Staff Picks: Metro's Top 15 Favorites at Miss Universe Philippines 2022

Michelle Marquez Dee of Makati

“Michelle is a pageant veteran, so I’m looking for a Pia Wurtzbach moment for her. I love her short hair and it sets her apart. Also, she won six awards during the Miss Universe Philippines prelims!” - Geolette Esguerra, editor-in-chief

Michelle Marquez Dee of Makati

“Michelle is the overall package: standout Pinay beauty, tall and slender, smart, elegant, and confident. With her experience in pageantry, no wonder she received several awards at the prelims. It'll be great to have someone as seasoned as her to represent our country. I thought she did really well in the preliminary interview; her answers were well-phrased, delivered eloquently, and she was graceful under pressure.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Michelle Marquez Dee of Makati

Celeste Cortesi of Pasay

“Gorgeous! She has a queen’s face, and she has great stage presence. She even won Best Arrival Look during the press presentation.” - Geolette Esguerra, editor-in-chief

Celeste Cortesi of Pasay

“She’s got the look, the walk, the hair, and the winning attitude. She has also approached controversies regarding her heritage with grace.” - Anna Rosete, Living section editor

Celeste Cortesi of Pasay

Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx of Bohol

“Pauline, who was the 3rd runner-up at Miss Universe Philippines 2020, is back stronger and more confident than ever at this year’s edition. She’s obviously more comfortable, too, and that translated into good, even great, performances in every challenge; take, for instance, her very candid answer at the preliminary interview that got people in the room giggling. She has, no doubt, the looks fit for a queen, but when it comes to impressing at the dreaded Q&A, it sure seems she can shine and outshine others on that, too.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx of Bohol

“She was one of my bets in MUPH 2020.” - Raff Colmenar, art director

Pauline Cucharo Amelinckx of Bohol

“A returnee contestant from Miss Universe Philippines 2020, she stole my heart then and stole my heart again now! I was rooting for her to win then. It’s nice to see her again, still as smart, pretty, and eloquent as ever. Her stage presence, matched with her wit and sense of humor, sets her apart from the other contestants, just as she did before. There’s something about the way she talks (I think it’s the perfectly timed gestures and micro expressions) that gets anyone listening engaged.” - Me-An Maclise, social media specialist

Annabelle McDonnell of Misamis Oriental

“She has a beautiful, unique face that I can actually see on the Miss Universe stage. Her answer at the preliminary interview was also very smart!” - Kate Paras, beauty editor

Annabelle McDonnell of Misamis Oriental

“In the preliminary interview, what she said about the empowerment of women who believe in themselves not only uplifts them, but is helpful for others to do the same is very relevant these days.” - Anna Rosete, Living section editor

Annabelle McDonnell of Misamis Oriental

Sashi Chiesa of Lapu-Lapu

“I think she has the potential to be a Catriona Gray. She looks the part, and she also gave a good answer at the preliminary interview. I’ve also been reading about how traditional medicine is so male-centric, so I like that she pointed that out.” - Kate Paras, beauty editor

Sashi Chiesa of Lapu-Lapu

“Sashi had a standout performance at the preliminary interview. And since one’s ability to answer well at the Q&A segment is crucial in determining the pageant winner, she remarkably has the stage presence that’s complemented by beauty and substance. I loved her brilliance, confidence and, more importantly, honesty at the preliminary interview.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Sashi Chiesa of Lapu-Lapu

Chantal Elise Schmidt of Cebu City

“Could our representative at the next Miss Universe come from Cebu City again? I think there’s a chance that could happen. Chantal may not have won in any of the challenges, but she’s not one to be missed. She looked stunning at the swimsuit challenge and the national costume presentation. And, she wowed at the preliminary interview, opening up about her battle with depression and how she coped with that.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Chantal Elise Schmidt of Cebu City

Chantal Elise Schmidt of Cebu City

Ma. Katrina Llegado of Taguig

“She has the right hair, the right look. She looks and talks like a winner even before coronation night. I think we need someone as seasoned as her.” - Geolette Esguerra, editor-in-chief

