Pageant season: Filipinas chase Miss Grand, Miss Universe and Miss International crowns

The next seven weeks are the busiest stretch of the Philippine pageant calendar. Three Filipinas head into international finals between October 10 and November 25, each chasing a goal the country has reached for before: a third straight Miss Grand International crown, a fifth Miss Universe title and a seventh Miss International win.

October 10: a third straight Miss Grand crown?

First up is Angelica Lopez of Palawan. She won the Reina Filipinas – Grand International 2026 title in August at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City, besting 20 other candidates in the pageant's first edition, GMA News reported.

Miss Grand International 2026 moved to Thailand, where the competition runs from September 18 to a coronation night on October 10, according to DZRH. Lopez arrived in Bangkok in September and has since competed in the swimsuit round. In her introduction video she spoke about her childhood struggles and advocated for "positive peace," GMA News said.

What is at stake: GMA News and DZRH both note that she is aiming for a third consecutive Miss Grand International crown for the Philippines, after CJ Opiaza's 2024 title and Emma Tiglao's 2025 win.

November 24–25: Miss Universe and Miss International, back to back

The biggest night is November 24 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 75th Miss Universe competition will be held at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot, the Miss Universe Organization announced, as reported by GMA News. The National Costume Competition opens on November 21, followed by the preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competition on November 22. Reigning Miss Universe Fátima Bosch of Mexico will crown her successor. Because of the time difference, the final falls on November 25 in the Philippines, DZRH noted.

The Philippine representative is Bea Millan-Windorski of La Union, crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2026 on May 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where 50 candidates competed. According to PEP.ph, she was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to a Filipina mother, and her maternal grandparents came from San Juan, La Union. She holds degrees in History and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and her main advocacy is recognition for people displaced by climate change. As Miss Earth USA 2024, she won the Miss Earth Water title. Philstar Life wrote that she aims to bring home the fifth Miss Universe crown for the Philippines. Her predecessor, Ahtisa Manalo, was third runner-up at Miss Universe 2025, Philstar reported, and MUPH 2026 judge Carlos Candal told Philstar: "We all agree that Bea has a fantastic chance at winning the international contest."

The run-up has not been calm for the organizers. In September the Miss Universe Organization said contestants from six countries, including Thailand and Indonesia, are not eligible because of a dispute over national franchise agreements linked to Miss Universe Eastern and Nawat Itsaragrisil, GMA News reported. The organization said the Puerto Rico event will go ahead, with no plans to postpone or cancel it.

On November 25, Miss International 2026 will be held at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo, Philstar reported. The Philippines sends Katrina Anne Johnson, Binibining Pilipinas International 2025, a Filipino-American from Davao. DZRH noted that she was first runner-up at Binibining Pilipinas 2023 before returning to win her title. In September, the pageant website Missosology placed her fifth in its first list of favorites, GMA News reported.

Queens from Davao, Cebu and beyond

Johnson is not the only queen from the south. At the Miss Philippines coronation held a week after Miss Universe Philippines, at City of Dreams Manila, Jenrose Javier of Sultan Kudarat was named Miss Eco International Philippines 2027 and Trexy Roxas of Iligan became Miss Eco Teen Philippines 2026, GMA News reported.

Cebu took two titles that night. Apriel Smith of Cebu City is Miss Charm Philippines 2026, and Nicole Borromeo of Cebu Province won the new Miss Worldwide Philippines 2026 title, according to GMA News and SunStar. SunStar's report did not give dates for their international competitions. From the Visayas, Catherine Wardle of Samar Island is Miss Teen Universe Philippines 2026, and Alexie Caimoso Brooks of Iloilo City will join Anne Patricia Diaz of Tondo, Manila, at the second Miss Grand International All Stars, GMA News reported.

Also still to compete is Rina Andrea Delos Santos of Ballesteros, Cagayan, Miss Philippines Earth 2026. She will try for the country's fifth Miss Earth crown after four wins, the most recent by Karen Ibasco in 2017, DZRH reported.

The record and what comes next

The year has already brought one breakthrough. Katrina Llegado won Miss Supranational 2026 in Nowy Sącz, Poland, ending a 13-year wait since Mutya Datul's 2013 victory, DZRH reported. At Miss World 2026 in Nha Trang, Vietnam, on September 5, Asia Rose Simpson finished in the Top 12, PEP.ph reported.

The record is strongest at Miss International, where the Philippines has six crowns: Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013) and Kylie Verzosa (2016), according to Philstar.

The next national cycle has also begun: Allyson Hetland of Pampanga already holds the Miss Supranational Philippines 2027 title. For fans, the dates to mark are October 10 for Miss Grand International, and November 25, Philippine time, for both Miss Universe and Miss International.