Miss Universe 2025 Sidelights and Highlights

It all started in the early days of the Miss Universe 2025 competition when Nawat called out Fatima Bosch for allegedly refusing to participate in a photo shoot set up to provide content for contestants to share on social media.

Fatima denied the claims; however, Itsaragrisil continued to chastise her. She eventually walked out of the room, and several other contestants got up to follow.
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That incident brought up tension between the two executives, Raul and Nawat. Raul announced that Nawat has been restricted from participation in Miss Universe events.

He continued to express his "great indignation towards Nawat for the public aggression he committed against Fátima Bosch ... whom he humiliated, insulted, and showed a lack of respect to. Itsaragrisil has since tearfully apologized for the incident.
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The pageant proceeded as planned, and no one had a hint or suspicion that the two-week lull before the finals was just a calm before the storm.

But some tip-off signs should have alerted Raul and Nawat's attention as two judges, Omar Harfouch (Lebanese-French composer and Claude Makelele (a French soccer player), stepped down as judges, with Omar making accusations of rigging and Claude citing unforeseen personal reasons. It can be trouble waiting to happen?
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And now the result of the finals - the Top 5 composed of the Philippines, Cote d'Ivoire, Venezuela, Thailand, and Mexico. It was a hotly contested event from the start, especially when the candidates showcased their talents in the swimwear and evening gown competitions.

The beauty and brains pageant will now depend on the last two remaining questions and answer rounds to really determine who's who among the Best of the Best.

The Philippines, Cote d'Ivoire, and Venezuela delivered ... and people in the venue and on social media were amazed at how low they placed, and the owners of the pageant, Mexico and Thailand, were the two last women standing.
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The netizens surmised that, apparently, Mexico and Thailand have already struck a deal. It was a coin toss between the two of them ... whichever way it went ... winner sila. Ang isa will be the new Miss Universe, and the other one will be the first runner-up.

Miss Mexico won the title, and Thailand became the bridesmaid.
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What happened after that was surreal. I have never seen anything like that. Not even at the time in 2015 with Pia Wurtzbach, when Steve Harvey made that announcement, gaffe .... the whole pageant community was polarized, either you are pro-Philippines or you're not.

But this time, almost 85% of the venue was booing the Mexican delegation as they went to their hotel ... and even Raul Rocha Cantu. They were chanting Côte d'Ivoire and the Philippines.
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And the rest was history. The next day, French musician Omar Harfouch maybe could not stomach the result. He took to social media by storm when he stated Miss Mexico is a fake winner.
He also volunteered this information that Raul Rocha and his son urged him a week ago in Dubai .... that Miss Mexico needed to win ...because they need to win, "Because it is good for the business."
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Because of the controversy, baka madethrone ang winner, suspetsa ng isang pageant observer.

Pagkatapos madethrone ... aba ang isang co-owner pa rin will take over, being the first runner up? That was a stroke of genius .... sabi ng isa pang naghihimutok. This is the mother of all cooking shows. Only one good chef can cook it.
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"There is one irony concerning the last two women standing.", I observed. "They delivered the weakest answers.

The Miss Universe 2025 CROWN has found a HEAD ... but not the rightful one.
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Lessons learned in Miss Universe 2025, according to one disgruntled fan.

If you want to be the queen: create a scene ... stage a walk-out ... have a verbal clash with the organizer ... and don't forget to portray yourself as the victim.
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One comment I was waiting for is for past winners to join the fray. The first two queens to cast shade were Catriona, who obviously can not hold her punches. " Wala na bang bearing ang Q and A sa MU?" she asked. This resonated well with pageant insiders who echo the same sentiment: The Q and A has lost its gravity and importance in the good-for-business atmosphere of the present-day Miss Universe Organization.

Michelle Dee seconded that by posting a cryptic but highly-charged observation: "I know ... you smell that too?"
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By this time, Filipinos should have already been used to and tolerant of corruption and scams.

With the way things are happening in our government ... dapat sana nasanay na tayong MANAKAWAN. Nanakawan na tayo ng PERA ... pati KORONA ninakaw pa rin?
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Rally For Transparency? Was It?

 

Rally For Transparency ... Was It?

Iglesia Ni Cristo last weekend, with a special participation from JIL and KOJC (a trio of not a surprising mix), held an indignation rally... and it is a rally for transparency and a better democracy.

The CBCP and Caritas, however, came out and distanced themselves right away, boldly stating that they are neither involved in the event's planning nor endorsing it.

