Pacquiao named to judge 63rd Miss Universe

People’s Champ and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao. Photo by Chris Farina / Pacquiao’s official Facebook page

MANILA – Filipino boxing star and congressman Manny Pacquiao has been selected as one of the judges in the prestigious 63rd Miss Universe to be held on Jan. 25 in Doral, Florida.

According to report posted by philboxing.com, NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, announced on Friday (Thursday in New York) that Pacquiao will join the panel of judges composed of some celebrities.

Pacquiao is the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion, Fighter of the Decade, and eight-division world champion.

Other judges of the 63rd Miss Universe pageant include Kristin Cavallari, TV host and shoe designer; William Levy, TV and film actor who was previously named People En Espanol’s Sexiest Man Alive; Lisa Vanderpump, Star of hit show “Vanderpump Rules” and “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”; Louise Roe, Fashion journalist, author, host of “Plain Jane” on MTV International and the upcoming TLC fashion series, “Style By Jury”.

The 63rd Annual Miss Universe Pageant will feature 88 contestants from across the globe.

They will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

Gabriela Isler, Miss Universe 2013 from Venezuela, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the three-hour telecast pageant distributed to approximately 190 countries and territories.

Mary Jean Lastimosa, a 27-year-old pride of North Cotabato, is hoping to become the third Filipina to win Miss Universe title.

Actress Gloria Diaz was the first Filipina to win the Miss Universe title in 1969 and Margarita Moran did it again for the Philippines in 1973.