Filipino MUO judge calls for drastic reforms ahead of 75th edition

As the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) gears up for its milestone 75th edition next year, one judge has openly acknowledged the fallout from a controversy-laden year and is urging urgent reforms to restore public trust.

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

“Siguro naman (Probably) they will make changes, ‘no (right)? They’ll be more transparent. 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 (trust in) Miss Universe.”

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

When asked about his expectations, Heredia shared his personal thoughts. “In my heart, akala ko talaga (I really thought) 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 win 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, noting 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 (I pity her because she’s really a good kid),” he said, adding 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 suggested that 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, offering words of encouragement: “Huwag kayong malungkot kasi may 2026 pa, may 2027 pa. Laban pa rin, Pilipinas! (Don’t be sad because there’s still 2026, 2027. Fight still, Philippines!).”