Reigning Miss Asia Pacific International Janelis Leyba came to the Philippines earlier last month for the remainder of her yearlong reign. But she will not be on hand to crown her successor.
The Dominican-American preschool teacher from New York even joined the delegates to Cebu, where most of the activities had been scheduled. However, she had already flown back home even before the winner had been chosen.
This was revealed at the ‘National Directors’ Night’ hosted by the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant at the Temple of Leah in Cebu City on Monday evening, Oct. 6.
Onin Mas, the pageant’s director for international relations, crown management, and media relations, told the national directors, ‘the winner for 2024 decided to go back to her home country because of the trauma that she had experienced during the earthquake.’
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake origninating in Bogo City in northern Cebu halted the pageant’s Benefit Gala Night at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City on Sept. 30, just as the program was about to close.
Videos from the incident saw Leyba frantically taking off her crown and dropping it on the runway as she hurriedly left the stage to seek safety from the tremor.
Inquirer Entertainment learned that she was still living in the Dominican Republic when the Caribbean was jolted by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake originating from Haiti, in 2010 when she was still six years old.
The pageant’s organizers said the painful memory of the tremor that she experienced as a child may still be fresh in her mind, and her fear may have been triggered by the Cebu earthquake.
‘We respect the decision,’ Mas emphasized. He also clarified that Leyba is still considered the reigning Miss Asia Pacific International titleholder of 2024.
Last year’s batch still has a representative, second runner-up Selena Ali of Belgium, who has been with the delegates since day one, from Manila all the way to Cebu, even experiencing the earthquake with the ladies.
‘She’s been with us right after the earthquake because she chose to be with us. And she’ll be with us until the coronation night, and she’ll be representing the whole batch of Miss Asia Pacific International,’ Mas said.
‘We’re happy that Selena is with us, and joining until the coronation night. So expect more from Selena. We’re very happy that we have [Ali], and you make your batch very, very proud,’ he continued.
Meanwhile, Mas and Miss Asia Pacific International President Eva Patalinug-Lim revealed that the province of Cebu will still host next year’s competition. The 2025 Miss Asia Pacific International coronation night will be held at the Cebu Coliseum on Oct. 8. Forty-three ladies from around the world are competing for the title.