TWENTY-NINE ladies from all over the Philippines have the chance to win four international pageant crowns offered by Miss Grand Philippines (MGP): Miss Grand International, Reina Hispanoamericana, Face of Beauty, and Miss Asia-Pacific. From swimsuit and evening gown competitions to civic advocacies and question-and-answer portions, the ladies will have to step it up.
During a press presentation on July 1, the candidates were revealed, all clad in pink, coming from across the Philippines. Skincare brand Marinova Philippines serves as a main sponsor this year. The grand coronation night will be on Aug. 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Miss Grand Philippines pageant’s parent international platform is the Thailand-based Miss Grand International (MGI). In June, the Philippine representative and first runner-up Christine Juliane “CJ” Opiaza took on the crown after Miss Grand International 2024 winner Rachel Gupta of India resigned following internal conflicts with the MGI organization.
“I think that it’s possible for the Philippines to have a back-to-back win this year, only on the condition that we choose a worthy successor to our reigning Miss Grand International 2024, CJ Opiaza,” said Miss Grand Philippines national director Arnold L. Vegafria at the press presentation in Okada Manila, Parañaque City. “We are optimistic that our current candidates live up to all these expectations and more.
“Under our leadership, we hope to reaffirm our foothold within this global platform and hopefully wave our Filipino flag in the international stage once again,” he said.
The Philippine representative to MGI used to be selected by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc., until ALV Pageant Circle president Mr. Vegafria (who also organizes Miss World Philippines) launched the local counterpart in 2023.
Ms. Opiaza, who graced the press presentation and gave the ceremonial sashes to the 29 candidates this year, said that they must not forget the “four B’s of Miss Grand International: beauty, body, brain, and business.”
During the runway portion, the names of the candidates were announced. They were also able to share their profiles and advocacies in a brief question-and-answer portion. Of the 29, crowd favorites already stood out, receiving loud cheers from the audience: Michelle Arceo of Taguig, Nikhisa Chevey of Quezon City, Jasmine Garner of the Filipino Community in Canada, Anita Rose Gomez of Zambales, Beatriz Abalajon McLelland of Aklan, Angeleyh Pasco of Davao Region, Shannon Tampon of Bulacan, and Emma Mary Tiglao of Pampanga.
For Mr. Vegafria, the franchise “goes beyond prestige and awards” and ultimately aims to uplift the tourism sector.
“I would like to emphasize that the MGP organization as well as other competing pageants under Miss World Philippines and ALV Pageant Circle, are all purposely driven in promoting Philippine tourism. It has always been our primary goal to create global awareness for our country’s beautiful scenic spots and tourist destinations as well as to encourage tourists to experience firsthand our unique brand of Filipino hospitality and our cultural and historic heritage,” he explained.
“We can always claim that the beauty of our Filipina queens is closely aligned with our rich and colorful history as people and it is our duty and responsibility to share our story with the whole world.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana