The 2013 Miss Universe pageant will be held on Nov. 9 (Nov. 10, Philippine time) in Russia.
This year’s Miss Philippines, Ariella “Ara” Arida, is a 24-year-old chemistry graduate from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
Russia is hosting the pageant for the first time in the pageant’s 61-year history. There are contestants from 86 countries this year.
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills and was acquired by Donald Trump in 1996.
6. The Philippines won the title crown in 1969 (Gloria Diaz) and 1973 (Margarita “Margie” Moran).
2. There have been several Filipinos who served as judges in different Miss Universe Pageants:
1. The first ever Miss Universe, Armi Helena Kuusela (1952), fell in love with and married Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario. Kuusela gave up her Miss Universe crown without finishing her reign and married Hilario on May 4, 1953 after a whirlwind courtship.