Manila Times

Manila

Russia is hosting Miss Universe for the first time in the pageant’s 61-year history, with contestants from 86 countries shimmying along a catwalk in a concert hall in Moscow.

Politics came close to overshadowing the glitz as one US host refused to come in protest at an anti-gay law, while the contest’s owner, Donald Trump, declared US leaker Edward Snowden, who is living in hiding in Russia, persona non grata.

Tuesday’s preliminary round saw participants strut across a stage with a backdrop of onion domes, first in black and red bikinis, and then in sparkling and slinky evening dresses.

The women did not speak except to give their name and country. The biggest cheers went to the Russian contestant as well as those from Mexico and the Philippines, who were greeted by flag-waving fans.

Widely tipped to take the crown this year is Philippines’ 24-year-old chemistry graduate, Ariella Arida. The winner will be crowned at the main show on Saturday, which includes an interview round.

The judges for the main show will include Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and flamboyant Russian pop king Filipp Kirkorov, while ex-Spice Girls star Mel B will co-host.

The organisers have promised the unveiling of a million-dollar “emerald, ruby and diamond” swimming costume on Saturday, which the winner will get to wear.

Aside from Arida, three other Philippines origin beauties will be competing in the world’s most prestigious pageant to held on November 9.

Earlier reports have revealed that Canada’s Miss Universe contender Riza Santos is a Filipina with  her parents, Ruel Santos and Dina Buenaventura, originally hailing from Bulacan and Bataan respectively. Santos, who is a former Canadian Forces Army Reserve, wants to have her own engineering company.

The 27-year-old Canadian beauty has appeared in four major local movies and became the television host for the Asian Poker Tour 2008-2009.

The African country of Gabon, in its second year of participation in the Miss Universe pageant, is represented by another beauty of Philippines origin—Ruth Jennifer Ondo Mouchita.

The fourth participant of Philippines origin is Alexis Scott, who is representing Guam. Scott is the youngest among the Philippines origin contenders, having won the Miss Universe Guam title at the age of 18.Scott considers herself a world traveller, having visited countries like Australia, India, Hong Kong and her homeland.

Arida and Santos are also sharing a room in Moscow.

While hardly a trailblazer on gender issues, Miss Universe this year has prompted a row on gay rights.

The show’s initial co-host Andy Cohen, who is openly gay, pulled out in August because of the choice of Russia as the venue.

He criticised a law passed by Putin in June that bars promoting homosexuality in the presence of minors and has prompted international concern that it can be used to crack down on gay pride events.

However, NBC host Thomas Roberts, who is also gay and has married his partner, has taken over the role.

“I choose to offer my support of the LGBT community in Russia by going to Moscow and hosting this event as a journalist, an anchor and a man who happens to be gay,” he said in a statement, while calling Russia’s treatment of gay people “unacceptable”.

Miss USA, Erin Brady, said she understood why Cohen pulled out.

“I think a lot of people had mixed emotions coming here. If that’s something he believed in and he didn’t feel comfortable, then I support that,” she said.

The show’s billionaire owner Trump took to Twitter last month to bar National Security Agency leaker Snowden from attending the show.