Gabriella Mai Carballo, 26, is the official candidate representing Cebu City North for the 2025 edition of Miss Universe Philippines Cebu. | Gabbi Carballo/Facebook
CEBU CITY, Philippines – When someone is called a “jack of all trades,” it often speaks of his or her versatility and ability to excel in various fields.
They may not specialize in one area, but their broad skill set and adaptability shine, proving their knack for thriving in diverse environments.
For 26-year-old Gabriella Mai Carballo, a candidate for Miss Universe Philippines Cebu representing Cebu City North, this description feels apt yet somehow limiting.
A true “jack of all trades.”
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From excelling in basketball, soccer, and track and field to showcasing her talents in dance, singing, the arts, modeling, acting, and even academics through writing and math competitions, Carballo has repeatedly proven her ability to master a wide array of disciplines.
But her journey is not merely about versatility, it’s about purpose.
Born in Miami, Florida, to first-generation Bisaya immigrants—her father from Dumaguete and her mother from Cebu—Gabbi grew up in a household where two cultures converged. This blend of influences shaped her personality and life path.
“I’m a combination of their two personalities—my mom, who’s more reserved and routine, and my dad, who’s extroverted and a visionary,” she shared.
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Gabbi’s parents encouraged her to explore everything, from sports to arts to academics, creating a safe space for her to thrive.
“They never once discouraged me from trying something new,” she said.
This freedom, however, brought its challenges. During her teenage years, Gabbi grappled with how to align her passions in a clear direction. Then, she discovered pageantry—a platform where all facets of her multifaceted self could shine.
Gabbi’s pageant journey began in 2017 when she won the title of Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU) – College of Nursing Miss Valentine. A year later, she earned her first major title, Miss Mandaue 2018, garnering several special awards. She rose to greater prominence in 2022 when she was crowned Miss Cebu.
Now, as she competes for Miss Universe Philippines, Gabbi reflects on why pageantry resonates deeply with her.
“I realized it celebrates women as a whole, not just one mere talent, I found a place where I could express myself fully.”
While Gabbi’s pageant journey unfolds, her academic pursuit in medicine continues to thrive. She earned her nursing degree during the pandemic and is now on the path to becoming a doctor. Balancing these worlds has not been easy, but Gabbi sees pageantry and medicine as two sides of the same coin—both grounded in service.
Her decision to pause her internship to focus on Miss Universe came after she embraced her mother’s wisdom.
“I was told by many that I can’t do both and I have to choose one, but my mom reminded me that medicine has no timeline. Miss Universe does,” she said.
“I made the scary decision to delay my med journey by stepping away from a post-graduate internship for now and fully dedicating my life to trying to become Miss Universe”
Gabbi’s passion for service began to take shape in 2018 when she launched The Green Wave Cebu, a sustainability initiative aimed at addressing environmental sanitation and improving health outcomes for underserved communities.
This advocacy grew from her realization of the deep connection between a clean environment and better health, a lesson she learned after speaking with less fortunate families in 2017 about their struggles with poor hygiene.
“I had the chance to interview members of less fortunate communities back in 2017,” Gabbi shared.
“They talked in depth about the cleanliness of their environment and its correlation to poor health outcomes. I heard this at a time of my life when I myself was at a low point, and to help myself out of it, I chose to do something for them – so that’s how my passion for service began,” she said.
One of The Green Wave Cebu’s flagship projects, Sabon Sugbuanon, focuses on recycling lightly used hotel soaps into new bars, which are then distributed to families in Barili.
“We utilize lightly used bar soaps from our local hotels and resorts, recycle them into new bars in workshops with mothers, and provide free hygiene resources to underserved families,” Gabbi explained.
Her initiative didn’t stop there. The Green Wave Cebu initially conducted waste management workshops in public schools in Mandaue, collaborated with local pageants to donate basketball-themed segregation bins, and organized a clean-up drive for the Butuanon River.
“After all, if you have a clean environment, your health follows,” she said.
Gabbi’s journey has been anything but straightforward. From losing friendships to grappling with self-doubt, she has faced her share of trials. But, through it all, she has remained grounded in faith and purpose.
“One of my favorite lines my pastor once said was, “There is wisdom in knowing our days are numbered’,” Gabbi shared.
“Many people tell us, ‘Don’t worry, you still have so much time,’ but sometimes that leads to complacency, procrastination, and a delay in what we were meant to do. When I realized that I’ll never actually know how long I’m on this earth, it pushed me to make every day meaningful,” she said.
Gabbi shared that the understanding of life’s uncertainty drives her to live each day with purpose and intention. This wisdom, she said, fuels her determination to work toward the plans she senses God has set for her.
At the same time, it has taught her to prioritize her relationships and spend meaningful time with her loved ones, knowing that life is fleeting and their days, too, are numbered.
As Gabbi competes for the Miss Universe Philippines Cebu crown, she hopes to leave a legacy of care and commitment to others, both as a doctor and a beauty queen.
“I want people to feel seen and loved when they interact with me. I want people to trust that I can fill gaps in our society, and do it well, with a heart that I try my best to fill with goodness and right guidance,” she said.