“Bring out the queen in you.”
The Miss Universe Philippines has officially opened the application for aspiring Miss Universe 2023 queens.
For the next edition, for the first time since its debut, MUPH removed its restrictions on civil status. Previously, the pageant requires a potential candidate to be single and not pregnant.
The Miss Universe Philippines organization announced the contest’s eased qualifications for candidates on Monday, November 7.
“The most prestigious crown in the country can be yours for the taking,” MUPH’s announcement reads with a crown emoji.
“Bring out the queen in you as we open the application process for Miss Universe Philippines 2023,” it added.
The following are MUPH’s new qualifications for the new queen:
- Female, regardless of civil status
- Filipino citizen
- No height requirement
- Must be between 18 and 27 years old
Aspiring MUPH candidates only need to download and fill out the form via the link provided on the post.
The deadline for submissions is on Jan. 29, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
Such change in single status requirement earned mixed reactions in the comments section. Several online users and pageant enthusiasts welcomed the development.
“Gusto ko ‘yung regardless of civil status and no height requirement. New generation of beautifully confident women!” one Facebook user said.
“Regardless of civil status and no height requirement… Hay salamat. New era na,” another Facebook user commented.
Others tagged their friends and loved ones to urge them to join given the new screening process.
Some also mentioned the names of their Binibining Pilipinas bets to join the MUPH.
The MUPH 2022 title is currently held by Celeste Cortesi of Pasay.
She is set to represent the country at the 71st Miss Universe in January 2023.
RELATED: ‘Not gonna happen’: Celeste Cortesi unbothered by Miss Universe PH ‘love life curse’
The reigning 70th Miss Universe is Harnaaz Sandhu of India.
RELATED: Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu gives tips for Pinay beauty queens
Changes in the international stage
Meanwhile, the change in MUPH requirement came months after Paula Shugart, the Miss Universe Organization president, in an interview bared the pageant’s plan to allow mothers, wives and divorced women to compete in the prestigious beauty competition.
Shugart said that this historical change in their longstanding policy will let women be aware that they can both become Miss Universe and have a family at the same time.
“So if you know what the job description is, which we’re really going to make sure that everyone is aware, they need to be able to handle the job as Miss Universe, whether they have a family or not,” Shugart was quoted in a report as saying.
“Now, women are able to have families, they’re able to have a job, they’re able to be a spokesperson. We should not be the ones to say, ‘No, you can’t do this,’” she added.
For the past 70 years, the Miss Universe Organization has strictly implemented its rules that contestants must neither be married nor pregnant and has no children.
Aside from the change in civil status requirement, the MUPH also eased the pageant qualifications and removed the height requirement. Previously, an aspiring queen is required to stand at five feet and four inches.
The height requirement was removed in 2021.
