ASIDE from Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Abdulla Khalifa, who has been named Head of Culture, it will be an all-Filipino team for the Miss Universe Bahrain council.
This first-ever council is tasked to select the next Miss Universe Bahrain as well as to prepare her for the global competition.
First up is Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa, who now goes back to her roots in pageantry.
“I came from pageantry, and my love will always be pageants,” she said during the press conference. “You take the girl out of the pageant, but you can’t take the pageant out of the girl.”
Kylie has been tasked to be the Head of Empowerment of the Miss Universe Bahrain council.
Kylie was joined by two other notable Filipino personalities on the Miss Universe Bahrain council.
Award-winning director Brillante Mendoza is coming on board as the council’s artistic director, while celebrity host Raymond Gutierrez is joining as the council’s fashion director.
“I am excited to learn,” said Brillante, who is fairly new to the pageant scene.
The director is no newbie in the art of storytelling, having won multiple awards here and abroad for his work.
“At the same time, I am excited to share what I know of storytelling and visual presentation,” he said.
“The creative juices in terms of the pageant will be coming from them kasi they’re the expert,” he explained. “Mine is more of a mentor and guide.”
Meanwhile, Raymond is quite at home in the pageant scene, having been tapped to host several competitions already. Nevertheless, there is still something new for him to experience this time around.
“I’ve hosted beauty pageants, I’ve judged beauty pageants,” said Raymond. “But this is the first time that I’m part of this council, which I think is very exciting.”
“I think it’s something new, something different. And I think it’s the first of its kind,” he added.
Other council members include Filipino fashion designer Furne One as Creative Director, entrepreneur Lorenzo Vega as Head of Innovation, and TV producer Joey Abacan as Senior Executive Consultant.
Miss Universe Bahrain was just established in 2021 under the Dubai-based Yugen Group, headed by its national director, Filipino entrepreneur and editor of Xpedition Magazine Middle East of Josh Yugen. The Yugen Group currently manages the Miss Universe franchise in Pakistan as well.
Bahrain has only been part of two Miss Universe pageants so far. The first Miss Universe Bahrain was Manar Nadeem Deyani , and she represented the country in the 2021 pageant. A year later, Evlin Abdulla Khalifa followed in her footsteps.
“I know the Filipinos can do something that’s global, something that’s international. We can be head of innovation,” stated Josh, who heads the council. “I’m just so happy that we don’t out Filipinos in a box.”
On the local front, preparations are currently ongoing for Miss Universe Philippines. With the coronation night just a couple of weeks away, the contestants are busy with pre-pageant competitions.
The Swimsuit Challenge already released its Top 5 contenders based on the number of fan votes on the Miss Philippines Universe app. Included on the list are the representatives from Agusan Del Norte, Bohol, Bulacan, Capiz, and Pampanga.
The Miss Universe Philippines coronation night is set on May 13, 2023 at the Mall of Asia Arena. (PUSH)
