Binibining Pilipinas Myrna Esguerra saw one familiar face in Japan where the Miss International pageant is taking place, 2023 queen Andrea Rubio from Venezuela.
During just the first week of the delegates’ stay in Japan for the 63rd edition of the international pageant, the two beauties already saw each other. The Venezuelan queen is there to follow the ladies’ journey across Japan, and will also host the final gala.
Rubio witnessed Esguerra’s coronation as Bb. Pilipinas International at the national pageant’s 60th anniversary celebration held in July 2024, where she also sat at the judging panel.
While she was in the Philippines, the Venezuelan beauty also spent time with the Bb. Pilipinas candidates before the coronation night to share messages of encouragement and to impart pageant tips.
Esguerra was the runaway winner in the national pageant’s milestone edition, receiving the Best in National Costume, Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown awards before taking home the crown.
She is on quest to post the Philippines’ seventh Miss International victory, nine years since Kylie Verzosa became the sixth Filipino woman to win the title.
This year, the Miss International pageant is celebrating its 65th anniversary, but this will only be its 63rd edition because the competition skipped several installments in the past.
The 2025 Miss International Final Gala will be held at the Yoyogi National Stadium’s Second Gymnasium in Tokyo on Nov. 27. Eighty delegates are competing this year, all vying to succeed Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy, the first-ever winner from Vietnam.