After several months of delay, Miss Universe Philippines 2020 finally concluded last Sunday. This was the first time the Miss Universe Philippines pageant was held independently. It used to be held under Binibining Pilipinas, where that title plus several others were granted to the highest performing women. However, Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup-Lee is the director of the now-independent Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

When it comes to watching beauty pageants, my favorite part is always the evening gowns. And the evening gown game was high this year. I am only ranking the preliminary gowns in this article, but I loved the fact that the names of each designer was given. So with that said, I will share my thoughts about the best and worst preliminary gowns from this year’s pageant. The names of the contenders, designers, and the province represented are given in this article. Starting with the best evening gowns in no particular order…

Best

Trizha Ocampo- La Union (Designer: Bessie Besana)

Alright, can we talk about how elegant this look is? The red color, her makeup, her hair… all of it OOZES elegance. If I saw her walk down the hall wearing that gown, I would stare at it with heart eyes until it was out of sight. For real. And although it has that puffed out collar that could be a hit or miss, that puffed out collar actually works here. It’s the type of gown that could be worn on stage at a fancy charity dinner. You may be wondering, “What?” But it’s a compliment. Let my imagination run wild. 

Maria Niña Copuyoc Soriano- Pangasinan (Designer: Rian Fernandez)

Rian Fernandez is literally one of my favorite fashion designers, so it’s no surprise that I consider Maria’s gown one of the best from the bunch. It’s another red gown, but the beading is exquisite. The sweetheart neckline and slit work, but the chest covering and straps add beauty to the gown. I would totally wear this to a red carpet event at some point. It just looks so shiny and pretty!

Joecel Marie Robenta- Antique (Designer: John Andrew Bugna)

The yellow beading for this dress is so gorgeous! This type of dress could go on the “worst” list if not executed right. However, the beading is strategically placed, and the yellow color stands out at the appropriate places. Some may look at Joecel’s gown and think, “The style is weird.” However, the combination of the style and shininess makes her gown attractive. I literally can’t take my eyes off the yellow beading!

Mari Danica Reynes- Cagayan Province (Designer: Albert Figueras)

I’ve mentioned a red gown three times now, but I knew that my favorite color was red for a reason. Anyways, this gown looks flattering on Mari, and it stood out to me when I first saw it. The contrasting darker red sequined lines blend in with the solid red background. The neckline also suited the dress. And let me tell you, her makeup adds to the presentation too. She’s reminiscent of Gazini Ganados, the previous Miss Universe Philippines titleholder. So for me, it’s gonna be a “yes!”

Tracy Maureen Perez- Cebu City (Designer: Daniel Manila)

Pretend that red cover isn’t there. Why? Because without that removable red part of the dress, she’s literally dripped in diamonds. I would wear this gown with straps on it. However, Tracy makes this dress work without straps. It’s like she’s worth a million bucks.

Adee Hitomi Akiyama- Oriental Mindoro (Designer: Ryan Ablaza Uson)

The overall styling of Adee calls for a reaction with the star eyes emoji. Therefore, I cannot end this section without bringing attention to her look. The gown colors, her makeup, and her hair are everything and more. This is gorgeousness to the max, and I think she was the best dressed contender of the preliminary round. Seriously. She didn’t win the “Best Dressed” award, but she’s the Best Dressed in my eyes. That’s how PHENOMENAL she looks. I said what I said.

Honorable Mention

Maria Fee Tajaran- Romblon (Designer: Winston Sy)

Even though it looks like other gowns I’ve seen before, she looks like a shiny disco ball here with her makeup and overall presentation. And for that reason alone, she’s on my honorable mention. 

Now that we’re at the end of the “Best” section, it’s time to go through the pain of speaking about the worst evening gowns of the round. Here we go.

Worst 

We’am Ahmed- Davao del Norte (Designer: John Melgar)

Let me start off by asking this: who gave a green light to this evening gown? I’m not sure exactly what it is made of, but it looks cheap. It looks like something that came from the rack at a mall. Only difference is that even some of those gowns from the mall look better than that. The neckline does not look neat, and the gown deserves to go right into the scraps. We’am’s beauty was wasted with this gown.

Pauline Amelinckx- Bohol (Designer: Mikee Andrei)

For this gown, same question: who gave a green light to this? Because just like the previous gown, it looks cheap and like it came from the rack at a mall. This dress style had potential, especially due to the color. While Pauline makes it work for her, it would’ve looked more pristine had it been made of more luxurious material.

Mariel Joyce Pascua- General Santos City (Designer: Garvy Molinos Terrado)

This gown is not necessarily awful, but it is pretty forgettable. It screams “prom-pretty” rather than “pageant ready”. Maybe if her gown was in a different style, my verdict would’ve been different. Mariel looks good in pink, but a more attractive gown would’ve done her more justice.

Maria Regina Malana- Isabela (Designer: Albert Figueras)

I would love to see purple gowns on stage more often. However, this one is not the most appealing. It looks like a generic dinner party gown instead of a red carpet or pageant ready gown.  Or you could say that her dress seems more “prom-pretty”, which is also valid. Again, my verdict might have been different if this gown was a different style. But what I see is what I get, and I will get rid of what I see.

Nathalia Candearia Urcia- Batangas (Designer: JP Chua)

I don’t know what to say about this gown. The elements are not strategically placed, and the patches of brown bother me. I see it more as a decorated bed sheet than an evening gown. In fact, it looks like it was made out of a bed sheet. Pretty woman, bad gown.

Dishonorable Mentions

Skelly Ivy Florida- Biliran (Designer: Benjamin Leguiab IV)

I won’t lie. The print of this gown is actually pretty. However, that cutout part between the silver print was not necessary. I would’ve given her a pass if that part of the gown wasn’t there. But because it was, I have to deduct points. 

Perlyn Cayona- Zamboanga del Sur (Designer: Amir Sali)

This gown had the potential to be beautiful, but the roses here are not utilized in a very clever way. It could’ve been designed better, and this gown would’ve looked better if it was designed differently.

And a glimpse at the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 winner

Rabiya Mateo of Iloilo City won the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 competition last Sunday. She will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe 2020 competition (when it happens, of course). Above is her preliminary gown, which is nice. But I preferred to highlight other gowns beforehand. 

Be on the lookout for the Miss USA 2020 version of this article soon.

In the meantime, check out the other Preliminary Gowns from the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 pageant here: https://web.archive.org/web/20210212081304/https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/pageants/photos-miss-universe-philippines-2020-candidates-evening-gowns-preliminary-competition

And for a deeper dive on Filipino culture, check out these two articles here: 

My Favorite Fashion Designers:

Trying Filipino Snacks for the First Time: https://kristasoyyo.com/2020/05/26/trying-filipino-snacks-for-the-first-time-review/