When the Miss Universe beauty
pageant franchise broke away from longtime local partner Binibining Pilipinas
to launch its own selection pageant competition, it was expected that they
would begin establishing their own conventions to make itself distinct from its
former pageant home. And under the guidance of Miss Universe Philippines
national director Shamcey Supsup they look to be doing just that, by making the
inaugural Miss Universe PH beauty pageant a miniature of the main international
competition that it is sending the winner as a representative to. For one
thing, the contestants will not all be using a common language.
GMA News reports that the Miss Universe Philippines (MUP)
organization is going for a feel of the world in miniature when it comes to the
presentation of its 51 competitors in their first pageant. They will do so by
having each contestant converse in their mother dialect, in the same way that many
representatives to the main Miss Universe beauty pageant either do not have a
good command of English, or prefer to communicate in their own language. Thus,
a special video of the MUP delegates recently uploaded online shows them making
introductions in their respective dialects to the viewers.
This is an epic move for the Miss
Universe Philippines pageant. It should be recalled that the 51 contestants for
this debut competition are representing either each province of the
Philippines, along with the major cities from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
While there will be some crossover of dialects used (Miss Cebu City, Miss Cebu
Province and Miss Davao City all use Cebuano), just the idea of the contestants
taking pride in their tongues of birth (and practicing to use them in national-level
pageantry) will make their respective bases of support swell with provincial
and communal pride for sure.
The awesome introduction video
was made possible by the MUP candidates taking to heart the advice of national
director Shamcey Supsup, herself a former Miss Universe contestant representing
the Philippines. Her informal directive was for the contestants to take pride
in where they come from, and use the language or dialect they are most
comfortable with. “If you speak Bisaya, don’t be afraid to speak in Bisaya,” she
had said in interview referencing the contestants, and it looks like they have
taken it to heart. One can only be excited for how their new lingual freedom
will be put to use when the first Miss Universe Philippines beauty pageant
happens at the Mall of Asia Arena this coming May 3.
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