Miss Universe 2024: Reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios (second row, center) with the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines delegates during her visit to Manila. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
The Philippines has already won even before the actual Miss Universe competition, by being recognized as the “Best Host Tour Country” during the preliminary show.
Out of all the countries that reigning queen Sheynnis Palacios visited as titleholder, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) cited the Philippines as the best host.
Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) President Jonas Gaffud received the recognition, awarded at the culmination of the national costume show and preliminary competition held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, on Nov. 14 (Nov. 15 in Manila).
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“True to our famed Filipino Hospitality, the Philippines was awarded Best Host Tour Country by the [MUO]…[a]n unexpected yet welcome feather in the cap of the organization that rolled out the red carpet and led the most touching and heartwarming welcome for [Palacios] during her visit to the Philippines,” MUPH posted on social media.
Palacios paid a visit to the Philippines in May, together with MUO officers Olivia Quido-Co and Mario Bucaro, where she was warmly received at every appearance, paticularly her “homecoming” parade where she could not hold back her tears because of the Filipinos’ reception, and upon seeing a Nicaraguan flag among the crowd.
She received the flag, then clasped it tightly to her chest, sobbing. Palacios has never had a homecoming in Nicaragua yet because of political tensions with the Ortega administration.
Part-Filipino delegate Shereen Ahmed from Bahrain also received a citation during the preliminary event. She was among the seven “silver finalists” in the “Voice for Change” initiative, along with the candidates from Aruba, Thailand, Guinea, Finland, and Eritrea and Cayman Islands who were both popular vote winners.
The “gold winners” were Juliana Barrientos from Bolivia, Ana Gabriela Villanueva from Guatemala, and Davin Prasath from Cambodia who was the popular vote winner.
The Miss Universe pageant also proclaimed Jenelle Thongs from Trinidad and Tobago as Miss Congeniality, while Stefanie Cam from Honduras was “Best Skin.”
Canada’s Dennis Davila was proclaimed as Best National Director, while Vietnam received the Best National Pageant award. Puerto Rico’s Yizette Cifredo got the “Beyond the Crown” recognition.
The 73rd Miss Universe coronation night will be held in the same arena on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila). Chelsea Manalo is hoping to become the fifth Filipino woman to bring home the crown.