Dateline: Mexico

 Miss Universe 2024 candidates who dropped by Manila enroute to Mexico

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

It's Day 1 of the 73rd Miss Universe pageant and the 120 delegates for the 73rd Miss Universe competition has arrived in Mexico City in time for registration and fitting. This early, the Mexican capital, like all the rest of the Mexican nation, are busy preparing for its Dia del Muerto festival.

A few delegates, however, made a scheduled Manila stopover, a week or two before, for some pasarela and grooming sessions with Filipino trainers.

One of them is Miss Bahrain Shereen Ahmed, who arrived with Miss Egypt Logina Salah, and their national director Josh Yugen, and was received by Miss Universe Bahrain co-national director Dr. Jonas Aposol in Makati City.

"In the 72 years of the Miss Universe history, only one Arab woman (1971 winner Georgina Rizk) won the crown so it's high time another Arab woman won. I don't have to choose from my biracial identity. Simply go to your inner core. Once you've overcome that, everything becomes easier.

"Arab women have often been labeled as either Princess Jasmine or a terrorist. This is how the world has dehumanized Arab women. In Mexico, I'll be in the company of other Pinay halfies - Christina Chalk of Great Britain, Victoria Vincent of New Zealand, and Chelsea Manalo of the Philippines," intoned Miss Universe Bahrain 2024 Shereen Ahmed.

Miss Universe Egypt 2024 Logina "Lulu" Salah also said that 2024 is the time for Africa. "My vitiligo (psoriasis) did not stop me from winning Miss Egypt, and represent my country on a global stage. The greatest coping mechanism is acceptance, respect everyone. I don't have the energy for every basher.

"I felt excluded before. But now that I'm included, I want to inspire others who are different. Your uniqueness is your power! The thing about expectation is to know what you're expecting from yourself," shared the 34-year-old divorcee.

"The best trainers are still in the Philippines," said national director Josh Yugen, who holds the license for Pakistan, Egypt, and Bahrain.

Another delegate who made a short visit to Manila was Miss Latvia Marija Vicinska. The 26-year-old flight attendant said that "anyone can join the national pageant in her hometown Riga, though it is not as popular as Philippine pageants."

On Nov 1st, the delegates will all join in Mexico's Halloween festival with the magic of the day of the dead (Dia del Muerto), through the Gala de las Catrinas.

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo will appear as Princess Tiana from the Disney movie, "The Princess & the Frog."

Catch the preliminary show on November 14, and the final show on Nov 16. The coronation rites will beamed to a nationwide audience through the A2Z Kapamilya channel on Nov. 17.