Miss Universe expert: MJ Lastimosa is a candidate to beat

French fashion expert and beauty producer Ines Ligron is very outspoken with her commentary on the Miss Universe 2014 candidates on her public Facebook page—and she has every right to be, having been National Director of the Miss Universe pageant in Japan for 10 years before retiring in 2010.

 

She also maintains close ties to the pageant, often posting backstage and show photos of many of the candidates. Her three favorites? Colombia, Jamaica, and the Philippines.

 

 

 

She named Mary Jean Lastimosa as one of the candidates to beat, calling her the Filipina's self-introduction at the opening of the pageant "a much classier version" as opposed to many other candidates' “embarrassing” screaming.

 

 

 

On Jan. 17, Ligron called MJ Lastimosa “divine” in a Facebook post.

 

 

 

 

Ligron also seems to have a soft spot for the Philippines as a nation, having packed two balikbayan boxes full of warm clothes for children who live in the mountains.

 

 

— Vida Cruz/JST, GMA News