Will Pauline win the Miss Universe PH?

Miss Bohol 2017 Pauline Amelinckx will represent the province at this year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant. Photo courtesy of Mikee Andrei

Since the Bohol bet, Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx, has been consistently topping online beauty pageant surveys, Boholanos are pinning their hopes on her to bring home the country’s Miss Universe Philippines crown.

"Her personality makes her win the crown! She is obviously brought up well. Everyone she works with would love to work with her again. She is open to criticism but she knows how to filter. Even she is smart, she isn't complacent and very diligent during trainings," according to Manila-based Boholano designer Mikee Andrei.

"Pauline is an epitome of authenticity, beauty and genuinity talaga, " Mikee added. 

During the preliminaries held Friday night, October 23 in Baguio City, Pauline won the heart of the judges and the Miss Universe PH followers with her amazing smile and how she effortlessly connected with the camera. 

Pauline grabbed four awards - - Miss Creamsilk, Miss Downy Sweetheart, Miss Cetaphil Sun and Miss Beautiful Face. 

“She has a good fighting chance,” according to Khim Roger Ryan Magtagad of The Art Nouveau (Tan) Models.

“The smile never left her face,” observed Helen Castano who covered the Miss U 2017 in Manila. 

Will Pauline win the Miss Universe Philippines? Will, rather can Pauline (who is up against other gorgeous girls) take the crown from reigning fellow Boholana beauty queen Gazini Ganados?

Puhon!!! 

Manila-based designer Mikee Andrei on Pauline Amelinckx: 'She is an epitome of authenticity, beauty and genuinity.' 

Speaking of "puhon," during the preliminary interview, Pauline and Caroline Veronilla of Misamis Oriental described the word "puhon"  as a beautiful word from their local language. 

Pauline defined "puhon" as “hopefully” and Caroline said "puhon" means “soon or someday”. 

"I would like to choose the word "puhon." It means hopefully. It's the word that we use whenever we talk something that gonna will happen in the future. Like I gonna join the Miss Universe Philippines "puhon", hopefully with God's blessings," said Pauline. 

Caroline said,  "I have always love the word "puhon."  "Puhon" is translated into "someday", "soon". And it is something that inspires me, it gives me hope, it makes me to look to the future. Puhon. Sometimes we use it, 'Kita ra ta puhon.' 'Sabay rata puhon.' So, someday. And that is something I look forward to. "

Their definitions sparked a debate online  on which candidate defined it properly. 

Well,  in Engr. Jes Berlamino Tirol's  Kapulungan (Binisaya-Iningles), "puhon" is an expression that signifies, "God willing; May it be in the future." 

It is synonymous with the word "haraw" and "hinaot" which means "May it happen." 

"Haraw" can be used for bad or good wish but "hinaot" is used only for a good wish. 

The five semi-finalists were chosen last Friday night but they won’t be known until the precious envelope is opened on coronation today, Oct. 25.

(Watch the GMA-7 telecast LIVE from Baguio Country Club on Sunday, October 25, at 9 a. m., with replay at 10 p. m.) 

Let us pray that Pauline will be the next Miss Universe, puhon!!! 

Hinaot unta! Puhon!!! 

Stand by.

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Miss South Africa is Miss Universe 2019

Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi is the new Miss Universe.

Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi. Picture: Instagram

Tunzi  was crowned by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray at the 68th edition of the pageant held in Atlanta on December 9, Monday.

Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson is first runner-up followed by Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon as second runner-up.

During their Final Word, all three women were asked the same question which was, “What is the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today?”

Her winning answer was:

The most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time, not because we don’t want to but because of what society has labeled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity and that’s what we should be teaching these young girls to take up space. There is nothing more important than to take up space in the society.

Before the announcement of winners, all three of them were given a chance to grace the stage and say their final speech.

Zozibini said, “I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair is never considered to be beautiful and I think that it is time that stops. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.”

Philippine bet Gazini Ganados was one of the Top 20. 

Zozibini is the third beauty queen from South Africa to win Miss Universe after Margaret Gardiner (1978) and Demi-Leigh Nel Peters (2017).