MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2020 VOWS TO CROWN A NEW QUEEN
Four-month schedule set to carry out the pageant in a ‘spectacular show’ despite Covid-19 pandemic
AMID setbacks the newly organized Miss Universe Philippines has struggled with due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the pageant’s first edition will still push through with coronation night now scheduled on October 25.
It can be remembered that Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) originally intended a May 3 coronation, but announced a rescheduling to June 14 when the virus broke out. However with extended community quarantines in Metro Manila and many other parts of the country still in place, pre-pageant activities and preparations have neither been possible, forcing organizers to rethink and adjust their plans.
MUP is headed by Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey
Supsup-Lee as National Director. Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) previously held the local franchise of the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant and had been training and sending the Philippines’ representatives to Miss Universe for the last 50 years.
With the pandemic still affecting millions of lives, the challenge for MUP is no longer just to live up or surpass the standards set by BPCI — which already won four Miss Universe title for the Philippines
— but, more importantly, to ensure the safety of the 2020 candidates and even the audience on pageant night.
Given the emerging “new normal,” the organization released a new set of guidelines on their website, fittingly titled “2020 Pageant Way Forward.”
Downsized
One of the major differences on how preliminary competitions and the coronation night itself will be carried out is downsizing the massive gathering of contestants, judges, production teams and technical crew and candidate supporters.
“We are challenging ourselves to be as creative as possible given limitations we will have to contend within the time of Covid,” the official document stated.
For preliminaries, which involve swimsuit and evening gown competitions, the contestants will be divided into 10 groups. Each group will further be divided into two with five candidates at a time proceeding to the designated competition area, all wearing a mask until their individual turns on stage. In other words, there will be no stage grouping taking place at any time, and every candidate will be told to go home as soon as they descend the stage.
For coronation night, assuming the pageant will be allowed a big venue, the guidelines clearly state only the production team, judges and candidates will be present all the same. At most, MUP estimates not more than 100 people needed to mount the finals all together, and guarantee that strict social distancing will be observed.
Moreover, the production will pre-tape most of the material to lessen the need for candidates to be onstage.
Finally, there will be no live audience allowed inside the venue, with the show to be made available via pay per view streaming.
‘Spectacular show’
Despite these major changes, MUP Creative Director Jonas Antonio Gaffud, nevertheless promised pageant fans a spectacular show.
“The final show in October will be one of a kind,” he posted on MUP’s Facebook page. "The theme, the opening number, the colors and the interviews will be very interesting to say the least. Not to be coy but all I can say is we will give you a show unlike anything you have seen before.”
Gaffud further noted that the organization has drawn out a four-month schedule to prepare the candidates and their own team to adjust into this new style of pageantry as follows.
June will be dedicated to shooting all candidate materials with partner brands, provided local airlines can resume flying. Based on guidelines set by government when the Enhanced Community Quarantine was relaxed, MUP will limit production shoots to only five people, already including the candidate. They will also hire production crews all over Philippines to create jobs.
Besides shooting, June will also see candidates undergo a series of orientations, modular lessons, workshops and inspirational talks online. From these, MUP will design graded challenges to add to their preliminary scores.
July will then signal the start of “Learning Journeys” where the candidates will be trained for the “Miss Universe stage and beyond” through August. The MUP merchandise will also be launched during this time.
By September, MUP hopes to be able to resume shoots in Metro Manila with 10 people on set at the most to complete material for “Ring Light: Miss Universe Philippines Limited Series.” An eight-episode online special, the series will “showcase of the journey of the contestants in realizing the best version of themselves, key moments from their trainings, reflections, and also application of their lessons.”
The all-access series will also premiere in September via payper-view, and will further include features on preliminary interviews, swimsuit evaluations and gown competitions.
According to Gaffud, “Ring Light was originally intended to be a limited series aired from April 13 to May 2, the lead up to the [original] coronation night. It is now a fundraising activity for charity via pay-per-view access, which actually gives the audience a more active role in making the event a success.”
Forward-looking
Given the new set up and program, MUP remains optimistic the 2020 Miss Universe Pageant will be a success. They are grateful their sponsors have not withdrawn their promise of support and that all the candidates are in the pink of health and have neither backed out.
Closing their announcement, the MUP stated, “We take seriously the role of being the caretaker of the one of the strongest and influential brands of the Philippines. We acknowledge its ability to do so much good at a time of great adversity. Now more than ever, it should play an active role in helping the nation rebuild and recover [because] holding the title was never and should never be just about the presence of bright lights, cheers from millions of fans, [and] glamorous gowns, hair or make up. It is about being able to provide answers to the unique challenges presented by the times and a truly phenomenal woman will surely rise up to the challenge.”