Reina Filipinas winners impart thoughts on current issues, MGI’s ‘4 Bs’

At the Reina Filipinas coronation night, select individuals were able to discuss a couple of topics, but the eventual winners and the candidates got the opportunity to discuss a multitude of issues even before the final competition.

During the Reina Filipinas finale, the Top 11 semifinalists delivered their respective speeches on protecting and preserving peace in the pagent community, while the Top 7 discussed the space they want Reina Filipinas to occupy in the industry.

But at the candidates’ visit to ProjectBeauty and the DandyGlow offices in Mandaluyong, they were able to tackle more issues through a question-and-answer round. Even the Miss Grand International pageant’s “4 Bs” (beauty, body, brain, business) was discussed.

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It was DandyGlow CEO Aubrey Asuncion Gonzales herself who came up with all the questions, many of which tested the candidates’ grasp of current issues, and gave them the opportunity to share their convictions.

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When asked which Filipino leader she would choose to help her stop war and violence, the battle cry of the Miss Grand International pageant, Reina Filipinas Grand International Angelica Lopez chose Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto.

“I’ve seen how good he is doing with leadership and the benefit of the Filipino people as well. I have followed him for quite some time now, and I’ve seen how he is very transparent with everything that he is doing for the Filipino people and for the country,” she said.

As an aspiring leader herself, Lopez said she would ask Sotto’s “secret” and some pieces of advice, “so I can be an effective leader myself, and to further educate so many people about the things that are relevant in our country.”

Reina Filipinas MGI All Stars Anne Patricia Lorenzo Diaz was asked to think of a law that would seek punishment for war criminals. “Instead of thinking or creating a new law, [I would focus on] our justice system here in our country. The main problem is that sometimes our laws are being bent. We need to be firm when it comes to our law,” she said.

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Asked which of the 4 Bs is the most important, Reina Filipinas MGI All Stars Alexie Brooks chose business, “because when a woman competes, who she becomes after the crown is far more important.”

She added: “What we’re doing here right now with these other girls, we are teaching them how to become a better woman, not just onstage but offstage. So I hope that if there’s one thing that we are learning from Reina Filipinas is learn to become more than who you are, more than your beautiful body, beautiful face and intelligent mind.”

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Those who did not get the chance to hold the microphone at the coronation night were still able to shine during the pre-final event.

National pageant rookie Verciandy Santos from Bataan was asked about minors who are in conflict with the law and commit heinous crimes.

“As a psychology student, I am a firm believer that before we move forward to implementing laws, it is important to have proper parenting, proper webinars, wherein we could better teach our people,” she said. For her, the focus should be on better parenting that allows kindness to prosper.

Frezle Juana Verzo from Koronadal City drew a question about the reimposition of the death penalty in the country. “If you asked me this question five years ago, I will definitely tell you I’m all for death penalty because I want all the criminals who commit heinous crimes to be rid off in our country,” she said.

“But right now, as I sit through it, death is an easy way out for them. For me, I think, they should suffer from their own guilt. They should have time to realize what their mistake is. So right now I’m all for focusing on the laws on how we can make the Philippines a safe and better place,” she added.

La Union’s Reign Gale Nejal picked a question about the recent spate of in-school killings and violence in the country. “It is caused by the way the children are raised in our own homes, the way that it starts within the family. And it is a big factor in how the child is being raised, in how they see the world in a different perspective,” she said.

When asked to add one more “B” to the 4 Bs, Marcelino said, “I will add ‘boldness,’ boldness to move, boldness to stop, and bodness to make decisions in our businesses. Because once we are fearless, we can use our boldness in us for creativity in our business to go forward, foster more customers, and attract more potential buyers and customers.”

Reina Filipinas is a new national pageant under the leadership of its president, Jojo Bragais, with reigning Miss Grand International Emma Tiglao as national director. Miss Grand International President Nawat Itsaragrisil is the executive partner.

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Lopez will try to post a “three-peat” for the Philippines at the 2026 Miss Grand International pageant in India in October, while Brooks and Diaz will take part at the second edition of MGI All Stars in Thailand in December. /ra