Class of 2022

Aces & Queens to announce this year's batch of trainees

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

After the Miss Universe Philippines organization informed all and sundry of its screening for the 2022 season to commence in February, Gerry Diaz of the Aces & Queens camp, in a social media post, wrote, "Class of 2022 received almost 300 applications. Invited 40 for the first virtual screening and another 40 for the second virtual screening."

This was followed by a cryptic message that read, "A & A 2022 - winnable, fresh faces. Promising provincials. Returnees. Comebacks. Big crossover."

In a subsequent post last Jan 14, Diaz wrote, "To the ladies who attended the A & Q Class of 2022 screening, results will be emailed directly tonight or tomorrow morning, at the least."

Over the weekend, Aces & Queens teased the fans with a B&W collage of hidden faces of its selected 2022 trainees. Netizens were quick to guess who those faces were. And their guesses included:

- Miss World-Philippines 2019 Michelle Dee

- returning MUPh entrant Jasmine Umali

- new aspirant Chantal Schmidt

- Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2016 Joanna Eden

- former Bb. Pilipinas aspirant Maria Gigante of Cebu Province

- returning MUPh entrant Joanna Rabe

- Miss Universe Philippines 2020 1st runner-up Ysabella Ysmael

- returning MUPh entrant Maria Isabela Galeria, and

- Miss Universe UAE 2021 candidate Frankie Russell

Of the 12 Philippine beauty queens who represented the country in our historic semifinal streak, a majority came from the Aces & Queens; with a few from Kagandahang Flores, and one very strong, independent representative.