BEAUTY queen Nicole Borromeo still made Filipinos proud when she finished as third runner-up in the 61st Miss International pageant.
The coronation was held yesterday in Tokyo, Japan.
Venezuela’s Andrea Rubio took home the crown, besting 69 other candidates in the pageant. She succeeded German beauty queen Jasmin Selberg.
Rubio was followed by Columbia’s Sofia Osio Luna as first runner-up, Peru’s Camila Diaz Daneri as second runner-up; while Bolivia’s Vanessa Hayes Schutt finished as fourth runner-up.
Binibining Pilipinas congratulated Borromeo for winning the third runner-up title.
“We are very proud of you,” it said on a Facebook post.
The Philippines has six Miss International crowns, with Kylie Versoza being the last in 2016.
Filipino netizens commented on the post to congratulate Borromeo and thank her for representing the Philippines.
Borromeo climbed her way to the Top 7, after making it to the first cut.
During the pageant, she was asked the question: “The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs by the United Nations have targets that are set to be achieved by 2030. What have you done so far in terms of SDGs initiatives?”
The Filipina beauty queen answered by sharing her experience as a volunteer at non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity. She used her skills as an interior designer student to design and construct homes for her volunteer work.
“As someone who experienced the wrath of natural disasters, home is everything. I’ve worked tirelessly with Habitat for Humanity under the SDG goals of number 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities,” she said.
“It is through this volunteer work that I could see in the faces of the children how much they wanted to help, how much they wanted to be a part of the future. Because when it comes to sustainability, we must keep in mind that it’s not only for the next generation but to include them in the process,” she added.
Borromeo also wowed the crowd when she wore a colorful and unique national costume, created by Cebuano-based designer Axel Que whose design inspiration was a “sea urchin.”
“This national costume embodies the mesmerizing allure of the sea urchin/uni, a culinary treasure cherished by the Philippines and Japan,” said Binibining Pilipinas on their FB post about the costume.
“Hand-sewn sequins, reminiscent of Yayoi Kusama’s iconic polka dots, create a breathtaking masterpiece that captures a shared passion for gastronomy and coastal way of life,” it added.
For her evening gown, Borromeo stunned pageant fans with her silvermist blue-hued gown made by Dubai-based designer and Global Pinoy Furne Amato. The gown drew inspiration from a mythical creature known as Magindara, the guardian of the seas and the Visayan counterpart of sirens.
Binibining Pilipinas said that it embodied “both the maiden allure and fierce feminine rage of these denizens of the deep.”
