Miss Supranational Philippines Pauline Amelinckx waves to the crowd after her coronation./ARMIN P. ADINA
MANILA, Philippines — Pauline Amelinckx may not have captured the Miss Universe Philippines title on her third attempt at the crown, but she still expressed gratitude for a fruitful run in the national competition.
“I wanna say thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. All your love, all your support, every year, for the past few years has been so moving and so heartwarming,” the Belgian-Filipino model and host from Bohol said after she received the Miss Supranational Philippines crown during the national pageant’s victory party held at the Cove Manila pool club of Okada Manila in Parañaque City early morning of May 14.
Amelinckx headed into the finals as a frontrunner, amassing the lion’s share of special awards at the preliminary competition — Miss Smilee Apparel, Miss So-en, Miss Titan Universe, Miss Creamsilk Ultimate, Miss Jojo Bragais, Miss Hello Glow, Miss Avana, Miss Enderun, Miss Kemans Body, and Miss Origee Beauty Drink by Skin Magical.
She was also among the five top vote-getters in two of the three online challenges, the Swimsuit Challenge and the Jojo Bragais Runway Challenge, topping the earlier one to qualify for the semifinals during the final competition.
Inside the Mall of Asia Arena where the coronation program was held on May 13, Amelinckx had massive support from the crowd, welcoming her with loud cheers and applause whenever she appeared on stage, screaming “Bohol,” the province she has been representing in the national competition since her first participation in 2020 when she finished as third runner-up, and when she returned last year when she received the Miss Universe Philippines-Charity title.
“This has been one of those driving factors that really kept me going. And that really drove me to want to become better, more evolved and transformed. So to all of you, thank you so much, ‘daghang salamat’ (thank you),” she said.
Before she first joined the Miss Universe Philippines pageant in 2020, Amelinckx worked for the tourism office of the provincial government of Bohol. She has also published a coloring book for children featuring the province’s marine resources, and has been staunchly promoting the island as a tourist destination. Her national costume in the recent national pageant was inspired by ube, a root crop abundantly growing in Bohol.
For her first foray on the international stage, Amelinckx will carry not just her province, but the entire country. She will be the first of the three crowned national titleholders to compete abroad. She will represent the Philippines in the 14th edition of the Miss Supranational pageant in Poland in July.
Main winner Michelle Dee, another returning candidate and former Miss World Philippines titleholder, will compete in the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador later this year. Krishnah Gravidez will join the second Miss Charm pageant in Vietnam next year. EDV