MANILA, Philippines — As the Miss Universe 2020 closed-door rehearsals continue, the grapevine has been agog with news that the elimination round will do away with the continental groupings and that there will be no opening statements like those in the 2018 and 2019 editions.
This is reportedly because the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) wants to do away with the sharing of the same microphone when the semifinalists do their individual speeches.
This would only mean that the 20 selected delegates from the judges' scores in the panel interview and preliminaries are those who not only caught their attention with impeccable communication skills but also those with relatable and confident personas. The only other girl who would by-pass this strict scrutiny is the winner of the online votes cast by fans worldwide.
It can be recalled that recently, Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo has been lauded for her strong communication skills.
After the 21 semifinalists are announced, they will reportedly compete in the swimsuit round, wearing custom-made swimwear from official sponsor Ema Savahl. Since the bikini lines this year are quite skimpy and revealing, physical proportions with lengthy extremities and powerful pasarela techniques will shine in this elimination round.
Again, Mateo has a good chance of acing in the swimsuit round given her well-toned physique and extensive modeling background that makes her look good on anything, may it be sexy or sweet.
Related: Rabiya Mateo makes it to Miss Universe Fashion Week video, top 10 best dressed
Those who will be called in the Top 10 will reportedly compete wearing evening gowns of their choice. From there, the number will be trimmed down to the final five where they will now display supremacy in answering the final question.
But despite the widespread rumor in the change of format, the Miss Universe has yet to confirm this piece of news. What I've learned though, early on, is that - in whatever competition format one joins in, may it be a beauty pageant, talent search, or sporting events - the constant, unwritten criterion that determines a victorious outcome is 100% showmanship. It is that all-encompassing attribute that never takes anything for granted, and never leaves a single stone unturned until the desired result has been attained.