Pageant Result: Miss Teen Icon International 2025

The winners of Miss Teen Icon International 2025 from left to right: Zoe Allue - Spain - Fifth Runner Up, Sascha Lee Daniel -South Africa - Second Runner Up, Sasha Starr - United Kingdom _ Miss Teen Icon International 2025- Winner, Yashna Sumir Sharma - Philippines - First Runner Up, Kun Kaknika - Cambodia - Third Runner Up, Nadya Christy Cinta - Indonesia - Fourth Runner Up.  The pageant was held at Aeon Mall Phnom Penh in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 25, 2025.

Akisha Albert - Philippines Lucky Charm From Curacao

CJ Opiaza- Miss Grand International Philippines 2024

Here is another beauty pageant trivia you don't want to miss. Would you believe Akisha Albert is the new Miss Grand Int'l Curacao 2024? So, does it matter to Filipinos if she will represent Curacao or not?

On the face value ... maybe none. But if I am going to tell you ... she is a lucky charm to some of our previous winners. Maybe you will reconsider your answer.

She was unplaced in Miss Earth 2014, but Jamie Herrell of the Philippines won Miss Earth 2014.

Akisha continued her pageant journey ... and in Reina Hispano America 2017, she won first runner-up ... only second to Winwin Marquez of the Philippines, who took the contest by storm, being the first-ever delegate of the country to the contest ... and won.

Akisha doesn't rest on her laurels.  In 2018 ... her third attempt at Miss Universe was the most-watched. By now having proven she was indeed a lucky charm ... Filipinos were already sure and confident Catriona Gray would bring home the bacon ... and the rest was history ... Catriona was boiling hot with her lava walk giving the Philippines its fourth Miss Universe Crown.

And what is this we heard the indefatigable Akisha is trying out her luck this time at Miss Grand International 2024 - the title that is too elusive for Filipinos ... what with Uncle Nawat's sweet and sour relationship with the Philippines.

Will CJ Opiaza bring the Golden Crown to the Philippines and will her victory prove that Akisha Albert's being the lucky charm was not only coincidental ... but providential. 

The finals of Miss Grand International came, and bomber CJ Opiaza fell short as she ended up only as the second best (first runner up). Filipinos were expectant that the Philippines would finally win the elusive crown ... but it was not written in the stars. Although downhearted...  they console themselves ... "Well, next year will be another year."

So did Akisha Albert's magic being the lucky charm for not just one but four Philippine titleholders, a mere coincidence? Or is it just an oddity ... it may have worked with the other Pinoy beauty queens in the past, and the Miss Grand 2024 finals was its expiry date?

Fast forward to the present - May 28. 2025. What's this we heard that Rachel Gupta - Miss Grand International 2024 has resigned. Or was she terminated? It looked like there was bad blood between her and the organization.

And as expected, with her resignation, somebody has to take over, and who would aptly assume control and fill in her beauty shoes than the first runner up herself, CJ Opiaza?

Moral of the story? It is not over ... till it is over.

Indeed, Akisha Albert is the Philippines' lucky charm. The finals of Miss Grand 2024 may not be the way we expect it to be ... but with Akisha around ... the melodrama has made its last twist and turn ... and the Golden Crown ... was given to the rightful owner, CJ Opiaza.

Akisha Albert - Miss Grand International Curacao 2024

Rachel Gupta Reisned (Or Was SAhe Terminated?)

Indeed, 2025 is the Philippines' year. After a string of successive wins internationally (see my post yesterday), we didn't realize it was a portent and a forewarning of more good things to come.

As of presstime, there is no official notice regarding the resignation/termination of Rachel Gupta (Miss Grand International 2024) or the appointment of CJ Opiaza to take over. Knowing Nawat, anything can happen.

The world is watching, and Filipinos will be ecstatic if Nawat fulfills what is to be expected.

If the crown is given to CJ Opiaza, the elusive Golden Crown is a stone's throw away.

And you know what that means, the Philippines has finally won practically all major and minor pageants there are. 

It has been firmly fixed and secured its powerhouse status, being one of the few countries that has completed six major wins on Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International, Miss Supranational, and Miss Grand International

Unless Nawat changes his mind again. The ball is now on his side.

This early, our neighbor's narrative changed. Their statements will run something like this: "Unless Miss Philippines won Miss Cosmo ... the powerhouse status remains doubtful and questionable."

