RP bet fails to make Miss Universe Top 15 finalists

Pamela Bianca Manalo, the Philippines’ bet to the prestigious Miss Universe 2009 beauty pageant, did not make it to the Top 15 finalists vying for the highly-coveted crown. The Philippines last won a Miss Universe title in 1973 with Margie Moran, a long drought which Manalo failed to break. This year’s top 15 finalists include the contestants from the following countries: United States, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Albania, Czech Republic, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Sweden, Kosovo, Australia, France, Switzerland, South Africa, Croatia, and Venezuela. The pageant is being held in the Bahamas in the South American region. A winner will be crowned by reigning Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela. The Associated Press reported that some 2,700 tickets had been sold by late Saturday out of the 3,100 available, according to tourism officials. The televised event includes musical performances by Flo Rida, Heidi Montag, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland. Judges include actor Dean Cain and supermodel Valeria Mazza. Manalo, a 22-year-old native of Manila, is an advertising graduate of the Assumption College who now works as a flight attendant. She is the sister of Katherine Anne Manalo, a Top 10 finalist in the Miss World pageant in 2002. Bianca Manalo is also the niece of Nini Ramos-Licaros, who was a Miss International semi-finalist in 1968. - with reports from AP, GMANews.TV