Just yesterday, the Miss Universe Bahrain Organization welcomed the new members of their council for 2023
A beauty pageant is a staple in a Filipino’s DNA. It’s more than just a beauty event—it’s a celebration that brings all of us together as we root for the intelligent and beautiful people representing our cities, countries, and advocacies. And since the Miss Universe Philippines pageant is coming up very soon, happening on May 13, the buzz about anything and everything surrounding the Miss Universe Organization is growing rapidly each day.
As we patiently wait to find out who will be up on the Miss Universe stage to raise the Philippine flag, the Miss Universe Bahrain organization also has some exciting news and an even more thrilling journey ahead. Josh Yugen, founder of the Yugen Group and National Director of Miss Universe Bahrain, has officially announced the globally renowned personalities that make up the organization’s council for this year, which include the likes of Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa, Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Khalifa, producer and fashion aficionado Mond Gutierrez, social entrepreneur Lorenzo Vega, and award-winning director Brillante Mendoza.
“Filipinos should not be put in a box. We can also be leaders, we can also be heads of councils.”
Josh Yugen on why he consistently puts Filipinos at the forefront
“I came from pageantry and my love will always be pageants. You can take the girl out of the pageant, but you can’t take the pageant out of the girl,” exclaimed the council’s Head of Empowerment, Kylie Verzosa, when asked what made her say yes to the position once again. This is actually Kylie’s second year as Miss Universe Bahrain’s Head of Empowerment as she was also part of last year’s council, along with Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer, Furne One, who is their Creative Director this year. Meanwhile, Evlin Khalifa mentioned that her future successor as Miss Universe Bahrain should have the utmost respect to the Bahraini culture, making her the perfect Head of Culture this year.
Mond Gutierrez also takes a seat in the council, and shares his mission as their Fashion Director. “I think fashion is an extension of your personality, so for the [future Miss Universe Bahrain aspirants], I really want the fashion to kind of emulate their sense of style. We want to get to know the girls through their fashion sense. You’ll see someone’s personality by the way they dress and the way they carry themselves.”
Completing the Miss Universe Bahrain 2023 Council are Lorenzo Vega and Brillante Mendoza. As the Head of Innovation, Lorenzo shared, “We’re going to change the way and the perception of what it means to be a Miss Universe, what it means to join a pageant, and what it means to win and market every single aspect of it.” Meanwhile, Brillante Mendoza, as the council’s Artistic Director, aims to present a pageant in a way that is more relevant while ensuring that they also provide something new, different, and important to its audience, especially to that of the Filipino pageant community.
With this roundup of intelligent and influential personalities that make up the Miss Universe Bahrain 2023 Council, as well as the plans that are just waiting to be put in motion, Josh Yugen wants everyone to expect nothing less than extraordinary. “Expect more fashion, more innovation. We are doing a reality show-type [of competition], so it’s something that you should look forward to,” he shared when talking about just a few of the exciting plans and journeys that the Miss Universe Bahrain organization has in store for the year.