Ma. Katrina Llegado of Taguig

Ma. Katrina Llegado of Taguig

Ghenesis Latugat of Baguio

“It’s about time that we have an indigenous people representative.” - Raff Colmenar, art director

Ghenesis Latugat of Baguio

Ghenesis Latugat of Baguio

Jewel Alexandria Palacat of Ilocos Sur

“She’s not only got striking features and courage (she cut her hair just before the pageant); she’s also got a great advocacy, supporting local farmers and agriculture, an industry that has always been in the background, but should really be put in the limelight because of its importance in survival. Especially during the pandemic, people have realized the importance of farming and growing their own food. She has started focusing on the tobacco farmers of Candon City and hopes to be a spokesperson for the industry.” - Anna Rosete, Living section editor

Jewel Alexandria Palacat of Ilocos Sur

Jewel Alexandria Palacat of Ilocos Sur

Vanessa Ann Ka'ihilani Caro of Iloilo Province

“She looks charming, smart, and self-aware. I like that she has exposure in the industry too—she recently had a talk about mental health with the MindNation podcast. She seems to really know what she’s talking about.” - Kate Paras-Santiago, Beauty section editor

Vanessa Ann Ka'ihilani Caro of Iloilo Province

Vanessa Ann Ka'ihilani Caro of Iloilo Province

Jedidah Korinihona of Davao del Sur

“She shows a lot of potential. She gives me the vibe that if she were to become the next Miss Universe Philippines, creative process and image wise, she’d have a lot of similarities with Catriona Gray. I can sense an attention to detail about her. It’s her dress and the way she carried herself during her interview. I’m expecting her to be very hands-on when it comes to the promotion of our culture. Her answers gave me the impression that she will be politically vocal when needed. She is authentic, sincere, self-aware, and has political will and a heart for social justice.” - Me-An Maclise, social media analyst

Jedidah Korinihona of Davao del Sur

Jedidah Korinihona of Davao del Sur

Julia Calleja Saubier of Albay

“Eloquent, effortless, and natural, her edge is her composure. There is a sense of stability about her. Her answers were flawless in their execution. There is a casualness to her manner of speaking, but there is also elegance within her casualness. Whether she’s feeling pressure or not (we imagine that there’s a lot), the way she carries herself doesn’t betray. She’d make a solid representative. I’d say she’s likely to get into the Top 5, at least.” - Me-An Maclise, social media analyst

Julia Calleja Saubier of Albay

Julia Calleja Saubier of Albay

Jona Sweett of Aklan

“Jona joined other pageants before, and she has clearly used those experiences to improve her performances. She carries herself very well, and she has a bright aura that makes her more endearing. She is also photogenic and looks good with or without makeup. I think she stood out in the national costume presentation, and did a pretty good job at the preliminary interview despite being the first one called in for the segment.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Jona Sweett of Aklan

Jona Sweett of Aklan

Alyssa Georgia Felix of Pampanga

“I think Alyssa deserves to be included in this list because she has beautiful Pinay features. But beyond the surface, it’s interesting to note how smart and articulate she is. She was effortless at answering each and every question at the preliminary interview, and her answers were short yet impactful. I can see her doing a good job at the Q&A portion.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Alyssa Georgia Felix of Pampanga

Alyssa Georgia Felix of Pampanga

Aidyl Mhay Sanchez of Bulacan

“She may be what one may consider an underdog in this competition, but it’s evident she’s getting better and more striking at every stage. For me, her edge is her eloquence and ability to think on her feet and express her thoughts in a cohesive manner. She’s cool, calm, and collected, which is why I think she’s one of the Top 4 at the interview challenge and truly made her presence felt at the preliminary interview.” - Grace Libero-Cruz, People section editor

Aidyl Mhay Sanchez of Bulacan

Aidyl Mhay Sanchez of Bulacan