Pageant Result: Mister Pangasinan 2025

The winners of Mister Pangasinan 2025 from left to right: Favi Osilla Jr. - second Runner Up, Harvey Joshua Sagum - First Runner Up, Mayen Jhunnel Amor -Mister Friendship International Philippines Pangasinan 2025, Rey John Paul Sabado - Misters Of Filipinas Pangasinan 2025, Bon Martin -Mister Philippines Pangasinan 2025 and Erech Josue - Mister Island Tourism Philippines Pangasinan 2025.  The pageant was held at Urdaneta Sports Complex last May 25, 2025.

It;s Raining Titles For the Philippines

                                                James Andre Bayot - Mr. Teen Heritage Universal 2025
 

                                                           Rein Gonzales _ Miss Queen Of The World 2025

                                           Patricia Bangug - Miss Orient Tourism Global 2025

                                     Jean Micaell Yabot - Mister Heritage International Asia Pacific 2025

                                                        Angel Melocotones - Miss Charity Teen Global 2025

Ang dasal ng ating mga kapitbahay ...."Please not Philippines again.  They win Miss Eco International ...Philipin always Philipin. I am tired of THERE face." Hindi nga alam ang spelling ng THEIR ay ng Philippines ... nagiisip pa ng masama sa iba?

It was funny pati ba naman yan pwedeng isama sa mga dasal? Ang bad luck ng iba ... hihingin mo sa langit para maging good luck sa inyo? Mabuti na lang hindi nakinig ang kung sinong pinagdadasalan nila. Bad ... kasi!

Kaya Sorry to you ... not this year.  Di ba last year, nanalo lang kayo ng ilang minor awards nagyabang na agad kayo? Ano nga ba ang tawag ninyo bigla sa country ninyo?  The new Powerhouse? At ang lakas ninyong mangantiyaw ha!

Wala namang masama sa nangangarap basta consistent ang batting average ninyo. Hindi yong nanalo lang ng 2 titles ... tapos yong ibang pageants naman bokya.

Yon bang kung may 50 pageants in a year - 90 percent most of the time ... palagi llamado at nagka-title talaga.

At least ang Philippines last year kahit sinasabi ninyong lukewarm na ang winning streak at sumemplang sa Miss Cosmo, at sa Miss Supra ratsada pa ring nanalo ng awards sa  ibang major at minor pageants.

To be exact, last year, the Philippines won 74 titles, 24 First Runner Up spots, 11 second Runner Ups, 11 Third Runner Ups, 4 Fourth Runner Up, and 2 Fifth Runner Up. And not to be forgotten, 13 semi-final placements. Who can have a record like that? Pilipinas lang.

Imagine yong 24 First Runner Up wins? Nagmumuntikan na. Paano na kung pinalad pa yang viente cuatro na yan ... kalabisan nang sabihin ... isang maliit na country ... may 98 titles? Aba ... that one is for Ripley. To think na minamaliit pa nila ang title ourput ng Pinas?

And this year ratsada na naman ang panalo. That's what I called consistent. At hindi nagyayabang. 

Kung sinasabi man namin yon ay dahil iyon ang katotohanan.

Political Irony

This one takes the cake. Victor Rodriguez authored Kingmaker, and from the title of the book alone, something doesn't add up ... and there is more to it than meets the eye. 

In other words, there's a lot of complex hidden meaning to his being an author than what is immediately obvious or apparent. 

If one makes a grandiose pronouncement that he is the King Maker (BBM won in his watch), and then he fails in his senatorial bid... something is off.  There are inconsistencies in the premise of his statement... and there are missing pieces, which make it hard to swallow hook, line, and sinker.

His losing his senatorial race was contradictory to his being a Kingmaker. He needs to win first... before he comes close to being a Kingmaker.

The fact of the matter, some readers claimed the title of the book, without a contest, was the biggest joke of 2025.

Pageant Oddity

In 2021, Alexandria Faith Garcia of the Philippines won Miss Aura International. Her First Runner Up was Alexandra Stroe from Romania.

In 2025, Krishan Pauline Alerre of the Philippines won her second Miss Aura International title. Surprisingly, Kira Andreea Joanna Stan also from Romania was the First Runner Up.

Was it a coincidence or fate has it written in the stars? 

History repeats ... and how it webbed its storyline ... has amused and entertained us, leaving our jaws open in disbelief. 

Indeed, this pageant oddity will be long remembered ... it is almost comparable to Halley's comet!

Why? Halley's Comet last appeared in Earth's skies in 1986 and is expected to return in 2061 on its regular 76-year journey around the Sun. 

See?