Michael Cinco ‘humbled, honored’ to join Miss Universe 2024 selection committee

Michael Cinco. Image: Facebook/Miss Universe

Renowned Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco will join the selection committee of the 2024 Miss Universe pageant, the international organizers announced on social media close to midnight on Wednesday evening, Oct. 30.

“Get ready for a dash of haute couture on the Miss Universe stage, [Cinco] acclaimed designer of luxurious gowns for Hollywood’s elite, joins the selection committee for the 73rd Miss Universe bringing his fashion expertise. Elegance and beauty will reign supreme! [stars emoji]” the Miss Universe pageant posted on social media.

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The Dubai-based designer also took to social media to share his selection as the 11th Filipino personality in history to become a Miss Universe judge. “Humbled and honored…Thank you MISS UNIVERSE…Thank you Lord…,” Cinco posted.

Image: Instagram/@michaelcinco5

Image: Instagram/@michaelcinco5

The Miss Universe pageant has been posting in phases who will constitute this year’s selection committee. Already announced as a member is 1978 Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner from South Africa, who won her crown in Mexico where this year’s competition is taking place.

Before Cinco, the most recent Filipino personality to join the Miss Universe pageant’s jury panel was Kapuso “Primetime Queen” Marian Rivera. She sat at the 70th edition of the international competition in Israel in 2021.

Also on the list of Filipino personalities who sat in the Miss Universe judging panel was 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who joined the committee in 2017 in Las Vegas, following the previous tradition of inviting a former winner as judge two years after her coronation.

Two Filipino personalities were part of the selection committee when Catriona Gray won in the 2018 pageant in Thailand, renowned US-based fashion designer Monique Lhuillier and Richelle Singson-Michael.

But the distinction of being the first Filipino personality to be invited as a judge in the Miss Universe pageant belongs to the late Carlos P. Romulo. The former president of the United Nations General Assembly was in the panel when the Philippines first hosted the international competition in 1974.

Here is the list of the Filipino personalities who became jurors in the Miss Universe pageant:

Carlos P. Romulo – 1974, Philippines
Josie Natori – 1989, Mexico
Kuh Ledesma – 1991, Las Vegas, USA
Emilio Yap – 1994, Philippines
Lea Salonga – 2011, Brazil
Manny Pacquiao – 2014, Florida, USA
Pia Wurtzbach – 2017, Las Vegas, USA
Monique Lhuillier – 2018, Thailand
Richelle Singson-Michael – 2018, Thailand
Michael Cinco – 2024, Mexico

The 2024 Miss Universe coronation night will be held at Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila). More than 120 delegates will compete for the crown currently held by reigning queen Sheynnis Palacios.

Chelsea Manalo will try to become the fifth Filipino woman to be proclaimed Miss Universe, following Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), Wurtzbach, and Gray.