diate favorite after winning her national title. She has done modeling stints prior to her victory and is definitely a pageant pro.
Another eye candy is Huong Pham of Vietnam. Aside from being
a stunning beauty, her bubbly attitude also was a huge asset. Of
course, the Philippines’ Pia Wurtzbach was also a strong contender since the start. After her 3rd entry in the Binibining Pilipinas
pageant, clinching the plum spot was a game changer for the Miss
Universe pageant.
As the pageant season started, these Southeast Asian delegates
became heavy favorites. They topped the leaderboards of various
pageant websites. They were also among the most heavily talked
about delegates via social media. Their fierce preliminary pageant
performances made the predictions of a Southeast Asian delegate
getting the crown stronger.
The pageant night
As expected, Pia Wurtzbach continued the placement streak
of her country, leading the way for the other Southeast Asian
delegates. Aniporn of Thailand also placed, breaking her country’s
non-placement of 7 years. Anindya Putri of Indonesia came out
of nowhere and continued her country’s placement. Seeing 3
Southeast Asian ladies on top was history as it never happened in
recent years.
After the swimsuit competition, Indonesia’s journey ended
while both Aniporn and Pia moved forward. Aniporn donned
the trendsetting white gown with a cape that made her a major standout in the evening gown round. However, it was Pia
who took everyone’s breath away with her stunning royal blue
gown with beautiful sequins at the back. Despite the controversy surrounding the late arrival of her Albert Andrada
gown, she managed to showcase it with elegance, making her a
major standout.
The crowning
After the evening gown competition, Aniporn did not make it
to the next shortlist and Pia remained as the only hope for team
ASEAN. Despite her nerves, Pia managed to answer both rounds
of question and answer with grace and wit. Her final answer, where
she promised to show the universe that she could be confidently
beautiful with a heart, definitely sealed the deal.
Though the crowning was marred with controversy as host
Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner, the mistake was
immediately corrected and Pia took home the crown, ending the
Philippines’ 42-year drought for a winner in the prestigious event.
A victory for team ASEAN
Pia