The goal of the rally was very noble ... lalo pa ngayong galit na galit ang mag tao ngayon sa corruption. I am a Catholic and I don't have any problem rubbing elbows with them ... pareho lang naman ang VISION pati na ang MISSION.

Pero may mga komenta ang mga netizens diyan lalo na ang pagiging omni-present at very visible ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta sa lahat ng activities - isa pa naman siya sa mga higante na tinitingala sa INC.

His presence leaves though a sour taste in the mouth of some, lalo na may perception ang mga tao na kumikiling siya sa Familya Discaya. At lalo pang gumuho ang kanilang ilusyon, lalo na at they consider him na isang Superman ng Philippine politics tapos marami siyang mga little but big baggages of scandals tailing him lately ... and with his no-nonsense ... serious, and no frills ... devil may care attitude unti-unting lumalayo ang mga dating tagahanga niya sa kanya.

And when Orly Guteza, the surprise whistleblower, came from the back burner ... and then declared himself missing in action when the Blue Ribbon Committee started smelling a rat ... the people's stance changed from admiration to repugnance. And then there's his unholy alliance with Mike Defensor, where the public suspects they are up to cooking something.

So people were asking because they thought this was a rally for TRANSPARENCY, and with his ongoing mano-a-mano tussle with the COMELEC chief regarding some disparity and irregularities in his SALN and SOCE ... transparency was thrown out of the window ... it is a litigation waiting to happen.

If transparency is the object of the rally ... Marcoleta was not a TRANSPARENT person as the rally aimed to attain... an irritating nuisance to INC's supposed to be magnanimous objective. (transparent person - someone who is open, honest, and straightforward with no hidden agendas. They are candid and sincere in their communication, admit their mistakes, explain their decision-making process, and are open to feedback, which builds trust with others.

And then there was the JIL, and we already knew Joel Villanueva's pressing problems with ICI and the ombudsman. His case was a direct contradiction of the Iglesia's noble intentions ... and their presence demeaned whatever transparency points they earned. If there was any.

And what's the KOJC doing in this event? Their attendance added more black eyes to the already waning people's trust, even making them wonder whether the INC hierarchy truly understands why they are there in the first place and what they are fighting for.

And Imee's enfant terrible, deviant, and eccentric confession? It is very un-Filipino, to say the least, and has alienated many observers. It is supposed to be the highlight of the 3-day rally, but for her to drop the bomb on the second day was anticlimactic. That made the INC powers that be ... think the mission was already accomplished ... so why extend it for another day?

Yon lang pala ang hinihintay nila? Binibigyan pa ng kung anong outlandish mantra ang rally nila ... pa-transparency-transparency ek-ek pa kuno ... some sectors suspect parti lang pala yon ng destabilazation job para bumaba na si BBM?

Tama nga ang desisyong ng CBCP at Caritas na wala silang partisipasyon. They really are a good judge of the organization's character ... and their true nature.

Mang Imee: Ambivalent or May Ideas of Reference?

Madam Imee: Ambivalence or Ideas of Reference?

Senator Imee's response to Cong. Sandro Marcos is a grist for a gossip mill.

All the recipes and ingredients (that include the condiments) for a good gossip are there when she shared personal information about her brother for no reason other than shock value or to diminish him in the eyes of others, and to the "delight of you know who", according to my friend.

She justified her gossip by claiming she was "helping" him and let her audience see a person for "who he really was," although if someone did the same to her, she'd scream "foul".

That was exacxtly what happened when Sandro Marcos shared his observation and responded: "That is not a doing of a sibling."

And then she responded irresponsibly: "Gustong paingayin ni Sandro ang usap-usapang hindi ako tunay na kapatid." And then she segued to suggest "Isa lamang ang solusyon: Magpa DNA test ako ... at magpa-hair follicle test sila."

Did you hear yourself, Manang Imee? Ikaw ang nagsabi ng sinabi mo. What are you frothing about?

I don't see any malice in what Sandro has opined. There were no odious and scummy insinuations and imputations uttered, except that he was wondering what you were doing?

Because just like any Pinoy, morally and culturally speaking, that is ... will frown at what you did. And we couldn't blame him if he said in disbelief: "This is not the doing of a sibling."

Manang Imee ...we share the same feeling with Sandro. We believe family comes first ... ano mang baho meron ang isang miembro nito, pamilya ang nagpo-protect na hindi sumingaw ang masangsang na amoy.

