Miss Universe judge calls for drastic reforms ahead of 75th edition

As the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) looks ahead to its milestone 75th edition, one of its judges has openly acknowledged the damage caused by a controversy-filled year and is calling for urgent reforms to restore public trust.

Original Pilipino Music veteran Louie Heredia, who served as a judge at Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand, shared his candid views in an interview with broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez on her YouTube channel. Heredia said the organization must act decisively if it hopes to regain the confidence of fans, delegates, and host countries.

“Siguro naman they will have changes, no? They will be more transparent. Because Puerto Rico is already asking for transparency for the 75th Miss Universe,” Heredia said. He stressed the urgency of reform, adding, “I have to say they (MUO) have to do something really drastic to bring back that tiwala sa Miss Universe.”

Heredia was part of the judging panel that crowned Mexico’s Fatima Bosch as Miss Universe 2025. He said his involvement extended well beyond coronation night, noting that he evaluated more than a hundred candidates during closed-door interviews and preliminary rounds.

Asked about his expectations, Heredia admitted where his personal leanings were. “In my heart, akala ko talaga the last two standing would be Miss Philippines and Miss Thailand. That was on my mind — remember, I am only one of the eight judges,” he said, referring to Ahtisa Manalo of the Philippines and Thailand’s Praveenar Singh, who placed third runner-up and first runner-up, respectively.

He clarified that Bosch also received strong marks from him but acknowledged that her victory surprised many. “In fairness to the other judges, none of us talked about our scores backstage. We never discussed na dapat ito, dapat ‘yan,” he said, adding that there was no coordination or discussion among judges at any point.

Despite the controversy surrounding the results, Heredia expressed sympathy for the reigning Miss Universe. “Actually naaawa ako sa kanya… kasi mabait na bata naman siya eh,” he said, noting that allegations of rigging remain unproven but have already cast a shadow over her reign.

Heredia also echoed concerns raised by fellow judge and Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova, particularly the absence of an independent accounting firm in the tabulation process. He said reinstating such safeguards could strengthen transparency and public trust, recalling that accounting firms previously certified results at every stage of the competition.

Reassuring Filipino pageant fans, Heredia stood by Manalo’s performance. “She really did well talaga,” he said, adding words of encouragement: “Huwag kayong malungkot kasi may 2026 pa, may 2027 pa. Laban pa rin, Pilipinas.”

He reiterated that judges strictly followed protocol, with no exchange of opinions or scores. “In fairness to the other judges, talagang none of us talked about our scores backstage. We never discussed ‘Dapat ito, dapat ganyan,’ wala, nothing, zero,” he said.

Heredia also described the tight security surrounding judges throughout the event. “I didn’t realize na sa Miss Universe, ang pinakaimportante ay ang judges,” he said. “We come in sabay, all of eight of us with bodyguards [so] nobody can touch us, and after show we leave the area sabay ulit and put in a room.”

As the interview touched on various controversies, Heredia returned to his central point. “I have to say, they have to do something really drastic to bring back the ‘tiwala’ sa Miss Universe ulit, kasi hindi maganda ang nangyari,” he said.

For Heredia, the future of Miss Universe hinges on accountability and transparency as it enters its 75th year.