Hannah Arnold (third from left) receives the full support of her Bb. Pilipinas ‘sisters’ (from left) Chelsea Fernandez, Stacey Gabriel, Nicole Borromeo, Gabrielle Basiano and Samantha Panlilio. Image: Philippine Daily Inquirer/Armin P. Adina
MANILA, Philippines—Three years since first setting foot on the Binibining Pilipinas stage and months after crowning her successor, Hannah Arnold is finally leaving for the Miss International pageant.
The Australian-Filipino forensic scientist from Masbate joined the 2019 Bb. Pilipinas pageant where she finished in the semifinals. She returned the following year, but the competition was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national pageant resumed in 2021, and she captured the Bb. Pilipinas International crown. But the 60th Miss International pageant in which she was supposed to compete extended its “pandemic pause” for another year, so she patiently waited for her turn to carry the country’s colors on the global arena.
Meanwhile, the 2022 Bb. Pilipinas pageant was staged in July, and Arnold crowned her successor Nicole Borromeo without seeing action abroad.
Many fans were wondering whether Arnold would still get to represent the Philippines.
The Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) quelled Arnold’s fans’ fears as it declared that she will indeed be sent to Japan to represent the Philippines.
Now, after gracing the send-off for her fellow Bb. Pilipinas queens from both the 2021 and 2022 batches, Arnold is finally the one being sent off.
BPCI threw her a send-off press conference all her own at the Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City on Tuesday, Nov. 15, where she received well wishes from her pageant sisters.
Arnold will fly to Tokyo for the 60th Miss International pageant, which will culminate in a grand coronation program at the Tokyo Dome City Hall on Dec. 13.
If she wins, she will give her 2021 Bb. Pilipinas batch a three-crown haul. Maureen Montagne brought home the Miss Globe crown from Albania, and Cinderella Faye Obeñita was proclaimed Miss Intercontinental in Egypt.
You may help Hannah inch closer to the Miss International crown by voting for her on the global pageant’s official mobile app. Download it for free via the Play Store of App Store. Voting starts on Nov. 30.
From among the international pageants, the Philippines found the most success in the Miss International competition with six winners—Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013) and Kylie Verzosa (2016). /ra
RELATED STORIES:
Miss Earth beauties impart message for G20 leaders
Philippines welcomes Miss Earth delegates after 2 years