Showdown of strong contenders at MUP 2021

Miss Universe Philippines unveiled Monday its complete slate of Top 100 delegates – a hodgepodge of crossovers, one repeater, pageant veterans as well as newbies.

Among the familiar faces hoping to be the successor MUP’s inaugural edition, Rabiya Mateo, include Asia’s Next Top Model Season 5 winner Maureen Wroblewitz. The Fil-German model, who denied in a recent virtual conference for new Star Magic talents that she was joining the fray this year, apologized yesterday in her social media for the “white lies.”

“Surprise! As difficult as it was, I had to keep this a secret,” she wrote. “This is the new chapter I’ve talked about in a recent post and I humbly ask for your continued support. It’s true what I’ve said in my interviews. I’ve always considered dipping my toes in pageantry and committing to it when I felt ready.”

“This feels new and to be honest, I’m terrified but I’ve come to realize that I just fear the unknown. What I fear most though is living a life of regrets. I don’t want to grow old thinking that I should’ve joined, alternatively I would like to say ‘I’m glad I’ve joined’. I’ve learned to stop saying ‘one day’ and instead I say ‘day 1.’”

Also gunning for the crown are Leren Mae Bautista – Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International 2015, Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015, Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2019, and Miss Globe 2019 2nd runner-up; Kirsten Danielle “Kisses” Delavin – Masbate beauty queen, actress, and former Pinoy Big Brother housemate; and Katrina Dimaranan – actress and Binibining Pilipinas Tourism 2012, Miss Supranational 2018 1st runner-up (representing the US).

Cebu’s delegates, meanwhile, received overwhelming support upon the announcement of their inclusions in the Top 100.

In a social media post, Binibining Cebu 2018 Steffi Rose Pearson Aberasturi can’t wait to “get the party started.” Steffi, who will be wearing the sash for Cebu Province, said, “I am very fortunate to share the same goal with 99 other outstanding and beautiful Filipinas who are just as excited as I am to make a difference and inspire.Bringing together all these women from all over the Philippines, with different advocacies and stories to tell, proves that @themissuniverseph is beyond just a competition -- it is a celebration! Cheers and congratulations to us ladies!”

Reigning Binibining Cebu Beatrice Luigi Gomez, who will be representing Cebu City, talked about being led to this unexpected plot twist when she least expect it.

The fitness enthusiast, who just a few months back left her long-time manager Dexter Alazas to join the stable of Origin Models & Management, shared, “A few months ago I honestly never imagined myself joining a national pageant so soon but I guess what’s bound to happen is going to run its course. I am especially dedicating this year to the children and the youth whose hopes and dreams I carry with me, whose voices I will share to the rest of the universe. My gratitude goes out to those who believed in me even as I contemplated in silence. Thank you for your continued love and support and for being the reason why I had the courage to hop on the train and take this journey.”

She added, “Alang sa mga kaigsuonan kong Sugboanon halad nako kaninyo, sa Balaan nga Bata Snr. Sto. Niño, ug Birhen sa Guadalupe ang pagpaningkamot ko nga magmalampuson ini nga bantawan. Gihigugma ko kamo tanan ug mapasigarbuhon ako nga murepresentar sa maanyag ug hinigugma ko nga Siyudad sa Sugbo.”

***

1(: %$77(5< 3$&. )25 ,3+21(6

$pple unveiled last week a new 0ag6afe %attery 3ack line for the i3hone 1 series ± the device being an external-battery accessory that snaps on the back of an i3hone unit to provide extra battery life.

&ited to be capable of charging a phone with watts of power, the device is designed to allow its users to use a phone’s /ighting port to charge the pack and the phone at the same time, or use the pack to provide extra power to the phone while its port is being used for something else.

The new line consists of models designed for the i3hone 1 , i3hone 1 3ro, i3hone 1 3ro 0ax and i3hone 1 mini. $pple did not provide information or estimates on how much power the pack provides, but a number of techies note that it likely has a 1,4 milliampere per hour rating, based on one of the device’s published product photos. The estimated figure stands close to half of the i3hone 1 3ro 0ax’s , m$h-rated battery.

5eactions to the device’s unveiling have been mixed. There are those who see it as great, while there are those who feel that the need for such an accessory could readily be remedied if $pple Must installed their phones with batteries with higher capacity ratings.