Will a ‘Binibini’ finally clinch the Miss Universe Philippines crown?
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Bb. Pilipinas queens in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant (from left) Chanel Olive Thomas, Chelsea Fernandez, and Ahtisa Manalo. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
In the past five edition since it was founded in 2020, the Miss Universe Philippines pageant has seen many Binibining Pilipinas titleholders compete, but none of them was able to win the top prize even when some of them were predicted by fans to get crowned.
Because of this, many pageant followers deduced that there is a “sumpa” or a curse on Bb. Pilipinas queens in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant, preventing them from getting the main title.
But it does not mean that the Miss Universe Philippines pageant shuts out all winners from different competitions, because the crown has gone to 2018 Miss Philippines Earth Celeste Cortesi in 2022, and 2019 Miss World Philippines Michelle Marquez Dee in 2023.
Both Cortesi and Dee were the predicted winners in their respective years. But the editions before those, and the one that came after, proclaimed surprise queens.
In 2020, for the first edition for the standalone national pageant, many were expecting 2018 Bb. Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao to get crowned. But she only ranked third, with the title going to national pageant rookie Rabiya Mateo.
The next year, a lot of fans were betting on 2012 Bb. Pilipinas Tourism Katrina Jayne Dimaranan to clinch the Miss Universe Philippines crown, but she ended up with the Miss Universe Philippines-Tourism title, with the top prize going to Beatrice Luigi Gomez, a national pageant newbie.
Last year, hopes were high for 2018 Bb. Pilipinas International Ahtisa Manalo. Predictions overwhelmingly point to her victory as Miss Universe Philippines. But she only finished third overall, and was bestowed The Miss Philippines-Cosmo crown.
This year, three former Bb. Pilipinas titleholders are competing. Aside from Manalo who is a returning candidate, the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant also recruited 2017 Bb. Pilipinas Supranational Chanel Olive Thomas and 2022 Bb. Pilipinas Globe Chelsea Fernandez.
“As for me I do not believe that there is a sumpa if you are from Binibining Pilipinas,” Fernandez told INQUIRER.net in an interview. “I do not think that it is because of the organization. I think it’s just the fate and the destiny.”
She has always won in all of the national competitions that she participated in. She was crowned 2018 Reyna ng Aliwan, 2019 Miss Philippines Water, 2020 Miss ECQ, 2021 Miss Bikini Philippines, and 2022 Bb. Pilipinas Globe.
And with her Bb. Pilipinas crown, Fernandez was sent to The Miss Globe pageant in 2022, where she topped the “Head-to-Head” challenge and entered the Top 15.
“Let’s see if we can get the crown this year. Mere-break natin ang sumpa kung may sumpa man (We’re gonna break the curse if ever there is a curse),” she declared.
Tomas also does not agree with the observation of many pageant fans. “I believe there is no curse. I think it’s the right time, the right place, the right Binibini to win Miss Universe Philippines,” she told INQUIRER.net in a separate interview.
She was in the Top 10 of the 2017 Miss Supranational pageant, where she also received the Miss Congeniality award. She was also Miss Friendship in the 2017 Bb. Pilipinas pageant and the 2015 Miss Philippines Earth pageant where she got the Miss Philippines-Air title.
Manalo, Fernandez, and Thomas are among the 66 ladies competing in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant. Their fate awaits them at the coronation show tonight, May 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
