nine titleholders including reigning queen Andrea Rubio who will relinquish her crown to her successor at the coronation ceremonies slated at the Tokyo Dome City Hall on Nov. 12.