- The Philippines’ Top 10 streak in the Miss Universe pageant finally came to an end
- This record first started with Venus Raj and ended with Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray
- This year’s representative for Miss Universe pageant Gazini Ganados failed to advance to the Top 10
For straight nine years, Filipina beauty queens have managed to take a spot in the Top 10 finalists in the prestigious Miss Universe pageant held every year. A record was solely achieved by the Philippines.
The almost decade-long trend started with Maria Venus Raj, a Filipino-Indian who placed as the fourth runner-up in 59th Miss Universe pageant in 2010 wherein she popularized her fumbled answer “Major Major“.
Scottish-Filipino, Australia-raised model Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray conquered the stage as she won the Miss Universe 2018 title, making herself the fourth Filipina to do so. She was then the last candidate who successfully continued the Top 10 streak of the country.
Here is a list of Filipina candidates who competed in the Miss Universe competition from the year 2010 to 2019, and their final standings in the pageant:
• 2010: Maria Venus Raj, 4th runner-up
• 2011: Shamcey Supsup, 3rd runner-up
• 2012: Janine Tugonon, 1st runner-up
•2013: Ara Arida, 3rd runner-up
•2014: Mary Jean Lastimosa, Top 10
•2015: Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015 winner
•2016: Maxine Medina, Top 6
• 2017: Rachel Peters, Top 10
• 2018: Catriona Elisa Gray, Miss Universe 2018 Winner
• 2019: Gazini Ganados, Top 20 and Best in National Costume
” It started with a Bicolana and (unfortunately) ended with a Bicolana,” a netizen commented noting that Raj and Gray were both raised in Bicol region.
https://twitter.com/ronaldgem/status/1203855582223974401?s=19
Sadly, the Top 10 streak of the Philippines came to an end this year.
Gazini Christiana Jordi Acopiado Ganado landed in the Top 20 in the recently held Miss Universe 2019 pageant held at Tyler Perry Studios, Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Despite gaining much support from Filipino fans, Gazini failed to make it to the Top 10.
Many fans still expressed their appreciation to Gazini for giving her best in the competition. Filipinos became more high spirited when it was later announced that Gazini actually won the Best in National Costume Award instead of Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon.
Through Twitter, the Miss Universe Organization corrected this announcement hours after the pageant ended saying that Steve Harvey, the host, had read the teleprompter correctly when he named Miss Philippines as the winner.