The way I see it ... mas mature pa si Sandro sa kanyang demeanor and observation ... compared to the juvenile rant of dear Auntie. Para na rin siyang bratinella ... (those who lie down with dogs shall rise up with fleas).

What I saw ... was some kind of inner workings of a distressed woman, knowing her AMBIVALENCE (the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas or contrasting feeling tones about something or someone). In her case ,,, she was torn between her love for her brother ... versus her love of power or the support of her allies. Will the latter outweigh the former ... and will she make that her priority?

Her response to Sandro's statement was a classic case of IDEAS OF REFERENCE (?) - the false belief that unrelated events, such as the conversations or statements, in this case, Sandro's comment, made her think he questioned if she was a sister to him.

Well, she still is ... technically, (whether the rumors are true or not) she can still be a sister to BBM either from the father side ... or the mother side. Whatever the true story is.

Actually, this is not the issue here. It was just her DEFENSIVE response to Sandro ... that sounded too OFFENSIVE.

The rule of thumb is ... if you don't want your name dragged in a quagmire of scandals and innuendos ... chill ... and you have to think a million times about your moves and their repercussions. If you don't want that, the whole country will talk about you and your little antic ang tactic ... keep your mouth shut!

Is he ready to shed off her Marcos pedigree? ... Or the lure of Davao is an invitation ... too hard to ignore?

Shame In The Scandal In The Family

Dahil sa mga rebelasyon ni Madam Imee, na talagang itinapat pa niya ang pagpakawala nito sa ikalawang araw ng anti-corruption rally ng INC ... may mga hamunang nagaganap behind the scenes. 

Young as he is ... Sandro Marcos can't help but ask kung talagang kapatid ba ni Manang Imee si BBM ... dahil kung ipangangalandakan ba naman niya na BBM is a drug-user ay wagas ... at dalisay. Sandro said, "her action ... is not the behavior of a true sibling."

Logic says na kung kapatid mo ang tao ... di ba dapat ang pinagkatago-tago nitong mga skeletons in his locker ... ay dapat ibalato na lang niya sa kapatid? Hindi yong ipinagsigawan pa niya at ibandera pa niya na parang malaking karangalan sa pamilya nila ang nagyari sa kapatid ... kung totoo man yon.

Yong speech lang pala ni Manang Imee ang hinihintay ng lahat... dapat three days dapat ang indignation rally ... pero dahil nasabi na ni Imee ang kanyang dapat sabihin sa kanyang tour de force performance ... lihim na natutuwa ang mga benificiary at recipient (who will surely gain all the goodies sakaling  tumalab ang mga ipinunlang  mga intriga ... at tuluyang mag-resign na si BBM) kaya kontento na sila na ok na ang dalawang araw.

Nakarating pala kay Manang ang mga inosenting tanong ni Sandro. Na sinagot naman niya kaagad.

Senator Imee Marcos has stated she is willing to take a DNA TEST with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., on the condition that he, the First Lady, and their son, Representative Sandro Marcos, undergo a HAIR FOLLICLE TEST.

NAKAKA-ALIW ... at NAKAKABALIW. 

Well, wala kaming panahon sa ganitong mga family drama ... pero on the other hand, the intricate plot has intrigued me ... the complex and detailed weave of storylines... although at times contrived pero ang mga twists and turns...  jaw-dropping ... promise ... we will find time.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Will I Believe Zaldy Co's Confession

Former AKO Bicol representative Zaldy Co. made the Confession of the Year last November 14 about BBM and the former House Speaker and their involvement in flood project scams. 

I was inclined to believe it ... and much to the chagrin of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who urged that the allegations made in the online video statements, despite not being done under oath, should not be ignored due to the gravity of the accusations in the ongoing flood control scandal.

Actually I did not ignore it. I admit I was flabbergasted by the seriousness of the assertion and the imputation ... besides, I did not see that coming.

But the encouragement came from Marcoleta himself, who did a no-nonsense job in a cease-and-desist order of ABS-CBN, years ago, and who, I thought at that time, had high morals (righteous and principled), and despite the COVID pandemic, did not kowtow to the citizens pleading to be lenient with the media mogul. There was a lockout ... and every day, people saw themselves rotting in the confines of their homes.

Honestly, I find the admin decision of spearheading the company's closure brutal, if not inhuman. It was all anger and vindictiveness fanned and orchestrated by the ex-president, who dictated the tempo, and the whole Congress followed the dictum (whatever the master wants, the master gets. 

