Angelica Lopez from Palawan crowned Reina Filipinas Grand International

The pioneer queens of the inaugural staging of Reina Filipinas have been crowned, and Angelica Lopez from Palawan has claimed the Reina Filipinas Grand International title, bearing the insurmountable task of giving the Philippines a third consecutive win on the international stage.

She emerged victorious from a field of 21 aspirants at the conclusion of the competition held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Newport World Resorts in Pasay City on Friday evening, Aug. 7.

The new queen received her crown from reigning Miss Grand International and Reina Filipinas National Director Emma Tiglao. Two more winners were crowned Reina Filipinas MGI All Stars—Anne Patricia Lorenzo Diaz from Manila, and Alexie Caimoso Brooks from Iloilo City.

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Many pageant fans have been clamoring for Lopez to try out for the Miss Grand Philippines title because of her signature showmanship onstage. She was crowned Binibining Pilipinas in 2023, and competed at the 2024 Miss International pageant in Japan.

Lopez will fly to India in October for the 2026 Miss Grand International pageant, where she will try to score a back-to-back-to-back victory for the Philippines. Tiglao’s predecessor is Filipino queen Christine Juliane “CJ” Opiaza.

Diaz and Brooks will both compete at the second edition of MGI All Stars, a competition among international pageant veterans, in Thailand in December.

Four more ladies completed the winners’ circle—first runner-up Cleopatra Barrera from Zambales, second runner-up Isabella Ortega from Camarines Sur, third runner-up Zeah Nestle Pala from Mandaluyong, and fourth runner-up Luisa Lorin Montano Benavides from Caloocan.

A bevy of international pageant queens joined the judging panel, MGI All Stars first edition winner Vanessa Pulgarin from Colombia and her runner-up Nguyen Huong Giang from Vietnam, Tiglao’s Miss Grand International runner-up Gotchabell Sarunrat Puagpipat from Thailand, and Opiaza. They were joined by fashion designer Michael Cinco.

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Spectators were amazed to see the judges’ scores flashed in real-time, reminiscent of the transparent scoring system that MGI All Stars implemented in its competition.

Miss Grand International President and MGI All Stars organizer Nawat Itsaragrisil is the executive partner of Reina Filipinas. He flew in from Thailand to oversee the show. International pageant shoe designer Jojo Bragais is the organization’s president.

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Cebuana beauty queens adn MGI All Stars alumnae Fuschia Anne Ravena and Gazini Ganados served as the pageant’s backstage hosts. Beauty queen and TV host Joy Barcoma handled the main show with 2026 Mr. World Philippines first runner-up Sean Kyle Ortega. /edv