Miss Universe Philippines explains how the Top 30 delegates will be chosen
The Miss Universe Philippines (MUPh) organization has set an explainer in determining The Final 30 for this year's pageant.
After drawing flak from netizens over their voting strategy—which asks voters to pay at least P49 for three votes—the organization released guidelines on how The Final 30 candidates are chosen. According to MUPh, The Final 30 will composed of 27 delegates selected by the MUPh panelists and three more who will receive the highest votes from the app.
"The basis for selection is ALL of their performances in the previous challenges and the upcoming Interview Challenge. It is based solely on performance and NOT on the Fan Votes. High fan votes in the previous challenges doesn’t guarantee placement," it said on their caption.
The panelists, they said, "do not consider fan votes in their decision or scoring."
They cleared that voting is not a mandate nor a requirement "to advance to the next round," but fans could help them so by casting their votes. Those who get the highest fan votes from Aug. 22 to 31, 11:59 p.m. will automatically advance into The Final 30.
Due to the coronavirus, the organization set a series of virtual challenges that will help determine who will advance to each round.
On Sunday, Aug. 22, MUPh revealed the winners of the Casting Video challenge and the Top 50 candidates. However, two delegates, including Gianne Asuncion of Cagayan who contracted the coronavirus disease, have decided to withdraw from the pageant.
The delegates who will advance to The Final 30 will be announced on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
The Miss Universe Philippines coronation night will happen on Sept. 25. The winner will then compete in the international pageant in Israel in December.
PhilSTAR L!fe reached out to MUPh for comment and will update this article with their response.