Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, 27, is set to crown her successor on Jan. 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Steve Harvey will return as host during the coronation night with "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 23 judge Ashley Graham as the backstage host.
It has been confirmed that 86 delegates will compete at the Miss Universe 2016. On Jan. 10, Tuesday, the Philippine National Police assured the safety in the country as it hosts the beauty pageant.
"As of now, we don't have any direct threat concerning the staging of Miss Universe pageant," Phil Star quoted PNP chief for Directorate Operations Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Licup as saying. He added that more than 1,300 cops will be deployed in Metro Manila alone for the pageant.
Many Filipinos fans wish for a back-to-back win but it appears that several candidates from other countries will not make that easy to achieve. Here are the 13 candidates predicted to make it to the top:
13. Miss Colombia
Andrea Tovar, 23, is from Quibdo, Colombia. With an Industrial Design and Photo Production degree, she dreams to create an innovative foundation that transforms Colombian products using raw materials from the Pacific region.
12. Miss Germany
Johanna Acs, 24, is from Tbilisi, Germany. She studies textile and clothing management.
11. Miss Mexico
Kristal Silva, 25, is from Ciudad Victoria, Mexico. Since she was young, she wanted to compete in Miss Universe.
10. Miss Jamaica
Isabel Dalley, 20, is from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Her dream is to become a marine biologist.
9. Miss USA
Deshauna Barber, 27, is from Washington, D.C. She is the first woman actively serving in the U.S. Army Reserve to win the Miss USA title.
8. Miss Chile
Catalina Caceres, 26, is from Santiago, Chile. She is an animal lover and she enjoys painting and volunteering.
7. Miss Philippines
Maxine Medina, 26, is from Quezon City, Philippines. She is a model and a residential condominiums interior designer.
6. Miss Japan
Sari Nakazawa, 23, is from Shiga, Japan. She is a senior dental student.
5. Miss Croatia
Barbara Filipovic, 19, is from Zagreb, Croatia. It is her dream to become a veterinarian and she loves playing with dogs and riding horses.
4. Miss Uruguay
Magdalena Cohendet, 22, is from Artigas, Uruguay. She is studying business administration at Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay.
3. Miss Barbados
Shannon Harris, 22, is from Bridgetown, Barbados. In her country, she has worked with several charities. One of these is I Am A Girl, a charity that aims to empower high school girls by letting them know that their voice matters.
2. Miss Venezuela
Mariam Habach, 20, is from El Tocuyo, Venezuela. She is studying dentistry.
1. Miss Puerto Rico
Brenda Jimenez, 22, is from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. She is studying Biology and Psychology Honors Student at the University of Puerto Rico.
Medina, Barber, Cohendet and Habach were among the 25 candidates who took part in a press conference in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, on Jan. 15, Sunday. During the event, the Philippine delegate was asked about what she wanted to teach her fellow candidates.
"I think it is being polite to everyone especially the elderly," Rappler quoted Medina as saying. She added that she has also been teaching her fellow candidates the Filipino honorific terms po, Ate and Kuya.
Watch a video of Wurtzbach welcoming the Miss Universe 2016 candidates here:
(Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of Yibada.)
