Four lovely ladies from Cebu will be competing with other beauty queens from around the country for the crown of Miss Universe Philippines 2025. | CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Four remarkable ladies from the Queen City of the South will be vying for the most coveted Miss Universe Philippines crown this coming May 2025.
The contestants, each representing different parts of Cebu, will be competing with several other ladies from around the country at the highly-anticipated Miss Universe Philippines stage.
Representing the city of Cebu will be 26-year-old Gabriella Mai Carballo.
Carballo, a medical school graduate, clinched the title of Miss Universe Philippines Cebu 2025 during the coronation night last December 18, 2024.
Meanwhile, Miss Universe Philippines Cebu Tourism 2025 Chella Grace Falconer, 25, will be representing the province of Cebu.
The two ladies were officially given their sashes during a ceremony on Thursday, February 6.
In a surprising turn of events, Miss Universe Philippines Cebu franchise owner Irma Bitzer made an announcement during the event about the addition of two more contestants to this year’s line-up.
In addition to the two top winners of this year’s contest, Natasha Testa and Thelma Suzanne Dayao will also be joining the roster for the Miss Universe Philippines 2025 contestants.
Testa, a 21-year-old college student, is contender for the city of Lapu-Lapu. In the year 2024, she was hailed as Miss Philippines Cebu.
Dayao, on the other hand, will be joining as a representative of her hometown of San Fernando in northern Cebu.
The 20-year-old’s participation is an exciting venture for the town’s residents as this would be the first time that San Fernando will be represented in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
With this, Cebu will be sending four dazzling and strong contestants to the national competition that will take place a few months from now in Manila.
The official sashing of contestants and press conference is set to take place on Ferbuary 15, revealed Bitzer.
A new Miss Universe queen will be then be crowned during the coronation night scheduled on May 2.
The event on Thursday also served as a send-off ceremony for the four beauty queens who will be traveling to Manila to prepare and take part in the various activities leading up to the main competition.
Excitement for the journey
During a press conference, the contestants shared having mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement for the hectic journey ahead of them.
“The pressure is on but I would like to use it as a fuel to do well. And the main goal is to really do well in the pageant and I want to…do my best for my town. I’d like to set my foot forward jud for this competition,” stated Dayao.
Nevertheless, all four dazzling ladies are extremely proud and elated to be representing their beloved hometowns at the national stage together.
With multiple outfits and accessories already packed in suitcases, they are looking forward to the upcoming events that would allow them to showcase to the world the beauty of Cebu and its people.
Bitzer, in her speech, advised the contestants to walk with pride, speak with purpose, and shine with authenticity while the whole of Cebu is rooting for them to return with a crown.
“As they proudly wear the sash of their respective cities, they carry not just a title but the hopes and dreams of every Cebuano. And I guess every one of us is really dreaming and we really hope that this time, Cebu will get the national crown,” she added. /clorenciana
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