Shamcey arrives in Brazil; Filipinos asked to vote for her

Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup arrived in Sao Paulo, Brazil last Sunday for the 2011 Miss Universe beauty pageant as local organizers urged Filipinos to vote for the Filipina beauty into the semifinals.



Supsup, 25, flew in from Bogota, Colombia where she completed a 10-day training for the competition, before she proceeded to Sao Paulo.



Before she left for Brazil, Supsup shared information on her training in Colombia, courtesy of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. She said that she trained on catwalk, make-up and hair styling. “I’m living with Alfredo Barazza. He is the designer of my long gown and national costume. He is the one teaching me make-up. And then Yamir, he is the one teaching me catwalk and hairstyling.”



A typical day for Supsup in Colombia starts at 6 a.m. “From 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., I exercise, take a bath, dress up. At 8 a.m., I have breakfast and then training starts. Usually make up and hair in the morning then after catwalk training.”



She added: “The catwalk training here is different. They are more intense but it’s a bit hard. My teachers speak little English so it’s hard to communicate sometimes. Good thing I know how to speak Spanish a bit and I always have my Spanish dictionary with me.”



In Colombia, she also took Portuguese classes, samba and salsa classes, and proper attire.



Despite her hectic sked, Supsup said that she found time to chat with family and friends on line.



She added that she is overwhelmed and happy over reports that she is an early favorite among 89 candidates online. “Really? Happy, of course. Thank you for the overwhelming love and support. Keep the faith and let’s hope for the best!”



Tessa Mangahas, Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager, Araneta Center, Inc., urged Filipinos around the world to vote for Supsup into the semifinals of the most prestigious beauty pageant.



Mangahas made the statement following a letter from the Miss Universe Organization that stated a new rule in the selection process of the 60-year-old beauty contest.



“We are happy to announce that for the first time in the history of the Miss Universe® Competition, the pageant is incorporating a global fan vote that may automatically advance a contestant to the semifinals. Fans residing in represented countries will be able to vote online at www.missuniverse.com or www.NBC.com starting on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4 p.m. ET through Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 6 p.m. ET. Please see full rules and FAQ regarding the fan vote attached,” Kristen Spirko, MUO Public Relations Coordinator, said.



How to Vote:



1. Log on to www.missuniverse.com or www.nbc.com



2. Follow the Registration instructions:



a. Type in your e-mail address



b. Confirm that you are at least 16 years old



c. Accept the Terms and Conditions



3. Click on “VOTE”



4. Give Miss Philippines a “10” ranking! (1 is the lowest, 10 is the highest)



5. If done correctly, you will receive a message on your screen.



Organizers said that registration/voting period is from 4 a.m. on Aug. 20 until 6 a.m. on Sept. 12 (Manila Time). Only 10 votes per e-mail address per day will be counted. The contestant with the highest average gets a spot in the semifinals.



So far, organizers of the international beauty contest have yet to announce how many candidates will be chosen this year in the semifinals.



In past years, the pageant settled for 15 semifinalists. But with the live presentation of the 2011 Miss USA pageant, also organized by the MUO headed by Donald Trump, it appeared that the contest will select 16 semifinalists with a twist of a reality show format.



The 2011 Miss USA beauty pageant, won by Alyssa Campanella, first selected the Top 16, Top 8 and Top 4. Still, it remains to be seen if the new format will be adopted until the 2011 Miss Universe pageant is broadcast live from Credicard Hall in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sept. 12.

By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA