Leila Lopes from Angola bested heavy-favorite Shamcey Supsup in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.

Suddenly it’s like 1999 once again. 12 years ago in Trinidad and Tobago, the crowd favorite back then to win Miss Universe was our very own Miriam Quiambao. But she was bested in the final question-and-answer portion by Miss Botswana, Mpule Kwelagobe, who eventually won the crown. Quiambao settled for 1st runner up.

Yesterday, our very own Shamcey Supsup nailed the question-and-answer portion of the pageant and was the only one who replied without an aid of an interpreter.

Many Filipinos believed Shamcey should have won but of course, Miss Angola Leila Lopez was equally deserving based from her performances in swimsuit, evening gown and question-and-answer. But 3rd runner up for Shamcey? Really?

It should have been Angola and Philippines in the final two (just like the Botswana-Philippines tandem in 1999) and 3rd runner up for Shamcey is a little unjust, I must say. But then again, we should be thankful that Shamcey was included in the final 5 as other heavily favored contestants like Miss Malaysia and Miss Greece were totally snubbed!

So let’s get back to Leila Lopes, the 2nd black woman to beat the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant.

Lopes is 25 years old, stands 5’10″ and a business student. She was born on February 26, 1986 to Cape Verdean immigrants in Benguela, Angola in West Africa.

In an interview by the Associated Press, one day after the pageant at the Hilton hotel, Lopes said she hopes her victory will allow her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combatting HIV around the globe.

“I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs,” she said.

Lopez also shared her two cents worth about racism. When asked about the topic, the new Miss Universe said: “Any racist needs to seek help. It’s not normal in the 21st century to think in that way.”

While the remaining 88 delegates are now travelling home to their native land, Lopez will then travel to New York to fulfill her duties as the new Miss Universe. She is set to visit Singapore and Indonesia to crown the 2012 Miss Universe representatives from the said Southeast Asian Countries.

Is there a possibility for Leila to stop over in our country? We already conceded, right?

Images of Leila Lopes courtesy of Bruno Zanardo/Fotoarena