MUPH Dir. Shamcey Supsup-Lee (in black) with actress Ara Mina on her right and reigning Miss Universe Philippines Pasig Selena Antonio-Reyes (in ombre dress) pose with the candidates of the 2025 city pageant. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee is aware of how fans always clamor for recalibrating the national search every time a new international winner is crowned. But for her, there is no need to “pattern” the selection based on the new queen.
“I always say this, every year is always different. Every year there are always surprises. And I believe it’s not something that you have to change, or change direction every time,” she told INQUIRER.net on the sidelines of the Miss Universe Philippines Pasig 2025 press presentation in Mandaluyong City on Dec. 10.
“There are so many factors involved. Sometimes we just base it on the winner, that if she is a certain way, our next winner should also be like that. I don’t think it should be that way,” she added.
Lee said MUPH’s main objective is to provide a platform where women can excel in their unique way. “And if that’s the way she is, she stood out on the international stage, then that’s her destiny. That’s how I think. I can’t speak for the whole organization,” she said.
She said there were times when the fans say advocacy should be the focus, then another time runway skills, and another time they want someone statuesque, and another time someone who looks like a doll.
“What happens there is you define women in very simple terms, and she’s more than that. It just so happens that it was what’s highlighted about the winner, but there’s more to her than just that. Why will you put her in a box?” Lee asked.
“You will notice that every year is different when it comes to physical beauty. Except for [the 2023 pageant], I’ve seen all the Miss Universe live (during MUPH’s tenure), and I observed there’s something about the [eventual] winner when they come out on stage. That’s something you cannot predict, or study. It just happens,” she shared.
As for the current Miss Universe Viktoria Kjær Theilvig, who competed with the Philippines’ Chelsea Manalo in the 73rd edition of the international pageant held in Mexico last month, Lee said she noticed her “x-factor” as early as the preliminaries.
“I said I love Denmark. There’s something about this girl, she has ‘something.’ And then during the finals she had one of the loudest cheers. How did that happen? It was in Mexico City with a Latin-dominated crowd. She had fans, it’s not just us who noticed her,” she shared.
But she also said that she will not be as involved in the 2025 national search as she used to. Lee said she had already spoken with MUPH Pres. Jonas Gaffud about lying low from the organization because of her candidacy as Pasig City councilor for the 2025 elections.
“Whatever are my goals, whatever I wanted to achieve with MUPH, it’s still the same, women empowerment, pushing for the creative industries, and I hope to do that in a bigger stage,” Lee said.
She said she will still support MUPH whenever she can. “But for sure I’ll be very, very busy by that time. This is what I can do for now, Pasig City, and we’re planning to have our coronation night on Jan. 18 next year,” Lee said of her support for the Miss Universe Philippines Pasig 2025 competition.
Eighteen ladies are vying for the first local pageant for Pasig City’s Miss Universe Philippines representative. Reigning queen Selena Antonio-Reyes, a 38-year-old mother of two, was appointed to represent the city in the 2024 national pagent, where she finished in the Top 20.