Cebu bets make a case for themselves at MUP Preliminary Interview | The Freeman

CEBU, Philippines — Before tomorrow night’s much anticipated Miss Universe Philippines 2024 finals, the pageant’s followers got to see how the 53 candidates performed at the Preliminary Interview, streamed yesterday over Empire Philippines’ YouTube channel.

Here are the answers from Cebu’s delegates: Kris Tiffany Janson of Cebu, Victoria Leslie Ingram of Mandaue City, Mary Josephine Paaske of Talisay City, Kim Irish Placibe of Toledo City, and Juvel Mangubat Ducay of Bantayan Island:

Janson, 34, asked how she has changed since her stint at Miss Intercontinental 2014 where she finished first runner-up, said: “I am still the same woman who has gone through beautiful things in life. These wonderful beautiful experiences have shaped me into the woman I am now. I always wanted to find that beautiful image of a woman that wouldn’t make me feel like I was different. After these years, I finally said to myself that I am that woman who I can share with other girls who are looking for that Ate [elder sister] in their lives.”

The third-eldest of this batch, Janson said that the scrapping of the age limit gave her another shot at an unfinished business.

“Miss Universe has always been at the back of my mind. In every step that I take, I always do it with a purpose and a reason in my heart. When I did my first pageant, I did it for my father, and someone with beautiful wings [the late beauty queen maker Jonas Borces] helped me get through that,” she explained.

“Going through Miss Universe Philippines now, I want to dedicate this to that person who helped me reach that dream I wanted for my father. My mentor and my father are in heaven and I am very happy because they have the best seats as they will watching from above. Everything that I do in Miss Universe, I offer it all to them.”

On why she deserves to be the next title-holder, the former Miss Cebu said, “Miss Universe Philippines has given all these different women a platform to share their stories. I want to be the next Miss Universe Philippines because I always wanted to look for someone who may not be the same person, but I wanted to have that image that I would feel not different from everybody else,” she said.

Ducay,