The fact of the matter is I considered their decision "crimes against humanity". Isn't that the same crime PRRD was accused of in Hague? 

Only a few congresspeople thought of serving their constituents well and understanding the very emotional and psychological problems they are in. But the majority sided with the vindictiveness ... not even minding thousands of companies' manpower losing their jobs at the most difficult times.

Suicide and domestic violence became the staple of news with COVID's advent. What else can you do when even the only source of entertainment and information during the most trying times was stripped from you ... and the people's request fell on deaf ears.

And now we see the principled and the righteous Marcoleta (who insists ABS-CBN has not paid their taxes) beseeching and imploring the people he once ignored to consider Zaldy Co's accusations?

Wasn't he the same senator who teamed up with Mike Defensor to come up with a Surprise witness (Orly Guteza) who FUMBLED, BUNGLED, and  STUMBLED on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee floor? Sila ang nasorpresa sa kanilang surprised whistle blower. He did screw up big time and had never seen the light of day. Wasn't Guteza missing, or were his mentors keeping him away from the investigations lest he make the same gaffes again?

Wasn't he the same Senator who lied about his SOCE (I thought he was allergic to lying and some underhanded tactics? Does that mean he is also capable of making the same accusations he made with ABS-CBN? Funny how his righteousness crumbled in front of our very eyes ... and his holy-than-thou stance in the ABS-CBN investigations faded into oblivion ... never to be seen again.

Regarding Zaldy Co.'s soliloquies, an ordinary political outsider like me can always be tempted to bite the propaganda hook, line, and sinker. But the encouragement coming from Marcolita made me think about going slow on it. If they are capable of producing a surprise witness from nowhere ... how does Zaldy's accusation differ?

In the next post ... I will update you on where I stand with Zaldy's confession.

And The Plot Thickens

 

Zaldy Co wants to be remembered as a WHISTLE BLOWER rather than as a PLUNDERER. 

Pwede ba yon? The mere mention of his name sends shivers down my spine- hinakot niya ang pera ng bayan ... one way or the other instrumental din siya sa halos linggohan ng pagbisita ng baha ... at ang pagkamatay na maraming tao dahil sa rumaragasang tubig. 

With his name becoming a byword in all government probes and investigations (Blue Ribbon Committee, ICI, and whatnot) and his images almost becoming like a poster boy for ghost dikes, missing funds, and skyrocketing flood projects... and engineers and contractors insinuating his direct participation in all these clandestine activities ... the walls are closing in on him and once cornered - the best way to counter that is to flip and reverse the narrative.

Kung totoong nagnakaw nga siya, that doesn't give him the credibility and the backdoor pass na magsalita ng kung ano-ano... tapos paniwalaan na lang natin na hindi na nagtatanong. Ganoon na ba kababa ang IQ ang tingin niya sa atin?

Nagtatago siya for crying out loud ... and then he switched and played the victim card, and then ... he started to exaggerate and fabricate victimhood to gain sympathy, avoid accountability, and manipulate his audience.

If I were him ... he should listen to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian's advice: "Return to the Philippines and personally face the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, instead of releasing videos and issuing allegations against his former allies."

Ding ... Saan Ang Bato?

Hinahanap ngayon ng mga netizens si Darna: Nawawala daw si Bato ... 

"Hindi totoo yan," sabi ng kanyang mga kritiko: " Hindi siya nawawala ... nagtatago lang.To use a better euphimism, "Ayaw lang niyang magpakita."

Ano ba yan? sabi ng kanyang supporter. Di ba sinabi niya lately na "Bring it on ... make my day? At sinabi pa niya kay Trillanes na "Ikaw na ang magposas sa akin." Muntik na akong maniwala doon. Palabas lang pala iyon?

Or was it grandstanding plain and simple, so he could gain public approval, often at the expense of substance? Was he just showboating ... or just playing to the crowd?

His detractors have already made a lot of possible masks that will conceal and hide his true persona ... disguises na kung susundin lang ni Ding maitago niya talaga si Bato. And the latest work of art (camouflage) ...takes the cake. Sino ba ang mag-akalang siya yan?

If done properly like the one above ... siguradong makalabas si Bato from hiding ... pwede siyang mag-malling or magwindow shopping na walang pangamba at tatawanan pa niya ang lahat dahil napakagaling ang kanyang prosthetics.

Robin Williams, in his 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire, paled in comparison ... in substance and in form.

At pwede pa siyang maghabol ng audition sa Mini-me sa ABS CBN's It's Showtime.