PH’s Gabrielle Galapia advances to Miss Asia Pacific International 2026 Top 15

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Gabrielle Galapia of the Philippines has taken another step closer to the 2026 Miss Asia Pacific International crown and has now taken a spot among the Top 15.

The competition at Mactan Expo in Lapu-Lapu City started with 38 aspirants in total, which was later trimmed to just 25 semifinalists. The Filipino contender gained a semifinals berth by winning both the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards at the Preliminary Competition.

The 25 semifinalists competed in the swimsuit round to earn their spots in the Top 15, who will battle it our again on stage in the evening gown segment.

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Here is the complete list of Top 15 delegates:

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• Netherlands, Ivana Janssen
• Mexico, Itzel Idolina Silva Borbon
• Indonesia, Elsa Fitriana Putri Utami
• USA, Sophia Mendiola
• Costa Rica, Gia Angelique Franceschi
• Philippines, Gabrielle Galapia
• South Afirca, Nompumelelo Malindi
• Sri Lanka, Sandeepa Sewmini Don Samarasinghe Disanayake
• Thailand, Sasiwararin Atsawahirankarn
• Cambodia, Ry Srey Neth
• Dominican Republic, Yunerys Liriano Stevens
• Czech Republic, Valerie Precechtelova
• Brazil, Ana Paula Dos Santos Pessoa
• El Salvador, Alessia Malena Martinez
• Bolivia, Jaime Ardaya Adriana

This is the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant’s 58th anniversary edition, and the second consecutive year that the province of Cebu is hosting the global tilt.

Reigning queen Isabela Fernandes of Brazil is searching for her rightful successor from the current crop of contestants, and the field has now narrowed down further to just 15 aspirants.

Galapia is hoping to sustain the Philippines’ impressive record in the international pageant, being the most-successful country in the competition with a total of five winners.

Maria Del Carmen Ines Zaragoza and Gloria Dimayacyac were crowned Miss Asia in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Lorna Legaspi was proclaimed Miss Asia Pacific in 1989, followed by Michelle Aldana in 1993.

The most recent winner from the Philippines was Sharifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel, who was crowned Miss Asia Pacific International in 2018. /edv