Will MJ Lastimosa Finally Get That Elusive Ms. Universe Crown?

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the Philippines' bet for this year's Ms. Universe pageant, MJ Lastimosa, was, holy cow,  this girl is a dead ringer of Shamcey Supsup and like Shamcey Supsup, she has more than fifty percent chances of bagging that crown, which for the past three decades had numerously slipped from the fingers of  each Philippine candidate.   I guess, we've all sympathized with our contestants who came back home without the  major "bacon" for the past three decades, and we all felt sorry and sometimes "bitter" when Philippine contestants didn't get the crown even if majority of them did win runner-up awards. Winning runner-up is not the same as getting the major crown.  But then it's better than coming home empty-handed. 

So what's MJ Lastimosa's edge over former candidates we sent to this most prestigious beauty pageant?  Frankly, while others think and believe our former contestants, the likes of Miriam Quiambao, Janine Tugonon, Venus Raj, exotic beauties that got to the top five of the pageant, are the type that should be sent to such competitions, my opinion is quite dissenting.  The pageant is anybody's ball game.  Shamsey was third runner up to the crown, and she was nowhere as exotic as the other Philippine candidates before and after her.  So it is not really a question of the quality of beauty alone that's needed to become Ms. Universe.   Gloria Diaz, whose beauty was not the Madonna-ish type, captured the hearts of the judges, as well as her wit and charm, and she took the first Ms. Universe title for us.   

MJ Lastimosa may not be of pure Filipino ancestry, she is not  hiding that fact anyway, she still has the right to represent the country.  She won the title and the right, fair and square.  Now,  all she needs from her fellowmen are prayers and support, the way that they supported and prayed for the other representatives before her.    As for me, MJ Lastimosa has the smarts, determination, and beauty to bag that elusive crown.   We just have to wait and see how the judges would rate each candidate and congratulate whoever will be at the top five.   But for now, I'll put my entire vote and support for MJ.  Good luck, MJ.